Richie Ramsay wore a smile that was wider than the front gates of some of these multi-million pound mansions that are dotted around the Wentworth estate.

It was hardly surprising. A hat trick of birdies to finish over the West Course put the tin lid on an impressive display from the Aberdonian as he signed off with a three-under-par 69 for a seven-under 281.

That left the 29-year-old in a share of ninth – by far his best result in five appearances in the European Tour's flagship event – and gave him a healthy cheque as well as a spring in his step for today's US Open qualifier at nearby Walton Heath.

"This is a massive step for me," said Warren who was sitting in 93rd place on the world rankings but will make a decent leap up after this. "I've got a good run of events coming up with the Irish Open, the French Open, the Scottish Open and the Open. I also have the WGC Bridgestone and hopefully the PGA Championship will be part of that schedule. I played in the US Open [as an amateur] in 2007 but I'm 10 times the player I was then. Merion would suit my game, it's short and tight, and that is the next goal."

Ramsay's late thrust was sparked by a putt of 15 feet on the 16th and concluded with a tidy pitch from a fairly bare lie on the 18th which trundled up to four feet. "That was probably the best shot of the day," admitted the former US Amateur champion. "And the putt was pretty good in front of 5000 people."

Ramsay's compatriot, David Drysdale, managed a top-20 finish to add to the share of 10th he secured last year after a two-under 70 left him on 283.

The 38-year-old had reached the four-under mark for his round with a birdie on 12 but his momentum was halted when he found the bunker off the 14th tee and then three-putted for a damaging double-bogey.

Drysdale is now well established on the main tour and with two runners-up finishes, in the 2006 Russian Open and the Andalucian Open of 2009, the Scot is desperate to make a breakthrough.

"I always want to get a win out here on tour, that's the goal I set every season," he said. "I'd take any kind of win to be honest because I've been out here long enough. Maybe I try too hard sometimes to get that. Today I had it going but just had a lapse in concentration and didn't play well enough when asked the questions on the closing stretch."

Chris Doak, the former Tartan Tour No.1, closed with a 70 for 287 while Colin Montgomerie, the triple PGA champion who was making his 25th appearance in the championship, birdied his last two holes in a 70 to claw his way back to a level-par finish of 288.

Monty will also join the sizeable Scottish battalion in the 36-hole US Open qualifier and the 49-year-old was heading round the M25 to the Surrey venue in optimistic mood. "I'm looking forward to Walton Heath because really I should be able to finish top-10 and qualify," said Monty, who was runner-up in three US Opens down the seasons. "I should and I am always bloody disappointed when I don't.

"This was a great finish and that's 23 cuts I've made here in my 25 PGA appearances. But then I missed the cut in my first appearance, so that's 23 cuts out of the last 24 and that's not bad round here."

Greig Hutcheon, the Tartan Tour No.1 who was sharing 21st at the start of the day, missed out on a major pay day as he slithered down the order with a 79 for 292, while Scott Drummond, the PGA champion in 2004, closed with a 76 for his 296 tally.