Richie Ramsay is determined to intimidate his KLM Open rivals into submission and become only the second Scot to win back-to-back in the 40-year history of the European Tour.
Ramsay posted a third round eight under par 64 to move to nine under par to again be in contention just six days after capturing the Omega European Masters.
If successful in the Dutch event, Ramsay would become only the second Tartan player to win two Tour events in succession since Colin Montgomerie captured the 1994 German and Irish Open titles.
Richie Ramsay looking to ram home his Swiss winning advantage in Holland. (Photo – Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ie)
And should Ramsay or Jamieson succeed it would be the very first time in the Tour’s 40-year history Scots have won three events in succession.
Ramsay said: “I’m not saying that because I won last week I have a right to do well but then my confidence is high after winning in Switzerland.
“Also because I won last week I do have more of a spring in my step and I think other players realise that if I am up there, they recognise the fact that if I do get a sniff I’m not scared of taking it.
“There are a few fellows up there on the board who have won but it’s also a long time since they’ve won whereas I’m coming off a win.
“Also the big thing is that I can see the birdies out there and I can see the opportunities, and with the way I am playing I am just going to continue to go for those opportunities.
“My energy levels are really good and after struggling a bit at the start of the week, I am feeling stronger and stronger with every round.
“I’ve had some good gym sessions this week and that has also helped.”
Ramsay commenced his round with a bogey after missing a 10-foot par putt but he quickly made amends with the first of two birdie hat-tricks in his round.
He holed birdie putts of 10-foot at the third, 35-foot at the fourth and then two-putted from 30-feet at the par five, fifth hole.
Ramsay then holed a 40-footer for birdie at the 10th before his second lot of three birdies in a row starting by two-putting from 22-feet at 11 and then holing putts of 12 feet at both 13 and 14.
His only real disappointment was at 18 when he had missed the green left with a 6-iron but then chipped but two-putted from some 10 feet for par.
Ramsay said: “It was a tough start but holing that 10-footer for bogey sort of settled me down as then starting holing some long putts for birdie that was nice.
“But it was one of those rounds when you do shoot low you look back thinking it could have been lower.
“But overall it was a fantastic day, so I am looking forward to tomorrow.”
