Australian veteran Wade Ormsby has had a style of the LIV golf expertise and is giving “every part” for one more shot at snaring a profitable contract with the Saudi-backed tour.
Ormsby, 43, is one among 11 Australians together with one-time teen prodigy Ryan Ruffels and Jed Morgan, who misplaced his spot on Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC crew, in search of one among three tour spots on the inaugural qualification occasion in Abu Dhabi this week.
One of many inaugural LIV gamers from the 2022 season, Ormsby collected greater than $4.7 million in prizemoney taking part in simply 9 occasions, however was solely was a reserve for Ripper GC in 2023 whereas additionally taking part in on the Asian Tour.
A convert to the LIV format, he known as the promotion occasion this week “one of many best alternatives that has ever been introduced in world golf” understanding the cash on supply to participant who get a contract might be life-changing.
Morgan, the 2021 Australian PGA champion, gained greater than $5 million from his LIV expertise which makes clear the chance out there, regardless of clouds nonetheless hanging over the long-term way forward for the tour.
Each Ormsby and Morgan have been given passage immediately in to the second spherical, and would have to be within the prime 20 gamers to get by means of to the ultimate day, 36-hole showdown, with $300,000 additionally on supply for the winner.
“I had a style of it in 2022 and I would like extra of it, so it’s as much as me to seize a type of three spots,” Ormsby mentioned.
“It’s an thrilling format, it’s shorter and quicker and the camaraderie among the many gamers and groups is totally totally different to what I’ve skilled earlier than.
“Positively that crew facet, I’ve skilled that at Punch and now Ripper GC, and that was quite a lot of enjoyable. Pulling in your mates is a distinct really feel to taking care of your self. Put all that collectively and it’s fairly thrilling and quite a lot of enjoyable.
“I need to give it every part I can as a result of it’s a nice alternative, one of many best alternatives that has ever been introduced in world golf, in order that guys can graduate straight by means of to the LIV Golf League, which has proved to be fairly profitable and thrilling and a enjoyable format.”
Greater than 70 gamers from 23 totally different international locations are teeing it up in Abu Dhabi, together with former US PGA winner Jason Dufner, with rumours rife present Masters champion Jon Rahm might be crossing to LIV in 2024, for a sum in extra of $400 million.
LIV CEO Greg Norman continues to trumpet the long-term way forward for the league regardless of a looming deal between the USA PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Funding Fund set to form the whole panorama of the game.
AUSSIES AT THE LIV PROMOTION EVENT
Lachlan Barker
Austin Bautista
Andrew Dodt
Scott Hend
Brendan Jones
Zach Murray
Ryan Ruffels
Travis Smyth
Kevin Yuan
Jed Morgan
Wade Ormsby