Richie Ramsay may need to deviate from the ‘straight and narrow’ if he’s to win this week’s Canary Islands Championship in Tenerife.
The event is the final in a three-event ‘Canary Islands Swing’ before the Tour heads next week to the UK for a first time in 2021 and the BetFred British Masters at The Belfry.
Richie Ramsay may have to deviate from the straight and narrow if he’s to win this week in Tenerife (Photo @Tourmiss)
Ramsay is among four Scots who remained on Tenerife after contesting last week’s Tenerife Open and with this week’s event again being staged for a second week running on the dramatic but hilly par-71 Costa Adeje resort course.
Last week’s tournament produced a new course record of 61 set by Scot Scott Jamieson, who was elected to return to his Florida home, along with four rounds of 62 and a similar number of 63s. There were 14 players who shot scores of 64 and 15 signing for 65s while there were only nine of the leading 32 finishers who did not break par over each of the four days or 128 rounds
Ramsay was among the 32 in sharing 22nd place and his best finish in eight events this new season.
And he tees-up this afternoon riding high on the European Tour season stats as seventh overall in ‘Driving Accuracy’ off the tee but therein lies his frustration as the 37-year-old looks to end a six-year winless run and collect a fourth Tour title.
This weeks course, how I go through a yardage with downhill, wind, and release. @drillingschool @CraigGroupLtd @CarbonFinancial @CallawayGolfEU @TitleistonTour @EuropeanTour pic.twitter.com/WdpZT67Y9p
— Richie Ramsay (@RamsayGolf) May 4, 2021
He said: “Ultimately, we’re all out here to win and getting yourself into contention that gives you the buzz so, to be honest, finishing 29th in Gran Canaria and 22nd like I did last week here, I would rather finish 100th and 100th then finish second the next.
“The way the prize-money works there is no advantage the way the money works there’s no advantage in finishing 30th.
“You need to be aggressive and make plenty of birdies and I need to do that more often.
“Being familiar with the golf course has helped my preparations this week and I haven’t needed to play it as much as I have a big week with the British Masters coming up.
“I know the course and know the yardages but this is a frustrating course for me, because my game is driving straight and it doesn’t help me
“There’s guys I’ve played with this week who hit it off the end of the world and there’s no advantage to being in play.
“They hit it off line and get away with it, they still can get it to the green and make birdie but for strokes gained off the tee doesn’t really help me.
“The key for me this week I just need to read the greens better, and maybe be more aggressive into the greens. I know the lines and the yardages now.
“So, if I can do that, I know I can win a tournament”.
Joining Ramsay is Connor Syme, Grant Forrest and Calum Hill.
