Richie Ramsay has vowed to forever walk on his side of the Swiss street after the disappointment in crashing off The Alps in defence of his Omega European Masters title.
The Scot posted scores of 73 and 71 to miss the Swiss cut with a two over par tally and six behind leading Tartan golfer Craig Lee who shot a 65 for a six under par tally on the Crans Montana course.
Richie Ramsay joins the Omega European Masters ‘Walk of Fame’ former champions. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
Ramsay said: “I just didn’t play well these two days, simple fact.”
However the Aberdonian’s mood changed two hours later when he was driven up the main street of the Alpine town in a golf buggy to set in place a brass memento of last year’s victory.
Ramsay’s plaque is located halfway between Tourbillon, a jewelers shop and Hermes, the Paris-based exclusive women’s clothes designer.
His plaque, and only the fourth Scot to be so honored since Dornoch’s Alex Ross won the first event in 1923, also is placed on the ‘Walk of Fame’ between England’s Chris Moody, winner in 1988 and legendary Welshman Dai Rees who won in 1956, 1959 and 1962.
Ramsay is on the same stretch of pavement as Seve Ballesteros, Bobby Locke and Aussie Kel Nagle, and golf’s oldest living Major Champion.
However on the opposite side of the one lane roadway is the likes of Ernie Els, Jose Maria Olazabal and fellow Scots Eric Brown and Colin Montgomerie.
Ramsay said: “I’ll be walking up and down this side of the street every time I come back here to Crans Montana.
“So, you’ll never see walking down that side of the street (pointing).
“But it looks great and it’s a great honor, and the signature is absolutely perfect, and it’s such a great thing to have given the town is so close to the golf course.
“Crans has a real St. Andrews feel about it because nearly every shop window has a golf theme somewhere in their display, and that’s what you see walking the streets of St. Andrews.
“Having this ‘Walk of Fame’ just adds to the enjoyment of coming back here because there is so many tournaments where you go to and just play the event and that’s it.
“But here with all these plaques there is that feeling the tournament is present all year round and the great thing also, I’m now in some great company.”
Ramsay’s second day began and ended with a birdie but in between he posted four other birdies but also six bogeys.
He added: “I was very disappointed not to have made the cut but the unveiling of this plaque has given me great incentive to work hard these next two days on the range here before heading down the mountain to next week’s event in Holland.
“I just need to fix what went wrong this week (smiling).”
