Ramsay Shys From Rocca-Like ‘Valley Of Sin’ Celebration After Eagling Last Hole At Dunhill Links

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay ruled out a Costantino Rocca-style celebration after brilliantly holing out from the ‘Valley of Sin’ for an eagle on the final day of the 20th anniversary Alfred Dunhill Links Championship here in St. Andrews.

Ramsay, and with a closing 70, shared top Scottish honours with Callum Hill (67) and Ewen Ferguson (72) in sharing 17th spot at nine-under, and with Ferguson letting slip a share of 12th with a pair of closing bogeys.

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay sensationally holes out for an eagle ‘2’ from the Valley of Sin on day four of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

The Tartan trio shared 17th place at nine-under par and nine adrift of England’s Danny Willett who celebrated his 34th birthday with a two-shot success and his eighth Tour success.

Ramsay immediately had visions of Rocca when he holed an eagle putt for a ‘2’ from the famed ‘Valley of Sin’ at the last in a round of 70 to finish at nine-under par and just inside the top-20.

He said: “I played the last perfectly.  Ripped it down the middle with a cut 4-iron and hit this great putt about six feet right and it then bobbled straight left and dropped.

“I remember ‘Chippy’ holing one from there to win the first Dunhill in 2001 but I then thought of the ’95 Open when (Costantino) Rocca holed a similar putt for birdie to get into the play-off. I wasn’t going to fall forward banging my fist into the ground like he did (laughing) but I will remember that putt for a long time.  It was a cool thing”.

“I played good today to be three-under for the first 11 holes but was left absolutely shattered on number 12 as there is really nowhere to hit it, and I hit it right and it found the only rough up against this peg and all I could do was hit it sideways and then three-putted.

“Then after taking a double there on 12, I just felt I got some justice at the last and finishing eagle has really whetted my appetite to be back here next July.

“I’ve now got three weeks in Spain and a week in Portugal and hoping all goes well to be then heading to Dubai”.



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