Richie Ramsay got a swimming lesson while greatest-ever Olympian Michael Phelps was on the receiving end of a golf lesson ahead of the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.
Ramsay’s the defending champion and found himself paired with the 18 Gold medal winning Phelps in yesterday’s (WED) Pro-Am on a revamped Crans-sur-Sierre course.
Phelps generated huge ‘You Tube’ interest two years ago after holing a monster 103-foot putt during the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Kingsbarns.
Richie Ramsay offering 18-time gold medal winning Michael Phelps a golf lesson during today’s Omega European Masters Pro Am. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
And while Phelps was unmatched in the 2008 Beijing Olympics he’s struggling to get the better of golf but boasting before tackling the Alpine course he posted a 9-hole career best last week of 41 at the Caves Valley Country Club course in his home town of Baltimore, Maryland.
The American had little time to work on his putting ahead of the Pro-Am with Tour players, caddies and fans seeking either an autograph or snap of the 28-year old.
All Ramsay was asked to sign was a bottle of bubbly ahead of the 23-handicapper Phelps splitting the fairway with his opening tee shot.
However it all seemed to fall apart after that and Phelps seeking treatment after the round on an injured right ankle.
Phelps said: “It was just awesome playing with Richie even though I didn’t play that great but we had some great laughs, and it was fun.”
However Phelps indicated he will not be returning to this year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship as it’s the weekend he’s getting married.
Ramsay said: “It was pretty cool and how many days do you get to play golf with the greatest-ever living Olympian.
“The great thing was that he was just so down to earth and it wasn’t as though he was out there acting like he had won 18 gold medals.
“So he is very relaxed and chilled out and if there is any advice I could give him was that he needs to get the ball going left a bit more.
“When he’s on, he’s really on and he can really rip the golf ball but there were times when it went it a bit wild.
“Michael says he’s still trying to get his head around golf and I guess he could take any aggression out in the pool but it’s not that easy on the golf course.”
Ramsay finds himself among six Scots competing this week in Switzerland.
