UNITED STATES AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL:
IT'S NOT THE SAME WITHOUT RICHIE RAMSAY

BY COLIN FARQUHARSON
Twelve months ago this weekend, not only Aberdonians but most Scottish golfers were jumping up and down with excitement because Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen) had reached the final of the United States men's amateur championship at Hazeltine, Missouri.
That he went on to win the 36-hole final was arguably one of best performances by any Scottish/British sportsman in 2007 - although BBC TV viewers who vote for these things didn't seem to think so.
Anyway, the US championship is reaching a climax again. Pity that Richie couldn't defend it for a number of reasons, the main one being he is now a professional - and doing very nicely on the European Challenge Tour.
(If anyone can tell me how a rookie pro who has not yet been to the European Tour Qualifying School can step straight on to the Challenge Tour, while Graham Gordon, the Docherty brothers and Elliot Saltman, to name but four other Scots, are toiling away in the "Third Division" PGA EuroPro Tour, I will publish the answer).
Never mind, that's just an aside. I couldn't help contrasting the difference this year with the Scottish golfing perception of the US amateur championship. Nobody is caring the slightest who is through to the final at the Olympic Club a mile or two south of San Francisco.
Well, I'm going to tell you anyway.
It will be United States v United States in the final with Colt Knost, winner of the US Public Links title in June, facing Michael Thompson from the University of Alabama.
In the semi-finals, Thompson beat another guy you've never heard of, Casey Clendenon, 3 and 2.
Have you noticed how in America they never list an amateur player's home club in brackets after his name, as we do on this side of the Atlantic? In the States, they tend to list their home town or university.
Knost, a 22-year-old Southern Methodist University graduate, beat Jonathan Vegas (Venezuela) 4 and 3.
Thompson hopes his strong play in the US amateur championship will gain him one of the still-t0-be decided spots in the United States Walker Cup team alongside Knost, who's already in after winning the Publinx.
"There's no doubt in my mind that I should play in the Walker Cup," Thompson said. "Colt came up to me this morning and told me, 'Go get 'em, you deserve to be on that team with us.' That was real nice to hear before the round that all those guys were convinced I could play with them."
Nothing like a bit of confidence.
We'll give you the result of the final of Monday morning. Unlike last year, no-one over here is holding their breath waiting for the news.