Akron, Ohio ….
Wade Ormsby returns home for a month’s holiday in wintery Adelaide warmed having played the closing two rounds of his first appearance in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational alongside World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and then the final round in the company of the eight-time winning Tiger Woods.
It turned into an all-Australian affair for Woods in the last staging of the Bridgestone sponsored event.
Woods had contested the opening two rounds in he company of Jason Day, the third round alongside Marc Leishman and day four of the $US 10m event in the company of Ormsby.
Woods ended in posting a 73 for an even par tally while Ormsby also signed for a 73 for a one-over par Firestone total.
Tiger Woods shakes hands with Adelaide’s Wade Ormbsy after their final round at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitatonal
“It’s been an awesome golf course and nice to play well but in saying that I didn’t play as nearly as well as I know I could,” said Ormsby.
“That’s an understatement but it’s been a fantastic experience playing with Dustin Johnson and Tiger Woods over the last two days.
“It was just cool playing with ‘DJ’ and Tiger as I have never played alongside either of them.
“I knew when I finished on Saturday that there was a strong chance of Tiger and I would be paired and that is what I was hoping for then when the draw was released I was just thrilled.
“And Tiger was just great and from the second I shook his hand on the first tee and he just made me feel so comfortable.
“We chatted all the way around the golf course and it was just a fantastic experience for me.”
While Woods is returning this week to the Belerive Country Club and the first time since being pulled off the course on 11th September, 2001 and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Ormsby is jetting home to Adelaide.
“I’ve had a fair run of events having played eight of the last 10 or something events, so the body and mind needs a break,” he said.
“I need the break as I have a big and important run of tournaments coming up such as the European Tour Final Series and then the defence of my Hong Kong Open title.
“My big goal is to get into the WGC – HSBC Champions event in Shanghai and it’s very much a case of once you get a taste of these WGC events you want to play in every one of them.
“Your ball striking needs to be spot on and my ball striking has come along as that has always been a weak part of my game, and I hit the ball very well this week. It’s only that the putter let me down.
“So, it’s back to winter in Adelaide for two weeks off doing nothing and then two weeks of practice before getting back into at the European Masters.”
Strangely, Woods played all four days with Australians – Jason Day in the opening two rounds before Marc Leishman on day three and it prompted this journalist to ask had his Aussie accent improved over the four rounds.
“How about that, huh? All four days,” Woods said.
“Three good dudes and I enjoyed playing with all of them this week.
“Wade and I both struggled a little bit today; we didn’t play our best.”
