Richie Ramsay wins last event of 2009

Three years after becoming the first Scot to win the US Amateur Championship in 108 years, Richie Ramsay now has his first European Tour title.

The 25 year old won the South African Open Championship, coming from five behind with a best of the day 65 and then beating Indian Shiv Kapur with a birdie on the first play-off hole.

“There’s no greater feeling than winning and I’m just a flood of emotions – I’m holding back the tears,” said Ramsay after receiving the second oldest trophy in golf.
The pair tied on 13 under par, but the former Walker Cup player grabbed the first prize – and a European Tour exemption that runs until the end of 2011 – when he was on the green in two at the 601-yard 18th and two putted.

“Things just went for me,” he added. “But I am a lot more positive now – I go out believing and thinking I can win.”

Ramsay did not drop a shot all day, going to the turn in 33 and then grabbing more birdies on the tenth, 12th, 15th and 17th.

The last of those, a 14 footer following a superb approach from the rough over water, brought Ramsay into the joint lead and, after he had missed a 25 foot birdie chance on the last, Kapur stood on the same green with a 12 foot putt for his first European Tour title but missed.

Denmark’s Anders Hansen, Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed and Italian Edoardo Molinari all could have joined the play-off with a closing eagle but failed.

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