ADELAIDE RECAP: TORQUE SLIP BACK INTO FOURTH AFTER A FINAL ROUND OF EARLY PROMISE

ADELAIDE, South Australia – A final round which started with rich promise for Torque GC on Sunday ended in collective disappointment as the Spanish-speaking combination had to settle for fourth place in the team standings.

Heading into the last day at The Grange Golf Club, Torque held a one-stroke lead over HyFlyers GC and Iron Heads GC and they were in upbeat mood about their prospects of winning a first team title this year.

"This course sets up great for us," said Mexican professional Carlos Ortiz. "it's pretty gettable, especially if you put it in the fairway.

"It's just one of those golf courses that if you're in good position you can be a bit aggressive, and at the same time if you get just a little bit out of position, it's actually really hard to get back into position. If you short-side yourself here, you're probably going to make a bogey."

The early running on Sunday seemed to favor Torque. Captain Joaquin Niemann made a strong start with a birdie on his second hole - the par-4 fourth - followed by four consecutive birdies from the par-5 seventh.

Mito Pereira rebounded from two bogeys in his first three holes with birdies at the fourth and seventh. He then picked up further shots at the 10th, 12th and 13th to get to 3-under for the round.

Sebastián Muñoz birdied three of his first eight holes before bogeying the par-4 first. However, he picked up further shots at the second and fifth to get to 4-under for the day. Torque were flourishing.

Ortiz made a mixed start, sandwiching birdies at the fourth and sixth around a bogey at the par-4 fifth. He picked up another shot at the par-5 seventh, bogeyed 10 and 11 and then pocketed a birdie at the par-3 14th to get to 1-under overall.

From that point on, however, Torque's fortunes waned as those of Ripper GC and Stinger GC waxed. While the Rippers and Stingers ended the round with matching 53-under totals to force a playoff, Torque GC fell backwards and wound up in fourth place at 48-under.

Although Niemann birdied two of his last three holes for a 66 and a share of third spot at 16-under, Ortiz went bogey; birdie; double-bogey; par to sign off with a 73 and slip back into a tie for 22nd at 11-under.

Pereira went bogey; par; birdie over his last three holes to card a 69 for eighth place while Muñoz ran up a bogey at the par-5 seventh on his way to a 69 and joint 38th at 7-under.

All in all, a frustrating end to what had been a very encouraging day early on for Torque, who won a league-high four team titles last year but are still looking for their first collaborative success this season.

"I would definitely like to win with Torque," said former Fireballs GC player Ortiz, who was signed as a free agent before the start of this season. "I haven't won with Torque. They had a great year last year. I was not part of it. So, I definitely want to get a win with my boys."

Ortiz will now have to wait a little longer before he can celebrate that first win 'with my boys'.