Carlos Ortiz's International Series Oman win on the Asian Tour was significant in a number of ways. Firstly, it was his maiden victory on that circuit. Secondly, the Mexican landed a nice comforting $360,000 check for his efforts. And thirdly, he has likely jumped from outside of the world's top-1,000 male golfers to around the No.250 mark.
Ortiz upstaged Louis Oosthuizen and Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann to record a convincing four-shot victory in the $2million event – the first elevated tournament on this year's Asian Tour calendar.
The man from Guadalajara was joint-leader at the start of the day alongside Oosthuizen, but even with a host of other fellow LIV golfers breathing down his neck, Ortiz showed no fear and shot a seven-under-par 65 to top the leaderboard on 19-under.
Oosthuizen bested Niemann by one to nab second, with the Chilean scoring 67 on Sunday to take third on his own.
Ortiz's memorable week actually began with a double bogey on his opening hole on Thursday, yet he did not drop a shot over the next 71 and banged in seven birdies over nine of his closing holes to wrap up a sensational victory.
Speaking afterward, the former Fireballs GC player said: “I hope this is the start of a great year. It means so much to win an event on The International Series. I would like to play in Majors this year and win on the LIV Golf League.”
Mexico's @carlosortizGolf wins in Oman and should make a big jump in #OWGR around the #250 range. Interesting to note that he will also receive a 4p multiple win bonus, as a result of his win on the Mexican Tour exactly one year ago, for which he received only 1.8p at the time!February 25, 2024
Yet, despite his stratospheric rise in the rankings, Ortiz's quest to automatically qualify for the four men's Major championships this year still appears a longshot.
A top-50 place in the Official World Golf Ranking assures players of a tee time at all four key events, a top-60 spot locks up an invite to the US Open, and being inside the top-100 more than likely means you will feature at the PGA Championship.
Ortiz was ranked 1,286th before a ball was struck on Thursday. After circa 19 points were added to his tally and then divided by his 41 ranking events, the total ultimately blasted the 32-year-old up over 1,000 positions in the OWGR. Still nowhere near enough.
And due to his place in LIV - a circuit which is not eligible to receive OWGR points - as well as a schedule which prevents much time for any other tour before the Masters deadline in April, Ortiz is likely to slide back down the rankings before he can attempt to arrest that problem.
The Torque GC man recently spoke to Golf magazine's SubPar podcast about being told when he signed for the PIF-backed league that players would receive OWGR points eventually. Although - to date - no compromise has been found.
Ortiz said: "It was definitely said that we were going to get them [OWGR points], but we haven't got them.
"I understand that we went out of the system and it's going to take time to get back or to be part of the system, but I also think that if the world ranking was to be accurate they have to include all kinds of players, you know?
"I'm not saying we should have got them from the beginning, I know there are certain rules, and I knew from the beginning there were some consequences and the setbacks we could have had, and I accept them.
"I just obviously wish we could change them and find a way that we could be part of that ecosystem where we can be ranked and compete freely, not only in the majors against the other players."
Although Ortiz may not play at The Masters this season, he still has the potential to qualify for the Open Championship and the US Open, while further good form on the Asian Tour might afford him a top-100 spot once again and a place in the PGA Championship.
Meanwhile, Ortiz's team captain, Niemann - who also recently expressed his desire to tee it up at Augusta and co. - has received a special invite along with two other players who had not qualified outright.
Niemann has joined the exclusive list of LIV Golfers who are eligible for the Majors via other means outside of a top-50 OWGR spot.
