Happy surprise as Wade finds himself on top
AUSTRALIA’S Wade Ormsby was surprised to find himself at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final day of the Fiji International at Natadola Bay.
Ormsby made a slow start to the third round and was one-over-par after seven holes, but birdied seven of the next 10 to surge through the field as a lack of wind made for ideal scoring conditions.
The resulting 66 saw Ormsby finish on 10-under-par, a shot ahead of compatriot Jason Norris, with another Australian – James Marchesani – a shot further back in third.
“It was a bit of a surprise coming up the last, I hadn’t seen too many leaderboards for the day, but obviously very happy with it,” Ormsby said.
“I didn’t think I would be in that position after seven holes, I was getting a bit frustrated. But then the putter started to get a bit hot so I started to move in the right direction.
“I feel like I am playing quite solid, I haven’t made many bogeys for the week and once I got my putter going I really started moving forward.
“I feel like I can keep doing what I am doing, it will just be if other guys get going as well and chase me.”
Norris, who was part of a four-way tie for the lead after 36 holes, looked set to hold the outright lead after birdies on the eighth, ninth, 12th and 14th took him to 11-under-par.
But the 29-year-old then ran up a triplebogey on the 16th and did well to bounce back with a birdie on the next to card a third round of 70.
Marchesani is due to contest the qualifying school later this year, but a victory today would give him a valuable European Tour exemption.
“I think it’s nice now that we have a few events in Australia tied with Europe so that if you do play well or even go on to win it opens doors on other tours,” Marchesani said after storming home in 30 for a 67.
“A good week here and you never really know where you’ll be the week after.”
CONNOR SYME’S run at the US Amateur Championship, in California, ended at the quarter-final stage after he lost 2&1 to Doug Ghim.
Scotsman Syme had chipped in from 25 yards to win his Round-of-16 match against Kristoffer Ventura, but could never get in front of Ghim.
He birdied the fifth and ninth holes to twice draw level, but Ghim birdied on the 10th and 13th holes to go 2-up.
Although Syme took a shot back on the 14th, Ghim birdied the 16th to put the match out of reach.