Richie Ramsay will play his seventh Open and David Drysdale just his second – from the first round anyway – but it’s the fulfilment of the feeling that their form was coming that satisfied most after the weekend’s Irish Open.
The Scots pair decanted across the Irish Sea to Dundonald Links for the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open knowing they both have an extra date at the Open itself at Royal Birkdale next week by virtue of their second and fourth place finishes at Portstewart.
In the process both took their biggest career cheques, an indication of what a strong finish in one of the new Rolex Series events can do for a player – Ramsay has won three times on Tour but his £470,178 in a tie for second behind Jon Rahm easily outweighed his biggest win, at the Omega European Masters in 2012.
“The Open spot was a huge bonus, but I’m human as everyone else, these Rolex tournaments, you’re playing for the money but the ranking means more for me,” said Ramsay.
“There’s a huge amount of pressure comes off because you know I like to plan and now I can do that accordingly. It means the next six months becomes a whole lot easier, and if I can play well, get my head down and work hard I get to spend more time with the family.”
Ramsay felt his game wasn’t far away, choosing to stay out in Paris after missing the cut in the French Open to practice.
“I felt for the last few weeks that I’ve been coming on to a really good game,” he said. “I had taken the decision before I went to France, irrespective of what happened there I’d stay out.
“The way I approach Scottish and The Open is now completely different; confidence is high, I want to stay aggressive and shoot low scores.
“And the weekend shows I know I can get the job done in the big ones. It sounds arrogant, but I’m in tournaments now and looking to win them.”
Ramsay feels that both Dundonald and Birkdale next week shape up well for him.
“I went down to Dundonald with Stevie Gallacher, his caddie and Punk (his former caddie Mark Crane who now loops for Chris Wood) a few weeks ago and took the money as well!” he continues.
“If the rough’s up you need to drive it well on that golf course, that sets you up for being aggressive and that’s right up my alley.
“Birkdaleis one of my favourite courses, it has a feeling of Royal Aberdeen, the dunes and some of the tee shots.
It also puts a premium on how you drive it, the holes don’t run in the same direction, and that plays into my hands really because that’s what I’m good at, ball striking and manoeuvring the ball.”
Drysdale had a long and excruciating wait for his Open slot as four players fell out of contention after his astonishing course record 63 – finishing with seven birdies in a row – put him in contention, and he know plays only his second Open after Turnberry in 2009 – if you don’t count his famous round playing as a marker with John Daly in 1992 at Muirfield.
“Everything fell nicely into place for me,” said the Borderer, who was reluctant to have his picture taken with an Open flag when he came off the course two hours before the others finished because he wasn’t sure of his place.
“That’s why I probably don’t look too happy in the photograph,” he laughed. “I wasn’t keen to get it taken straight after I’d finished, but it worked out well in the end and we had a few Guinness last night.”
Drysdale is known for his relentless consistency that sees him regain his card year on year even though he has never won a European Tour event and the £213,114 cheque at the weekend was a career high.
“I think I have played around 430 events out here now, which is quite a lot,” he said with a degree of understatement. “The first year was 2002 and I’ve always had some sort of status, even if was just for 15 events.
“You have to do something extra special to win, like Jon Rahm did at the weekend. I’ve had a couple of second places, a couple of near misses, and I will be bitterly disappointed if I finish my career without a win.
“But I will definitely take a lot of confidence out of the Irish Open, especially the way I finished and in the conditions.
“I’m a much better player than in 2009. I’m an established tour player now and I know I deserve to be at Birkdale.”
“I can’t wait for Dundonald. This event is right after the Open for me in importance and it’s a great venue.”
And his other half Vicky will be close by to keep him right as she was in Ireland.
“She caddied a couple of times a year or so back before starting to do in on a regular basis this season,” he continued. “She is so positive. She kicks me up the backside when I need. She is always talking to me and is a determined character.”
The home contingent at Dundonald rose to 12 yesterday with Scott Henry gaining the last invitation from the tournament sponsors.