Hong Kong, January 12: Australia’s Wade Ormsby won the Hong Kong Open for the second time when he cruised to victory by closing with a four-under-par 66 at the Hong Kong Golf Club on Sunday.

Unlike his first win at the Hong Kong Open in 2017 where he won by a single shot, Ormsby enjoyed a more comfortable victory as he triumphed by four shots over Major champion Shane Lowry of Ireland.

The Australian did not get off to the best of starts when he stumbled with an opening bogey. However, he recovered quickly with three consecutive birdies from the second hole before adding another on nine to take a five-shot lead at the turn then.

Ormsby birdied 11 but dropped another shot on 15 before another birdie on 17 effectively confirmed his wire-to-wire victory as he closed with a winning total of 17-under-par.

Lowry surmounted a late charge by storming up the leaderboard with a 64, having started the day six shots back of Ormsby in a share of ninth place. However, his gallant efforts were not enough to catch the Australian and he had to settle for second place.

Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul enjoyed yet another top-10 finish as he posted a 69 to take third place while 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, Jazz Janewattananond carded a 68 to take outright fourth place ahead of American Tony Finau, who finished in fifth place after a 67.

HONG KONG- Shane Lowry of Ireland pictured on Sunday January 12, 2020 during the final round of the Hong Kong Open at the Fanling Golf Club, Fanling, Hong Kong, the Asian Tour USD$ 1 million event is the season opener. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.

Did you know?

• With his victory, Wade Ormsby became the second wire-to-wire winner of the Hong Kong Open after England’s Aaron Rai (2018).
• In 2017, Ormsby won the Hong Kong Open by one-shot with a final round two-under-par 68.
• Ormsby finished 79th on last year’s Race to Dubai on the European Tour and had four top-10s. A tied-second finish at the ISPS HANDA Vic Open was his best result of the year in 2019.
• Shane Lowry has played the Hong Kong Open twice previously in 2009 and 2010 with missed cuts as results.
• The Australian won his first Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open India in 2013 and was playing on a sponsor’s invitation this week.
• Shane Lowry’s second place finish was his best result at the Hong Kong Open. He played the Hong Kong Open twice previously in 2009 and 2010 with missed cuts as results.
• Lowry won The Open last year at Royal Portrush which was considered the highlight of the Irishman’s career.
• This six-shot victory brought him to 17th on the OWGR, the highest ranking of his career.
• Gunn Charoenkul enjoyed yet another top-10 finish in his first event of 2020.
• In all his events played in 2019 that were Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) events, he posted 19 top-10 finishes across all tours.
• His best finishes on the Asian Tour have been two runners-up. In addition to finishing second in Jakarta last December he also did so at the 2016 Queen’s Cup.

Ends.

Wade Ormsby (Aus) Fourth round 66 (-4) Total 263 (-17)

I’ve been working my guts out the last 14 to 15 months trying to take my game to the next level. And like I just said, Australian PGA three weeks ago, losing that one really hurt me so I’ll put a few changes in place. I worked out over the break and to come back here and get the win so soon, can’t put it into words really. It’s still nerve-racking coming down the stretch you know, like that 18th hole, it can do anything to you but I got the tee-shot in play and hit a weak iron shot into it but anyway. Four on the card and won by four, so I’m very happy. I was playing great, you always got to play the Hong Kong Golf Club the same way. The wind obviously changes but you still try and fly it to the same spot. Obviously didn’t get off to a great start, made a huge putt one and that kind of set the tone. After that, I felt good out there I just had to keep doing my thing because I knew I was playing really good. So yeah, I think the game plan was the same. When you get in front there’s no point in changing that, no point trying to play defensive. The guys had to come and catch me basically. I was hoping to win this season but to do it in week two of the year in my first event is special and it will be one I’ll remember forever.

I have three wins on the main tours in my career and this is my first wire-to-wire. I’m very proud of my play this week. Going through what I went through three weeks ago, that kind of hit me pretty hard. I didn’t even want to know the game for three or four days, but to come back and do what I’ve done this week, like I said, proud of myself and proud of my team.

Shane Lowry (Ire) Fourth round 64 (-6), Total 267 (-13)

I’m very happy with myself, fair play to Wade, he’s run away with it and didn’t really give us a chance but I went out there and did as much as I could. 64 around here is a pretty good score in these conditions. I got so much out of this week. I played some good golf and had a good time. I’ve got my whole team here, it was a really enjoyable experience. Hopefully I can come back some time soon. It’s a golf course I obviously didn’t have much success on in the past but I’m a different player than I was then, and I really enjoyed it this week. It’s a great golf course and a great place to play a tournament. Everything about Hong Kong and my week has been really good. I said to my caddy going down the last [hole] we need to start picking courses that suit me and I think this is one of the courses that suits me.

HONG KONG-Gunn Charoenkul of Thailand pictured on Sunday, January 12, 2020 during the final round of the Hong Kong Open at the Fanling Golf Club, Fanling, Hong Kong, the Asian Tour USD$ 1 million event is the season opener. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.

Gunn Charoenkul (Tha) Fourth round 69 (-1) Total 268 (-12)

Honestly, I felt the pressure. I started off good when I birdied the second hole and then a little mishap killed the momentum on the third. And then just kept burning the edge all day. Most of the time I didn’t hit it close, but I made a lot of good putts out there today and didn’t make one until 16.  I think I was a little mentally tired today as well. My legs gave out on me on a lot of holes so for next week, I got to go back and work out a little bit on my legs. I think they are a little stiff. Overall, I’m very happy with my game and really looking forward to next week. I’m really enjoying my time out there even though I’m not scoring anything. Winning will come when and when it’s time. So I just keep prepping myself out there and then when the time comes, I think I’ll take the win. A lot of great players are coming out here and I think it’s a good time for Asian Tour as well. Some of the top players in the world are coming. So I think that will push Hong Kong Open for next year and you know I really look forward to coming back.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) Fourth round 68 (-2) Total 269 (-11)

Although I did not win, it’s still a pretty good result as I left so many shots out there. I knew I was probably not going to win because Ormsby played really good and that’s a fantastic score. It’s going to be very hard to beat him here at this golf course. He’s won here before and now he’s a two-time time winner. There are a couple of things I need changing, so I’ll try to do it before next week. Hopefully I can repeat what I did last year next week. I really like to shake off my rust and I got a couple things to work with and we’ll see, I think it’ll definitely help for sure that I came here this week to play. So, looking forward to next week where it’s a course I really like I guess if you play good golf then good things will come, but if you don’t no one is going to talk about you. So just got to keep practicing and playing good golf.

Hong Kong, January 11: Australia’s Wade Ormsby remained as the player to catch after he signed for a four-under-par 66 to head into the final round of the Hong Kong Open with a two-shot cushion on Saturday.

Ormsby has held the lead since the opening day and never looked likely to relinquish his place atop the leaderboard after soaring ahead with an eagle, three birdies and a long bogey for a three-day total of 13-under-par 197.

Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul displayed his consistency again at the Hong Kong Golf Club by signing for a 65 to trail the 2017 Hong Kong Open champion in outright second place at the Asian Tour’s season-opening event.

While Gunn has yet to make his breakthrough on the Asian Tour, he has racked up 19 top-10s across all Tours in 2019 and the father-to-be showed he could be on the verge breaking into the winner’s circle this week.

A fit-again Rashid Khan of India returned to full fitness as he made his move with a splendid 63 to share third place with Australia’s Terry Pilkadaris, Korea’s Taewoo Kim and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, who is the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion.

HONG KONG-Rashid Khan of India pictured on Saturday January 11, 2020 during round three of the Hong Kong Open at the Fanling Golf Club, Fanling, Hong Kong, the Asian Tour USD$ 1 million event is the season opener. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.

Did you know?

• Wade Ormsby won his first Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open India in 2013 and is playing on a sponsor’s invitation this week.
• Ormsby won the Hong Kong Open in 2017 by one-shot with a final round two-under-par 68.
• Should Omrsby win the Hong Kong Open again, he will become the second wire-to-wire winner after Aaron Rai (2018).
• Ormsby had four top-10s worldwide with his best results coming on home soil when he finished tied-second and tied-third at the ISPS Handa Vic Open and Australian PGA Championship respectively.
• Gunn Charoenkul had a great end to his 2019 season, finishing tied-fourth at the Nippon Series JT Cup on the Japan Golf Tour, second at the BNI Indonesian Masters and fifth at the Asian Tour season finale Thailand Masters.
• The Thai spent most of last year playing on the Japan Golf Tour where he has racked up 10 top-10 finishes and finishing 21st in the Money Rankings for the year. He also finished second in scoring average with 70.12 and first in greens-in-regulation with 73.63%.
• In all his events played in 2019 that were Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) events, he posted 19 top-10 finishes across all tours.
• In 2019 he also qualified for his first Major, The Open Championship at Royal Portrush, by finishing tied-third at the Gate Way to The Open Mizuno Open on the Japan Golf Tour.
• His best finishes on the Asian Tour have been two runners-up. In addition to finishing second in Jakarta last December he also did so at the 2016 Queen’s Cup.
• He currently leads the field in GIR with 90.74%
• Having lost his card in 2018, Rashid Khan’s tied-second place finish at the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship last year virtually his playing rights for the 2020 season.
• Khan won twice on the Asian Tour in 2014, the Chiangmai Golf Classic and the SAIL-SBI Open, on his way to a career best 11th on the Order of Merit with US$243,600 in earnings.
• Terry Pilkadaris has played on the Asian Tour since 2002 and has won three career titles: the 2004 Crowne Plaza Open and Sanya Open, and the 2005 Brunei Open.
• The Australian also had his best two seasons in 2004 and 2005 when he finished fifth on the Order of Merit on both occasions, and he has never finished outside of the top-60 since that time.
• Pilkadaris’ best result in 2019 was a fourth place finish at the Panasonic Open India.

Wade Ormsby (Aus) Third round 66 (-4) Total 197 (-13)
The game feels pretty good. I probably struck it the best I have all week early today. Being in front everyone’s chasing you, but I kept the mistakes off the card on the back side there. So, I’m in a pretty good position. There’s no point in getting too up or too down, I’m just trying to keep going doing my thing. Whether it’s an eagle or a birdie, I’m trying to do the same when I make a bogey. I feel like I’m is good spot mentally, so I just keep on working on that. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing, there’s no reason to change what I’m doing. Obviously, people are going to chase me. I’m not going to play conservative, I’ll play the golf course exactly the same way I played it for 10-15 years and let them come at me. And if they do, they do, I’m just going to keep doing my thing. Of course I like the course, my game is hitting the ball quite straight and scrambling quite well you know. I’m actually hitting my irons really good this week. I’m hitting a lot of greens in regulation so I’m not really having to use the scrambling part of it too much. It is a good golf course and you know I’m not a massively powerful player, so I just have to play to my strengths and this golf course does fit my strengths.

Gunn Charoenkul (Tha) Third round 65 (-5) Total 199 (-11)

I’m really thrilled. I got off to a good start today, but most of the time I got off to a good start, then it didn’t end well. So, I was just telling myself just to be patient out there, but fortunately today I got away with a lot of shots. There were a lot of shots where I duffed it, and then it just went straight to the pin. I just tried to stay calm out there with a straight face. But you know there was too much out there that I got away with, like I’m on number 14 which was inches away from falling off the green. It would have been a different story. Like on 18, I hit a bad shot on my second, it was really bad, but I got away with it, it was just off the green again. And early on the front nine, I think I duffed four or five shots. I duffed it on number 10 as well, I duffed on number eight. On the par three I duffed it and it went straight at the pin and I made birdie.  Just really lucky today to be in contention again. I would rather be very consistent throughout the year, rather than win and then not perform well at all. So, I’m just going to stick to my game and then when it’s time it’s going to come.

Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) Third round 64 (-6) Total 201 (-9)

It was a good back nine from the ninth hole onwards. I got a good birdie there and just got the momentum going again. Australians have done really well here in the past and hopefully I can follow in their footsteps. You can’t overpower the Hong Kong Golf Club, it’s tight so you got to be accurate off the tee. And there’s a lot of mid to short irons, so it’s a matter of just capitalizing on it, putting the ball in play and then giving yourself a chance. Tomorrow I’ll just go out and play and what will be will be. You can’t control what everyone else does, I’ll just control what I do. And if it goes my way it goes my way.

Rashid Khan (Ind) Third round 63 (-7), Total 201 (-9)

It was the same thing for me the first two days too. I was hitting it really well and I hitting it close also but didn’t really hole any putts. Today, I hit the ball bad but still getting good result. That was pretty good I thought. I was amazed when I finished around. I made a lot of birdies and I holed some really good putts. Made some good up and downs on holes where I got really stuck with. It’s that situation where I had to keep my momentum going. I have given myself a chance to go for the title now. I have one more round to go so let’s see. I hope to finish well. I have no expectations to be honest. When I played the last tournament, I wasn’t hitting it good and didn’t do well scoring wise. I was too tired from playing so many tournaments last year, especially at the end of the year. I had only like one week off. I came to this week on Tuesday feeling sick as well. So I wasn’t expecting to be in contention. I got better now and I told myself that I have played the course before and I should try my best to play well. Luckily, I did and I’m scoring well.

Hong Kong, January 10: Australia’s Wade Ormsby held on to his lead when he returned with a second round four-under-par 66 to remain as the front runner at the Hong Kong Open on Friday.

Ormsby, the 2017 Hong Kong Open champion, is bidding to win the tournament for the second time and he showed his resolve by putting up another solid performance with his two-day total of nine-under-par 131 to stay two shots ahead of India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia.

Chawrasia, who led for three rounds only to relinquish his lead to Ormsby in the 2017 edition of the Hong Kong Open, is looking forward to redeeming himself after charging his way back into contention with a flawless 63.

Australia’s Travis Smyth continued to show his affinity for the Hong Kong Golf Club with rounds of 66 and 68 to stay firmly in the mix, bracing himself for more weekend action in his debut at Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event.

Smyth is tied for third alongside India’s Shiv Kapur and the Thai duo of Gunn Charoenkul and Jazz Janewattananond with their 134 total.

Philippines’ Angelo Que, who lost in a play-off to Australia’s Scott Hend at the Hong Kong Open in 2014, signed for a 68 to trail Ormsby by four shots in tied-seventh place after trading four birdies against two bogeys.

Major winner Shane Lowry of Ireland posted a 66 to join Que in a share of seventh place at the Asian Tour’s season-opening event in Hong Kong.

PICTURE TAKEN THURSDAY- FILE PIC
HONG KONG-SSP Chawrasia of India pictured on Thursday January 9, 2020 during round one of the Hong Kong Open at the Fanling Golf Club, Fanling, Hong Kong, the Asian Tour USD$ 1 million event is the season opener. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.
PICTURE TAKEN THURSDAY- FILE PIC

Did you know?

• Wade Ormsby won his first Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open India in 2013 and is playing on a sponsor’s invitation this week.
• Ormsby won the Hong Kong Open in 2017 by one-shot with a final round two-under-par 68.
• He had four top-10s worldwide with his best results coming on home soil when he finished tied-second and tied-third at the ISPS Handa Vic Open and Australian PGA Championship respectively.
• India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia led the Hong Kong Open for three rounds in 2017 but struggled with a final round 72 to finish three shot back of Ormsby in tied-seventh place.
• Chawrasia is a six-time Asian Tour winner with his last victory coming at the Hero Indian Open in 2017.
• Travis Smyth is making his debut at the Hong Kong Open. He ended his 2019 season in 43rd place on the Order of Merit with his best result coming at the Shinhan Donghae Open when he finished tied-12th.
• Jazz Janewattananond bagged a total of four awards, which include the coveted 2019 Order of Merit crown and the prestigious Players’ Player of the Year accolade at the Asian Tour Awards Gala, held on Tuesday evening.
• He also topped the statistics categories for Lowest Stroke Average with his record of 68.28 strokes and Total Birdies made with 265 from a total of 15 tournaments throughout his season on the Asian Tour.
• Shiv Kapur finished his 2019 season with three top-10s in his last five events, including two tied seconds in the Panasonic Open India and the Thailand Open.
• Kapur’s best year on the Asian Tour was 2005 when he finished fourth on the Order of Merit. He was also crowned the rookie of the year that season.
• The 2017 season was also one to remember for Kapur as he won three Asian Tour events: the Yeangder Heritage, Panasonic Open India and the Royal Cup.
• The Indian also won the first edition of the 2017/2018 Panasonic Swing thanks to his Panasonic Open India win and his tied-second place finish at the Thailand Open in 2017.
• Gunn Charoenkul enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his career in Japan last year.
• He not only qualified for his first Major at The 148th Open but also claimed 15 top-10s in 26 events in Japan and China this season.

Hong Kong, January 10: Read what players have to say following the second round of the Hong Kong Open on Friday.

Wade Ormsby (Aus) – Second round 66 (-4), Total 131 (-9)

I guess it’s a good thing being in the lead. You just got to get ahead and get them. I’m obviously playing well. I probably played better today than the way I did yesterday. Two bogeys and one of them was a bad hole but otherwise I played beautifully. Just a tough hole. We’re doing exactly the same in the weekend so just trying to be in control and that will be good enough.

It’s like this every day. You got to try and find the rhythm and find a fun way around it. I got a bit impatient early, made a couple of birdies and got a little bit slack on 17 but after that, I played really strongly all the way coming in so that’s the most important thing today.

You got to try not to get ahead in the game. I’m playing well and sometimes it’s tricky being in the lead but I will just keep trying to do my thing. I’m playing good so I have to try and stretch that.

Probably half the field is playing pretty good and it’s all those guys who can putt good who can be in contention. That’s kind of what we’re saying until now that the margins between the first and last guy isn’t that big so everyone’s capable of winning. It’s just a matter of getting the game in the right spot at the moment.

I wanted to come to a golf course that fits my eyes. I had good vibes around here and I feel like I can get my game in good shape here. I love coming to Hong Kong. I love the golf courses here.

S.S.P. Chawrasia (Ind) – Second round 63 (-7), Total 133 (-7)

I played good today. I made a couple of good putts and also my mental game was good today. I have very happy with my round.

Two years ago, I went into the final round with the lead. Some good memories there. I remembered playing very good then. I didn’t finish well and missed out on the win. But I’m only two shots back now and two more days to go. I’m looking forward to the weekend and let’s see what happens.

It’s a very good golf course. We play here every year. To be honest, I’m very familiar for this course. I’m looking forward to this week. A good result will give me the confidence I need heading into the season.

Travis Smyth of Australia

Travis Smyth (Aus) – Second round 68 (-2), Total 134 (-6)

I’m playing good golf and I feel like I got the gist of this golf course now. So yeah, I’m looking forward to the weekend, You really have to position your ball well here and it’s like how you play golf in Australia too. It’s not a bombers’ paradise. The greens are awesome and I feel like I’m putting well so that’s probably the reason why I’m up there on the leaderboard. I just have to try and do my thing and see where I end up at the end of the week. I’m going to play pretty much the same way I’ve been doing. You’re almost forced to lay up on a lot of holes so you know I’m just going to keep trying to hit good shots off the tee and hit many greens and hold all the putts. At the end of the day, if you’re playing good golf, you get rewarded.

Gunn Charoenkul (Tha) – Second round 67 (-3), Total 134 (-6)

I’m not really annoyed with that bogey on the last. I hit 17 greens today. I thought I wouldn’t miss one and then I did it on the last hole. At the start, I just kept burning edge for like six to seven holes and I was like here we go again. But after dropping one birdie on seventh, it just kept coming so I’m really very happy.

Nothing really changed for me for the last 12 months. I just come out everyday telling myself oh today might be a bad day. I know it’s a bad mentality just to go into competing but it just reduced my expectations a lot and helps me stay relaxed out there. I guess that’s why I’m playing well.

I came close to winning on the Asian Tour once but not twice and never really got it done. To have my first one would probably mean a lot and my baby’s coming so it would be great. It’s been two years since my last win so I would really love to win again.

Shiv Kapur (Ind) – Second round 66 (-4), Total 134 (-6)

I am happy with the way I played given the blustery conditions yesterday morning and this afternoon. It’s been really hard to pick the wind out there. A lot of time you’re hitting from the middle of the green and trying to avoid the mistake just because you can’t be sure what the wind is doing.

But overall, when you have a day like today where you go bogey free, you should be pretty pleased. I think you’ve just got to place the ball well. It’s a lot about the angles out here. There are a lot of holes that if you hit on the correct side of the fairway, you need to be coming into the flags from certain parts of the fairway.

You can’t just blindly try and hit fairways because if you’re on the wrong side, it’s hard to wrangle. The course’s really well designed. It’s a short golf course and the greens are always the big defense out here. It’s been hard to get the ball close with the firm greens.

I’m just glad the form is there and it’s not the other way. I had a bit of a rough start to the year last year but it’s nice to, you know, put yourself in contention in the first tournament this year. It feels like a bit of a continuation from the last season as I didn’t have much of a break so I’m glad to get right back into it.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Second round 66 (-4), Total 134 (-6)

I’m pleased with a 66 today. We started off not bad, the weather was fine but the wind got stronger and stronger. I think we finished strong, given the conditions.

I don’t want to think about the weekend charge yet. This is a new territory for me. I am making the cut in Hong Kong for the first time in a while, so we’ll see what happens.

Usually I will know where the pins will be placed for the weekends for most courses we play and how it would be set up, but for Hong Kong Open, it will be new to me.

Shane’s a nice guy. It was great playing with him. He tells a lot of stories about his wins and all that. It’s really good to hang out with people like him. It was a great opportunity playing with him.

Angelo Que of the Philippines

Angelo Que (Phi) – Second round 68 (-2), Total 135 (-5)

I’m always happy to be here, you know. I love this place, I love the course, love the food and love the country. I still consider that shot I hit on 18 as the best shot of my life even though I lost in the play-off to Scott Hend in 2014. I hit it to like within a foot from the left rough for a birdie and that’s why I always have great memories here. The layout of this golf course forces you to think about every shot you hit. You don’t just use one club every time, you got to think how to work your shots. And you got to hit good iron shots. I’ve been playing a lot in in Japan in recent years and unfortunately, age is now becoming like a factor like a tennis elbow that I’m suffering right now. Luckily, we have very great physios helping us out. And I’m just managing it now and hopefully in a few months they’ll be gone.

Panuphol Pittayarat (Tha) – Second round 67 (-3), Total 135 (-5)

I had a round today and yesterday. It was an up and down day today with bogeys and birdies but managed to finish in the red number. It’s nice and satisfying to be in the mix heading into the weekend. My goal this year was to hit more fairways and greens and I did that so it’s nice.

It’s a very narrow course but lucky it is not very long with a lot of irons and rescues off the tees. But still, it’s not easy to hit the fairway because we have some firm fairways this week.