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Richie Ramsay wraps up second victory

Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Paula Benn
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Richie Ramsay

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay clinched his second European Challenge Tour victory with a final round four under par 68 at the AGF – Allianz Golf Open Grand Toulouse.

Ramsay finished on 19 under par 269 two shots clear of runner up Richard McEvoy, of England, who closed with a 67 at the Golf de Toulouse course in Seilh, France.

The 25 year old, who became the first Scot to win the US Amateur Championship in over 100 years in 2006, posted six birdies before dropping a shot on the 13th hole, although he immediately recovered that shot on the 14th.

He then bogeyed the 16th to set up a nervous ending but the man from Aberdeen produced one of the best shots of his fledgling professional career on the last, firing his five iron approach over the water to stop 15ft from the pin, to give himself two putts for victory.

Ultimately though it was his course record equalling 64in the third round that gave him his second Challenge Tour title, following his victory at the Vodafone Challenge in Germany in August.

He said: “I’m over the moon with this win because all of my hard work has paid off. It’s great to win from the front. I just had the confidence to go out there and win. I played lovely today and hit some great shots.

“The approach on the last was difficult and it was probably the best shot of my professional career. That was the defining moment coming down the last with a two shot lead and to produce a shot like that.

“I believed in myself before I went out. You’ve got to learn to win mentally and I did it as an amateur and I’m relearning as a professional. Padraig Harrington says you got to give yourself a chance on the back nine and that’s where you win it and he is right.

The €22,400 first prize moves Ramsay up to sixth on the Challenge Tour Rankings with €103,245 and assures him playing privileges on The European Tour for 2009 with just two tournaments remaining of the current Challenge Tour campaign.

“The win is great but the main thing has always been to get my card and I now need to make sure I’m in the top 10 to get the best ranking.”

McEvoy posted five birdies – all of them on the front nine – to put the pressure on the Scot but he could not pick up any more shots on the way in and had to settle for second place, with Erik Tage Johansen of Norway third on 15 under par.

Final scores

269 R Ramsay (Sco) 67 70 64 68;

271 R McEvoy (Eng) 69 70 65 67;

273 E Johansen (Nor) 68 71 66 68;

274 T Remkes (Ned) 67 69 70 68;

275 S O'Hara (Sco) 65 70 70 70; R Steiner (Aut) 68 70 67 70; M Hoey (Nir) 71 71 68 65; M Rodriguez (Arg) 70 65 69 71; M Higley (Eng) 69 69 70 67; A McArthur (Sco) 69 68 69 69;