RICHIE RAMSAY claimed the second European Tour victory of his career after winning the Omega European Masters title by four shots at Crans-sur-Sierre in the Swiss Alps.
The Scot followed up a blemish-free 64 in his third round with a five-under-par 66 yesterday which sees him move up to €763,254 in the race to Dubai.
Five birdies on the opening nine holes set up the 29-year-old, and although he bogeyed 13 and 17, an eagle on the par-five 14 made sure of victory.
“I played really well,” said Ramsay, whose previous title came at the South African Open Championship three years ago.
“It was nice to gradually gain some momentum through the week and find some form as the week went on. As the week went on, I got better and better and I couldn’t be happier.
“It’s just incredible, the whole day went to plan,” said Ramsay, adding that the victory would move his career “up a notch. It definitely pushes me to another level.”
The 29-year-old, who also won the 2006 United States Amateur Championship, is set to move up the world rankings from number 110 into the top 70.
“It’s a bigger win than the US Amateur,” said Ramsay, who is based in Atlanta. “If you look at the field and the place and the way that I did it.”
There was a four-way tie for second, with Marcus Fraser, Fredrik Andersson Hed, Romain Wattel and Danny Willett four shots back.
Fraser (66) birdied the first and seventh before making a strong start to the back nine registering under-par scores on 10 and 11.
A bogey on 12 temporarily halted the Australian’s momentum, but birdies on 14 and 17 secured a share of runners-up spot. Andersson Hed (66) produced a bogeyless round, with birdies at one, seven, 14, 15 and 17, while Wattel dropped just one shot, at five, while recording six birdies as the top four all finished with rounds of 66.
Englishman Willett (69) had an up and down day as although he dropped shots at three, 10 and 11, five birdies ensured he remained in joint second.
Lee Slattery produced the round of the day to finish tied for 14th; his seven under-par 64 moving him up 40 places from the end of round three and featured eagles at the first and seventh.
Ryder Cup participant Paul Lawrie of Scotland carded a one-under-par 70 to finish tied for six, having started the day joint second behind Ramsay.
Lawrie, who was named in the Europe team for the Ryder Cup last week having won the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, had looked on course to top the leaderboard heading into the final day but could not maintain his challenge.
“My plan was just to pretend I was playing with my two best mates,” Ramsay said. “That was my plan all week and it worked . . holing that final putt felt so, so good. You can’t buy that feeling.”
Shane Lowry was best of the Irish and finished with a 73 for a two-under tally of 281, one shot ahead of Michael Hoey (72). Darren Clarke finished four over following a closing 71.
