Australia’s Wade Ormsby fired a final round 68 to win the first tournament of the new European Tour season, the UBS Hong Kong Open in Fanling.
The 37-year-old from Adelaide began the fourth round a shot behind India’s SSP Chawrasia, and when he turned in level-par 34, he was still four behind his rival. But long-time leader triple-bogeyed the ninth to bring a host of players back into contention, and Ormsby held a two-shot lead as he stood on the 18th fairway at Hong Kong Golf Club.
In the group behind, Rafa Cabrera Bello birdied the 17th to pile on the pressure, and a closing three-putt bogey from Ormsby left the duo in a tie at 11 under. But the Spaniard put his second shot in the bunker at the front of the final green, and when he failed to get up and down, the title was Ormsby’s – the first European Tour title of his career.
Alexander Björk, Paul Peterson and Julian Suri finished alongside Cabrera Bello at ten under, a shot clear of Race to Dubai champion Tommy Fleetwood, who got the defence of his title off to a good start.
“It means a lot to me,” said a tearful Ormsby, who took 264 tournaments to break his duck. “I’ve played a lot of golf in Europe, everywhere, and a few bumps along the way, but it’s pretty cool to get a win this late in your career,” he said.
For Cabrera Bello it was a second season of heartbreak on the last at this event, after Sam Brazel birdied the 18th to consign him to a runners-up finish 12 months ago.