Richie Ramsay suffered “the biggest kick in the teeth of my career” as the Betfred British Masters squirmed from his grasp on the final hole at the Belfry.
The 38-year-old three-time tour winner from Aberdeen had a shot advantage at ten-under playing the famous 18th that has seen so much Ryder Cup drama. But he hit a rescue approach into the green into the lake, took double bogey and eventually finished tied third.
Olesen’s eagle-birdie finish claims the win
UNBELIEVEABLE FROM OLESEN!!!!
Thorbjorn Olesen wins The British Masters 2022 🎉 pic.twitter.com/sALoeT7xE6
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) May 8, 2022
Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen, battling for redemption from the court case that derailed his career in the last three years, got redemption in one day.
Having frittered away his three-shot lead to be two behind playing the last two holes, he finished eagle-birdie to snatch the title from Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg.
Olesen finished with a one-over 73 for a ten-under total of 278. But Ramsay felt he should have been at least there with him on ten-under.
The Scot had played solidly and strongly to be three-under for the day coming up the last. Soderberg’s best of the day 68 had set the target at nine-under, but after a massive birdie on 14 and a birdie four on 17, it seemed Ramsay was set for victory.
He was happy with his drive but in-between clubs for the 220-yard second.
“I did everything right bar one shot and it was the one shot that killed me,” he lamented. “If I’d hit that any other point in the round, then I’d have probably been okay.
“Played really steady. Mentally I was very, very good. But, ultimately, you don’t get the job done and that’s what matters. It’s probably the biggest kick in the teeth I am going to get in my career.”
‘I’m never going to be able to sleep tonight’
🏴 @RamsayGolf -9
🇩🇰 @Thorbjornolesen -9
🇸🇪 Sebastian Söderberg -9We have a three-way tie at the top after Ramsay holes from off the green!#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/ksFF55d42T
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 8, 2022
Ramsay felt he “could have had more breathing room” coming down the last, but he didn’t commit to the shot.
“It was just a horrible yardage and I didn’t fully commit,” he said. “I was aiming to ride it on the wind and I just duffed it.
“I’d executed so many shots under pressure. I was thinking about hitting a 4-iron and driving it off the right but it’s into the wind and it’s 220. You are not going to get up on to the middle tier.
“It was the same club I hit well into 17. I didn’t hit the shot I needed to – simple as that. I’m never going to be able to sleep tonight.”
Olesen, meanwhile, was ecstatic having battled a chronic pull to the left all day but finishing in such a spectacular fashion.
The 31-year-old Dane’s career, with five wins and a Ryder Cup debut in 2018, had completely collapsed. He was tried for sexual assault and assault on a transatlantic flight in November 2019 but acquitted.
“I’m standing on 17, and thinking, I can make birdie, birdie and maybe get into a playoff,” he said. But obviously when I got the eagle chance on 17, I prefer to take that.
“I just gave it everything. I somehow just kept going, and yeah, what a finish. Incredible.”
Syme’s contrasting emotions with his third place
Superb performances from @modestgolf clients @connor_syme & @richardmansel14 this week with top 10 finishes at the @british_masters.
Great golf boys. pic.twitter.com/NvHUpJ7O37— Mark McDonnell (@markmac14) May 8, 2022
Ramsay ended up sharing third with fellow Scot Connor Syme, but their emotions could not be more contrasting.
Syme was buzzing from the four birdies that got him closer than he’d imagined and was brimming with confidence on his way back to his Drumoig base.
At six-under overnight, a double-bogey six at the fourth knocked Connor back. Even his own optimism was dampened when he missed a tricky par putt at the short 14th.
That didn’t stop him from still giving it an almighty lash. He birdied the next four holes and had another chance to force a play-off on the 18th, a long birdie putt that he gave every chance but drifted by.
“That was good fun, that’s what you practice for,” he said, his mood in sharp contrast to his fellow Scot. “There are only positives from that.
“It didn’t quite go my way at the early part of the round, but I kept going with it and a few putts dropped towards the end. It’s been a good week, regardless.
“I felt the putt on 14 had to go in, to be honest. But there was still a chance, I thought I could eagle one or both of the par fives. The course set up towards the end is great because so much can happen.”
‘This game’s mental’
Another good day for Connor at the Belfry…you feel that first win isn't too far away.https://t.co/Nytk6am9ZS via @thecourieruk
— Steve Scott (@C_SScott) May 7, 2022
Syme came into the week after a couple of dispiriting cut misses in Spain and going through the “library” of work he does with his Dad, Drumoig pro Stuart Syme.
“This game’s mental,” he laughed. “I was deep thinking Tuesday and Wednesday, I always have a library of stuff me and my Dad work on and we were around the houses with all that.
“I guess I got something that worked on Wednesday, got a good feeling, trusted it more the week went on the more good shots I hit. Towards the end I didn’t miss a shot.”
The confidence Connor will take into Belgium next week and beyond is considerable. For Ramsay, even on the same score, the debrief will be somewhat more intense.
