Richie Ramsay is relishing delivering the Home of Golf nation it’s first Tour victory in nearly two years ahead of the final day of the British Masters at Close House.
Ramsay brilliantly drove the green for an eagle ‘2’ at the shortened ninth hole on route to a five-under 65 and end the round sharing second place and just one shot off the lead on 11-under par.
Richie Ramsay on route to a share of second place on day three of the British Masters. (Photo – European Tour/Getty)
Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, 48 and a former European No. 1 also eagled the ninth in a round of 67 and lead at 12-under par.
Karlsson, and also one of Europe’s 2018 Ryder Cup vice-captains, last won in 2010 at the DP World Tour Championship
Ramsay shares second with Ireland’s Paul Dunne (65) and the England trio of Ian Poulter (68), Tyrrell Hatton (71) and Graeme Storm (67).
Ramsay is looking to win for a first time since early 2015 while Scotland’s last victory on the European Tour was Russell Knox’s Shanghai success later that year.
And British Masters history would seem to be on the side of the Scot with Scotland having won the title eight times albeit the last in 2000 with Gary Orr’s triumph.
Aside from driving the green at the downhile ninth, the World No.134 ranked Ramsay also managed three other birdies in a bogey-free display in cold and sometimes wet conditions near Newcastle.
He said: “It was a good day and very steady. I just holed a lovely putt on 8, and then hit 3-wood on the ninth and rolled-in the putt so that was great bonus to make eagle there.
“It was a very steady back nine in making a couple of nice two putts just to make some pars coming in, and keeps me right in the mix.
“So, just looking forward to tomorrow. I’ve just been there or thereabouts for a long, long time and I feel that getting in the mix tomorrow, back nine Sunday, I just love it”.
However, looming large over the final day is World No. 6 Rory McIlroy who produced his lowest European Tour score in well over two years in shooting a 64 to be among five sharing seventh but only two shots back.
It was McIlroy’s lowest European Tour round since a second round 64 on day two and on route to victory in the 2015 Dubai Desert Classic.
He said: “I felt today I got the most our of my round as I scrambled well when I needed to.
“Some of these three or four footers that you leave yourself are pretty tricky as the greens are soft along with some heel prints and stuff, so I was just trying to make a committed stroke asI could and thankfully they did for me today.
“So, it was nice as I gave myself plenty of chances and it is always nice to be bogey-free, as well.”
After a no-frills opening two days McIlroy finally gave a huge crowd following the World No. 6 really something to cheer about including chipping-in from pin high and left of the green at the par three, fifth hole.
Then for a third day running McIlroy birdied the par five sixth hole ahead of birding the ninth and 13th holes for a second occasion in three days.
McIlroy then moved to 10-under for the event holing a five-footer from behind the flag at the par three, 17th.
He said: “The crowds out there were brilliant today with a lot of people out there, so it was nice to have that support.”
And after going so close a week ago in Portugal, Marc Warren with six birdies in a 65 cannot be ruled out trailing only four back on eight-under par.
Other Scots –
Stephen Gallacher (66) – 204, Duncan Stewart (67) and Scott Jamieson (69) – 205, David Drysdale (70) – 208.
