Richie delivers on his pledge with a fourth tour triumph

CARBON’S DP World Tour ambassador Richie Ramsay turned back the clock to claim his first victory for seven years at the Cazoo Classic hosted by Hillside Golf Club. Coming hard on the heels of a near-miss at the British Masters, Richie was thrilled with a dramatic final green victory which kept his pledge to six-year-old daughter Olivia that he would secure a trophy for her.

(Image: Richie Ramsay ended a seven-year wait for a Tour win at the Cazoo Classic at Hillside. Picture: Getty Images.)

“I have been playing professional golf on the main Tour since 2007 and this was just my fourth win in 15 years. The opportunities don’t come along very often so you have to make the most of them.

“A lot of people have been remarking on the emotional celebration when I holed the eight-foot putt needed for the win. I’m not usually one to show my emotions, I’m quite reserved most of the time. But when I am in competitive mode I do get quite animated.

“I knew exactly what was required standing over that put. Hole it and I win. I have always been a huge admirer of people in sport who do it when it matters most. I was watching “The Last Dance” again and it was another reminder of the work and mentality that goes into winning in any sport.

“Michael Jordan came up with the crucial final shots with the pressure on but all the work off the basketball court was geared to those moments. He overcame plenty failures and dips to savour the highs. I suppose it was like that for me at Hillside.

“What happened at the British Masters wasn’t in my head in the moment, thankfully. I just knew I had to stick to my process. That was the ultimate test and I had to trust to what I had worked on with my coach Ian Rae.

“It has been compared with a putt at Valderrama a few years ago which I knew I had to hole to keep my Tour card. There might have been no coming back if I had missed that one. Careers hang on those moments. I’ve seen players lose their card and disappear.

“This was a different kind of pressure. But I am a believer in karma and I felt now was my time. I believed I would win if I gave myself a reasonable putt for it under the gun. It was a defining moment and it was great to deliver on the promise I made to my daughter.

“Olivia has been visiting family in America with her mum so the trophy is there for her when she returns. She was at Hazeltine and had her picture taken with the US Amateur trophy that I won. There’s a copy of it in the house and she had asked if I could get her a trophy. That’s where the promise came from.

“Now Olivia is looking forward to seeing her trophy. She has been great when I haven't played well, bringing me back onto an even keel. Maybe that promise did add pressure so that was one of the reasons the emotions spilled over on that 18^th green at Hillside.

“It was made even more special by knowing I had to work down the stretch for the win. It really felt like I had won it by my own efforts rather than by anyone letting it slip. That was even more satisfying.

“Winning The Cazoo Classic has moved me up the Race for Dubai placings. The goal at the start of the season was to get a win and make it there. A top 20 finish in Dubai would get me into The Open next year so that might be another target. But there are around 10 tournaments left so I have to keep pushing, with Switzerland and The Omega European Masters next, holding fond memories for me after my win back in 2012.