Will Irish eyes be smiling on Richie for an Open spot?
As one US Amateur winner basks in the glory as golf ’s newest Major Champion, another is hoping for some high summer magic of his own.
E n g l a n d ’s Matthew Fitzpatrick came out on top at the end of a thrilling final day at the US Open at Brookline last Sunday to add to the leading amateur prize he had won at the same venue nine years previously.
Now he can begin his preparations for The Open at St Andrews, with the Scottish Open at Renaissance the next event on his schedule.
Richie Ramsay, the US Amateur Champion at Hazeltine in 2006, would love to join Fitzpatrick in the field for the 150th staging of the game’s most- famous tournament.
And he is pinning his hopes on a great week at the Irish Open at Mount Juliet, beginning on Thursday, to claim one of the three spots on offer to leading non-exempt players, who finish in the top 10.
The Emerald Isle has been a happy hunting ground for him over the years, with a tie for fourth last year and a runner’s- up spot in 2017 at Portstewart. He will be aiming for similar again.
“I traditionally play better when we get back to Europe, and particularly in this period,” the Aberdeen man told The Sunday Post.
“And the Irish Open is one of those events I always get excited about.
“It has an exceptional atmosphere, and it’s always sold out – or close to sold out – even if we’re playing in the middle of nowhere.
“The knowledge of players the fans have over there is incredible.
“A few years ago at Lahinch, I was walking by a garage as I was getting myself a drink when I was approached by a young lad, who was about 10.
“I wasn’t wearing any logos, but he stopped to ask: ‘Are you Richie Ramsay? Can I get a picture?’.
“Now, I’m a middle- tier European Tour player. I’m not a Rory Mcilroy or Shane Lowry, and I don’t play in the TV groups. But that shows how mad-keen he was.
“The crowds really embrace the tournament, and that makes it a cool place to play.
“It’s a great spot in the schedule, the week before the Scottish Open, and there is
always something to fight for down the stretch with those Open spots on offer.
“I knew that last year, and it pushed me to finish fourth. You think one of the three above you would be exempt, but that wasn’t the case and they took the spots.”
Richie’s place at St Andrews may well have been secured already, if not for one shot at the British Masters at The Belfry last month.
Playing the famous closing hole of Ryder Cup vintage with a one- shot lead, the 39- year- old’s second shot went in the water. He took a double- bogey six, and Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen came through to snatch the title with a spectacular eaglebirdie finish.
So rather than a first win since 2015, Ramsay has had to process a case of what might-have-been.
“It was one moment that didn’t work out well,” he reflected. “I got indecisive with the yardage, and I was in-between clubs. That led to
an uncomfortable shot and, with the pressure, that’s what you get.
“You can’t control what’s in the past, and it’s over and done with now. With time and experience, you have other things going on.
“I would have liked to have finished with a bogey at worst because that would have got me a heap more Race to Dubai points, and a probable US Open spot.
“But at least I was up there competing, and I don’t think I had my best stuff that week.
“I came out in the final round, and I led greens- inregulation and fairways hit. You can’t do that by not being in control of your game in a pressure situation.
“When I break it down, I did 99% fantastically well.
“It was just that one moment.”
■ Padraig Harrington has his eyes on a Senior Major win today to add to his three ‘regular’ Major titles.
The Irishman holds a fiveshot lead following a fiveunder-par third-round of 66 to sit at 11-under-par heading into the final round of the US Senior Open at Saucon Valley in Pennsylvania.
Colin Montgomerie is in a tie for 32nd at three-over-par.