Red-hot Eric Ramsay charges into contention
in Germany

By GORDON SIMPSON

Director of Communications, European Tour

Carnoustie's Eric Ramsay broke 30 for nine holes for his first time in competition at Green Eagle Golf Club in Germany to rocket into a share of the halfway lead in the ECCO Tour Championship on the European Challenge Tour.

The 31 year old Scot, currently sitting in 228th place on the Challenge Tour Rankings with earnings of just €962, suddenly struck form after spending the last two weeks at home playing social golf with his mates at Carnoustie.

Ramsay, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, winner of the Australian amateur title before he turned pro, was out in a red-hot 28 on his way to recording an eight under par 65 to join Australian Matthew Zions at the top of the leaderboard on 138 going into the weekend.
His score is the lowest recorded over the brutally long North Course, measuring almost 7900 yards, but with preferred lies in operation, could not be counted as a course record.
“I have no idea where that came from” said Ramsay, who carded an eagle and five birdies on the outward nine. “To be honest, the last year has been pretty frustrating since I won in Poland last September and I just couldn’t make any cuts.
“I was hitting it sideways at the start of this year and couldn’t put a score together. Once things start to get away from you it’s hard to get it back and, yes, I was feeling pretty low at times. However golf can be like that, and you have to keep battling through the bad times.
“I took one week off recently without touching the clubs then just played some social golf over my home course at Carnoustie. I realised if I could play well there, I should be able to play well on most courses out on Tour. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but hopefully this week might help me turn the corner.”
Zions, also 31, fired a second round of 68 to join Ramsay on eight under par for the first 36 holes, and the Australian who is based in the United States admits he took inspiration from his room-mate this week, Chilean Mark Tullo.
Tullo won last week’s Rolex Trophy in Geneva and Zions laughed: “I’ve taken Mark’s mojo from him this week! It was great to see him win and although we are only at the halfway stage, I feel at ease with myself and enjoying the challenge that the game presents.”
Zions currently lies in 16th place in the Rankings – 212 ahead of his co-leader Ramsay – and after grabbing six birdies in his round of 68, believes that the Number One spot is within his compass this season.
“Last year was all about Edoardo Molinari, but it is more crowded at the top now” added Zions. “From the start of the year, the Number One position has been my top priority and it is certainly achievable with a lot of good money to play for before the end of the season.”
Four players are tied for third place, with Welshman Stuart Manley and Ireland’s Colm Moriarty firing 70 and 69 respectively to finish on 139, seven under par, and tied with two of the overnight leaders, Australian Daniel Gaunt and Swede Oscar Floren.

SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 146 (2x73)
138 E Ramsay (Sco) 73 65, M Zions (Aus) 70 68
139 O Floren (Swe) 67 72, S Manley (Wal) 69 70, D Gaunt (Aus) 67 72, C Moriarty (Irl) 70 69
140 F De Vries (Netherlands 72 68, C Del Moral (Spain) 70 70, A Hartø (Denmark) (amateur) 68 72
141 S Jamieson (Sco) 70 71, N Johansson (Swe) 70 71, K Sullivan (Wal) 67 74, L Bjerregaard (Denmark) (amateur 69 72,
142 A Ahokas (Fin) 70 72, A Wagner (Arg) 70 72, M Bothma (S Africa) 71 71, R Dinwiddie (Eng) 71 71, G Adell (Swe) 73 69, N Meitinger (Ger) 71 71,
143 C Russo (Fra) 71 72, A Haindl (S Africa) 73 70, T Norret (Den) 72 71, J McLeary (Sco) 70 73, T Olesen (Den) 75 68, A Velasco (Spain) 71 72, J Sjöholm (Swe) 75 68,
144 K Jorgensen (Den) 72 72, P Dwyer (Eng) 73 71, D Griffiths (Eng) 72 72, J Colomo (Spain) 70 74, A Marshall (Eng) 72 72, R Kakko (Fin) 74 70, J Larsen (Nor) 73 71, C Brazillier (Fra) 73 71,
145 C Gane (Eng) 73 72, F Henge (Swe) 73 72, J Campillo (Esp) 72 73, A Tadini (Ita) 74 71, S Surry (Eng) 73 72,
146 J Grillon (Fra) 74 72, S Buhl (Ger) 73 73, M Thorp (Nor) 69 77, A Snobeck (Fra) 72 74, M Hedegaard (Den) 75 71, W Ormsby (Aus) 72 74, R Kind (Ned) 73 73, R Hjelm (Den) 74 72, S Walker (Eng) 73 73, C Doak (Sco) 71 75,
147 A Hansen (Den) 70 77, A Willey (Eng) 74 73, M Manassero (Ita) 74 73, C Baker (USA) 72 75, P Golding (Eng) 75 72, J Rask (Swe) 74 73, Å Nilsson (Swe) 74 73, J Dantorp (Swe) 72 75, N Lemke (Swe) 75 72, R Santos (Por) 77 70, L Saltman (Sco) 77 70, C Macaulay (Sco) 75 72, C Lee (Sco) 69 78, B Ritthammer (Ger) 76 71, B Grace (RSA) 74 73, K Sorensen (am) (Den) 72 75, J Hansen (am) (Den) 71 76.
MISSED THE CUT
148 J Zapata (Arg) 75 73, L Slattery (Eng) 71 77, J Arruti (Esp) 73 75, J Kaske (Fin) 72 76, J Clément (Sui) 80 68, M Laskey (Wal) 78 70, J Makitalo (Fin) 76 72, P Kaensche (Nor) 76 72, L Johansen (Den) 74 74, J Doherty (Sco) 75 73, A Kaleka (Fra) 74 74, B Wiesberger (Aut) 74 74, S Wakefield (Eng) 74 74, N Bruzelius (Swe) 77 71, J Little (Eng) 72 76, A Gee (Eng) 75 73, M Rominger (Sui) 75 73, J Xanthopoulos (Fra) 77 71, G Houston (Wal) 76 72, D Lokke (am) (Den) 76 72,
149 A Perrino (Ita) 75 74, T Feyrsinger (Aut) 77 72, J Ruth (Eng) 80 69, L Jensen (Den) 74 75, S Lewton (Eng) 75 74, C Lange (Den) 73 76, P Gustafsson (Swe) 76 73, K Eriksson (Swe) 74 75,
150 T Whitehouse (Eng) 73 77, B Chapellan (Fra) 74 76, L Bond (Wal) 74 76, B Evans (Eng) 77 73, S Reale (Ita) 72 78, M Carlsson (Swe) 79 71, M Haines (Eng) 79 71, J Legarrea (Esp) 72 78, S Tiley (Eng) 74 76, M McGeady (Irl) 74 76, D Vanegas (Col) 71 79, T Remkes (Ned) 73 77, J Moul (Eng) 77 73, J Billot (Fra) 78 72,
151 M Quiros (Esp) 77 74, S Davis (Eng) 76 75, F Praegant (Aut) 75 76, W Besseling (Ned) 76 75, M Eliasson (Swe) 78 73, L Kennedy (Eng) 76 75,
152 V Riu (Fra) 76 76, G Murray (Sco) 77 75, M Tullo (Chi) 73 79, R Steiner (Aut) 74 78, P Malmgren (Swe) 78 74, D Slott (Den) 75 77, A Bruschi (Ita) 75 77, A Högberg (Swe) 76 76, C Ford (Eng) 73 79,
153 F Colombo (Ita) 76 77, J Lykke-Kjeldsen (Den) 73 80, I Van Weerelt (Ned) 75 78, S Piaget (Mon) 77 76, E Dubois (Fra) 78 75, G Molteni (Ita) 78 75,
154 J Christensen (Den) 80 74, J Bäckström (Swe) 78 76, A Jacobsson (Swe) 77 77, L Gagli (Ita) 80 74, P Erofejeff (Fin) 78 76, A Larsen (Swe) 73 81, M Korhonen (Fin) 77 77, A Bernadet (Fra) 79 75, J Wahlqvist (Swe) 78 76, J Espelund (Den) 77 77,
155 S Juul (Den) 73 82, R Russell (Sco) 80 75, C Smith (Wal) 75 80, J Granberg (Fin) 74 81, D Brooks (Eng) 75 80,
156 A Sjöstrand (Swe) 78 78, K Nielsen (Den) 81 75,
157 F Calmels (Fra) 75 82, M Higley (Eng) 80 77, S Gundorph (Den) 72 85, S Strüver (Ger) 76 81, M Madsen (am) (Den) 81 76,
159 L Moolman (RSA) 79 80,
160 J Lerchedahl (Den) 78 82, A Kasprzak (Den) 80 80,
163 M Ford (Eng) 82 81,
Withdrew: B Barham (Eng)

Gordon Simpson

Director of Communications

European Tour