Lone Scot Ramsay keeps up with leaders at ‘Le National’ express
RICHIE RAMSAY reached the halfway stage at the French Open within striking distance of the leaders as he continues to relish the fiery nature of the Le National course in Versailles. But he will fly the Scottish flag alone during the weekend after his seven compatriots in the field all missed the cut at what will be the 2018 Ryder Cup host venue.
Graeme McDowell, the double defending champion, also made an early exit with a 78, allowing him to take a first look at Gullane this afternoon ahead of playing in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open next week.
Ramsay looked surprisingly fresh after his one-over-par 72 which put him on a one-over total of 143, five behind the joint leaders, Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain, France’s Victor Dubuisson and Germany’s Martin Kaymer.
He said he had shaken off a stomach bug picked up earlier in the week, saying: “I’m fine and I’m enjoying it out there. When you come here you know it’s not going to be easy and that’s reflected in the scores as no-one is running away with it. I will just keep doing what I am doing and hope to be knocking right on the door come the back nine on Sunday.
“Given it has been so hot the course is playing like a real links course. This is the type of course everyone is playing now back home and with this heatwave we’re having they are doing well watering it and keeping it from going brick hard.”
McDowell won the 2008 Scottish Open at Loch Lomond but will start this year’s event from a position outside the top 50 in the rankings for the first time in more than five years after his struggles in recent weeks. The Northern Irishman said: “I am working with probably one of the best coaches in the world in Pete Cowen but there is too much going on in my head technical-wise. I need to strip that all away and get back to basics.
“I’ll have an early practice round at Gullane on Saturday afternoon but it’s not as if any alarm bells are ringing because I want to stress they’re not.”
“The good thing is that for the next two weeks the golf courses are going to play similarly to the course here in Versailles because at both Gullane and St. Andrews if you are slightly off with your game you are going to get beaten up. I’ll be looking for more of a straightforward test at Gullane as I get myself ready for the Open.”