International Series: Ormsby turns season around with play-off win over Vincent as Bhullar's challenge falters in Jakarta

Jakarta, Oct 5 (IANS) Australian Wade Ormsby defeated Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off to win the Jakarta International Championship, as Gaganjeet Bhullar’s hopes of a sixth win in Indonesia faltered on the final day at the Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course on Sunday.

The 45-year-old Ormsby had gone into the final round tied on -11 with Vincent, the International Series Morocco victor, and 2023 BNI Indonesian Masters champion Bhullar.

Although Bhullar and Vincent both picked up a birdie on the first, the Indian dropped three shots on the front nine to fall away. Two early birdies after the turn gave the Indian hope, but two costly doubles on 15 and 18 dashed any hope he had.

That left Vincent and Ormsby in a play-off, and the man from Down Under triumphed after making a routine par on the par-four 18th, where Vincent found water with his second shot. Both had finished on -12 with one-under rounds as the nerves kicked in, one ahead of a packed bunch including Scott’s younger brother Kieran Vincent, Doyeob Mun of Korea, and the Thai trio of Pavit Tangkamolprasert, Poom Saksansin, and Sadom Kaewkanjana.

While Bhullar was the highest-placed Indian on seven under overall, Viraj Madappa carded a 66 to finish on three under, and Chikkarangappa S. finished a shot further back on two over after a 74.

It is Ormsby’s fifth victory on the Asian Tour and second on The International Series. His last win came at the 2023 International Series Thailand.

The victory also made up for being penalised one shot after his third round when he was judged to have accidentally moved his ball when he addressed it on the fourth. He had been enduring a poor season with his best finish a tied 21st at the International Series India presented by DLF.

“It was a bit of a grind,” said Ormsby, who made nine straight pars on the back nine.

“Probably didn't have my best stuff out there, but I was just hanging in there. Feel bad for Scotty, you know, he kind of let a couple slip at the end there. But I hit a couple of great shots in that play-off hole, so that makes me feel better about the whole thing.”

Vincent was attempting to become the first player to win back-to-back events on The International Series, having won the International Series Morocco in July.

It means he has now finished runner-up in his last two Asian Tour events, as he was joint second in the Shinhan Donghae Open last month.

“I don’t see it as disappointing at all. Wade played great golf; he hung in there and is a well-deserved champion. I had my chances to win, but I don’t think it’s ever fully in my control. I was struggling just to make the cut on day two, and to then have a chance to win on Sunday, I can’t ask for much more than that,” he said.

The next stop on The International Series will be International Series Philippines, which is set for October 23–26 at Sta. Elena Golf Club, Manila. It is the first of three events on the bounce with the Link Hong Kong Open and the Moutai Singapore Open straight after, just before the season-ending Saudi International from November 19-22. The winner of the season-long Rankings race is guaranteed a place on LIV Golf next season.

--IANS

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