Hillside ..
Richie Ramsay is copying World No.1 Dustin Johnson’s ‘caveman golf’ style of play that hopefullu will see the Scot emerge from a near four-year winless drought and capture the Betfred British Masters.
Ramsay brilliantly birding his closing two holes, and just prior to 8pm, in a round of 67 to move into four-way share of second place at 11-under par on the host Hillside course.
Ramsay holed a five-footer on 17 and then drained a 25-footer at the last moments before a Tartan flag vapour trial appeared in the skies.
He said: “I’m just playing caveman golf, like Dustin Johnson. He just picks a target and says `we’ll hit it on the line of that tree’.
“Every time Dustin plays he looks like he’s under no pressure, and that’s something I’ve alway admired about his game whereas there is so many other players who look so intense.
“I had a tendency to get over-complicated about what I was going to hit and how I hit it. So, my caddy has been great for that, he’s picked up my yardages very quickly and he’s always on at me to keep it simple.
A Scotland ‘Saltire’ appears in the skies moments after Richie Ramsay birdies his closing two holes on day two of the British Masters. (Photo @tourmiss)
“I’m thinking about multiple options and he’ll say, `it’s just a soft 9-iron, commit to it’. And he’s been right most of the time.”
England’s Matt Wallace, 29 posted a career first of a second straight bogey-free round of 67 and heads the field by a shot at 12-under par.
Wallace won three times last year and had it not been for Francesco Molinari winning The Open, the 29-year old Londoner could have been ‘Golfer of the Year’.
And while the World No. 36 targets a fourth Tour picture, it’s the ‘bigger picture’ Wallace has set his focus.
He said: “If I look at the bigger picture and I go the next three or four years, I want to be competing.
“It’s very similar to kind of if you think about Francesco (Molinari). Three years ago, he wasn’t where he was now, and he’s taken that different approach, his own approach, and I’ll have mine.
“I want to be doing what he’s doing, Ryder Cups and majors and competing at every single event pretty much.”
Oban lefty Bob MacIntyre was grateful his mother didn’t burn the Yorkshire Puddings as the Scot continues to impress but admitting a 75-minute late morning storm delay shortly after taking a second double-bogey steadied his nerves before returning to post a round of 69 for a seven-under par tally.
MacIntyre had managed five birdies, a bogey but also doubles at his fourth and ninth hole before heading to the safety of the clubhouse.
The Scot took stock of his game over an early lunch and then went out after the stoppage to grab three back nine birdies.
MacIntyre’s contesting his 13th event of his rookie year and having made the cut in now 10 with a best result of back-to-back T15ths at the very end of December.
He said: “On the front nine I couldn’t get the ball straight with the driver and the rain delay probably came at a good time for me to be honest.
“I was a bit shocked with the delay as I just thought it was a bit of rain. I had just hit my tee shot on the first when they stopped it.
“I was struggling and I felt my head was going a bit but I managed to hang in and get over the line.”
And MacIntye revealed he’s been dining-out this week on his mum’s cooling and also has plenty of other family support.
He said: “The family is here and it’s brilliant.
“I got home late on Thursday night last night to the house we are hiring and my um had roast beef dinner waiting.
“Though she said she forgot to take the Yorkshire puddings out the oven. She didn’t burn them. She just forgot to put them on the plate (smiling).
“So, aside from that it’s nice to have them all here. It keeps you on your toes.
“I think there was be a good half dozen following me. It keeps multiplying. My dad will hopefully come down over the weekend.
“My dad watched me at Spey Valley on the Challenge Tour but he’s never seen my on the main tour. We’ve been too far away. I just need to keep doing what I’m doing.
“My coach, Davy Burns, has been here. We’ll not be off the range until that driver is going where I want it to go.”
Dumfries and fellow rookie, Liam Johnston was also delighted with his 68 to move to five-under par and highlighting his day’s work with an eagle ‘3’ at his 11th hole.
And after missing the cut in last week’s Volvo China Open and getting back home on Saturday, Johnston warmed-up for this week’s ‘links test’ playing a practice round last Sunday at Southerness.
He said: “Playing Southerness on Sunday got me tuned-in to playing links golf while the round helped me also getting over a bit of jetlag, as well.
“So that has put me in good stead while in coming here on Monday I got in a proper practice round that helped my preparation and that has been key to my good start and hopefully it will continue.
“I was at Southerness and the club is actually pretty nice to me at the moment as whenever I want to go down there they afford me courtesy of the course which is really good of them.
“It’s a brilliant golf course and I think I have shot under par only two or three times (laughing) and the golf course goes into one of those categories of one of those brutal links courses.”
Also, at five-under is Scott Jamieson (70) while recent Challenge Tour winner, Connor Syme kick-started his round in brilliant manner birdie, eagle and birdie in a score of 68 for a four-under total.
MEANTIME
Martin Laird has for a second week running put himself in position to end a six-year PGA Tour victory drought.
Laird seized five-birdies in a bogey-free 66 to head to the clubhouse lying third at nine-under in the AT & T Bryson Nelson in Dallas, Texas.
A week ago, Laird was also in contention early at the Wells Fargo Championship before fading to a share of 31st in Charotte.
Korean Sung Kang, with scores of 65 and 61, enjoyed a four-shot lead on 16-under par.
