The Black Mountain Championship and International Series Thailand form an intriguing two-week swing on The International Series next month, and evergreen Australian Wade Ormsby goes into the back-to-back Thai events in a unique position.
The 44-year-old heads to International Series Thailand at the Thai Country Club in Bangkok as defending champion. But in a rare twist, that particular honour also gives the four-time Asian Tour winner bragging rights at the Black Mountain Championship, a brand-new event on The International Series calendar taking place the week prior.
That’s because the esteemed Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin was the host venue for his triumph at International Series Thailand last year.
Ormsby, who also has a season-high second-place finish at the Asian Tour’s Saudi Open presented by PIF in April, said: “It's nice to go back anywhere and be a defending champion, but at the same time, yes, it’s good to play on nice golf courses that kind of suit the eye and you play well on.
“I haven't had a great start this year on The International Series, but around that golf course, I've had some success in the past and that is very important. It is an important week to me - as every tournament is for me on The International Series.”
At Black Mountain Golf Club last year, Ormsby had trailed home hope Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, the clubhouse leader on 20 under, by one shot with three holes still to play, before a timely birdie on 16 drew him level. He then held his nerve to hole a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-five 18th to clinch the victory on the first sudden-death play-off hole.
That victory wasn’t enough to top The International Series outright and win a place on the LIV Golf League roster: two-time winner Andy Ogletree of the United States claimed that honour.
The win and a T8 at the St Andrews Bay Championship was enough to secure a place in the top eight of The International Series Rankings however, giving Ormsby one of seven priceless byes into the second round of the season-ending LIV Golf Promotions event, where over 70 players battled it out over three days for three golden tickets to the LIV Golf League.
Ormsby missed out on a place in the final-day field of 20 players after a level-par round in Abu Dhabi last year, but he still has the LIV Golf League firmly in his sights.
In its first season, Ormsby was part of the original all-Australian Punch GC team later renamed Ripper GC. This season he has taken on alternate duties for the entire campaign, travelling to tournaments in case of injury across the star-studded LIV Golf League roster.
As the season enters its crucial final phase with six tournaments in an eight-week spell, Ormsby is aware he needs to improve on his current position of 85th on The International Series Rankings.
With two thirds of the season’s points still up for grabs, the rankings title - and automatic place on the 2025 LIV Golf roster – is still very much up for grabs, with International Series Macau presented by Wynn champion John Catlin in pole position and International Series Morocco winner Ben Campbell his nearest challenger.
There is plenty of time to catch the leaders, and Ormsby is one of many looking for a rankings push and place on the potentially life-changing LIV Golf Promotions event. Last season, positions two to eight received a bye into the second round and the leading 25 players in the top 40 received a place in the first round.
As defending champion at International Series Thailand, a winner on the Black Mountain course, and a two-time victor in the LINK Hong Kong Open which is also part of the run in, Ormsby can face up to the hectic schedule with some confidence.
Speaking on the sidelines at LIV Golf Chicago, he said: “I haven’t had a great start this year, so I have got to get a wriggle on in The International Series. I really want to be out here (on the LIV Golf League) next year, so the ball is in my court.
“So obviously, going there, working hard the next few weeks and trying to do my best. I’m very much looking forward to Thailand, and the LINK Hong Kong Open too, of course. They are great events, it’s nice to go back anywhere and be a defending champion.
“With my role and my schedule this year, it has been fantastic being out here in the reserve role for the LIV Golf League and at the same time, it's like dangling a carrot in front of you. I really want to get back out here.
“So I've got six more chances to get myself out here. It's up to me to perform. There are some courses which suit me within those last few events, which really drives me to work hard and give myself the best opportunity to play well in those six remaining events.”
The Black Mountain Championship and International Series Thailand are the fifth and sixth events on the Asian Tour-sanctioned set of 10 elevated events, and the 15th and 16thevents on the regular Asian Tour season.
Black Mountain Championship runs from 17-20 October and International Series Thailand follows a week later from 24-27 October.
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of 10 elite tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings leader promotion to the LIV Golf League
