Richie Ramsay can't wait to

get back down to business

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Richie Ramsay, who delivered Scotland's first European Tour triumph in 21 months when winning the South African Open just before Christmas, is returning to the circuit this week eager to get back to work after hardly touching a golf club since his success at Pearl Valley.
The 26-year-old, who is now living in Edinburgh and has been sizing up The Renaissance Club outside Gullane as a possible practice base when he's at home, spent the festive period enjoying his breakthrough win and, due to all the snow, was able to give his American girlfriend, Angela, his undivided attention when she came over for a visit.
Ramsay, who will start his 2010 campaign just outside the world's top 100 thanks to his play-off victory over India's Shiv Kapur in South Africa, is now in the Middle East preparing for this week's Abu Dhabi Championship and says he's hungry to start hitting balls again and, equally, looking forward to trying to build on that victory.
"I've hardly done anything since my win as the snow hasn't shifted at all but that's probably not been a bad thing as it stopped me from saying I needed to go away and some practice, as I usually do when my girlfriend is over," he said.
"All I've done is pay a couple of visits to the range and some putting inside but, as a result, I'm feeling eager to get back into it again and I'm ready to get going.
"In the past, I felt I needed to work all the time on my game and, though I'd never say that practising was a chore, I'm definitely feeling more interested in the work I've got ahead of me. Sometimes if you work too hard on your game during a break, you can almost feel over-golfed at the end of the first two tournaments but that shouldn't be the case on this occasion."
Ramsay, who was delighted to receive a message of congratulations from Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, savoured his South African success in Aberdeen and is now hoping he'll have the confidence to strike again in the near future, just as he did when cutting his teeth in the paid ranks.
"In hindsight, it would have been nice if I could have gone out the week after my win and tried again as your confidence is up and, if I'd given myself another sniff, I might have been able to take it again," he reflected.
"However, you learn in life that sometimes things don't always work out the way you'd like them to."In any case, it was great to go home to Aberdeen and soak up my win. After winning the US Amateur Championship (in 2006], I flew straight to the Czech Republic and then to Wales, which meant I didn't get home for two or three weeks.
"When I won on the Challenge Tour, I then went out and won again five weeks later and it would be great if I could do the same again. No disrespect to the South African Open as it was a really good field but you want to be up there competing with the likes of Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson, players you've aspired to play against. If I could win an event with those sort of players, it would validate my progression even more."
Ramsay is playing in all three events of the Middle East swing – he heads to Qatar next week and then Dubai the week after that – and has now added the Avantha Masters in India to his early-season schedule.
"I played in Abu Dhabi last year and, while I wouldn't go as far as saying it is a bomber's course, it does suit the longer hitters In fact, I think it helps if you can shift the ball off the tee at all three courses in the Middle East swing.
"There are going to be courses this season where a top 15 or even top 20 will be a good week for me. There will be other weeks where I feel I can win and that was certainly the case at Pearl Valley. I think that will also be the case for the event in India, so I've added that to my schedule. I will hopefully be right back into it by then and can possibly peak on a course that suits my game more."
Ramsay is particularly looking forward to his first appearance in the Dubai Desert Classic, won two years ago by Tiger Woods and, 12 months later, by Rory McIlroy at the start of the young Irishman's stunning 2009 campaign.
"I'm really looking forward to playing at The Emirates. My aunt and uncle used to go out there when the event was on and brought me programmes back. I've still got the one from when Thomas Bjorn won (2001] so it will be nice for me to play in that event."
With lots of ranking points up for grabs over the next three weeks, there's a chance for Ramsay to join Martin Laird in the top 100 in the world and, like his Arizona-based compatriot, he's determined to get himself into the majors and the World Golf Championships in the near future.
"I watched the highlights of the SBS Championship in Hawaii and it looked as though Martin Laird was playing really well," noted Ramsay. "He's done a similar thing to me, having gained some experience on the Nationwide Tour before gaining his card on the US PGA Tour and then winning in his second full season. He's elevated himself into some of the bigger tournaments and more world ranking points are up for grabs in them. It's great that he's made it into the top 100 in the world and will be fantastic if we can get another Scot in there beside him.
"At the start of last season I felt excited but anxious at the same time as I was desperate to do well and wanted to get into the bigger tournaments to give myself a better chance of keeping my card.
"This time around it is excitement after excitement and no anxiety. I know I can go out there and play without having to worry about my card. If I have a chance to win again, I'm not going to be scared – I'm eager to get in the mix."
+The above article is published in The Scotsman newspaper today.