Richie Ramsay blames no-one but himself after an intended journey to Belfast to be at the wedding of a European Tour collleague cost him the opportunity to qualify for the US Open.
Ramsay left the Walton Heath 36-hole qualifier with scores of 71 and 69 for a four- under-par tally thinking his effort was not enough to be among the 11 qualifiers for Congressional. He made his way to Heathrow but, after being stuck in traffic, he missed his flight and the wedding of Gareth Maybin.
Ramsay then received a call from Stephen Gallacher saying he should return as he was likely to be among three players fighting for the last position. Unfortunately, Ramsay was still 15 minutes away from the course when Andreas Hato and Johan Edfors teed up. It was Edfors who was successful.
Ramsay looked distraught in returning 9.20pm, in the dark, to be told he’d missed the chance to join Gallacher and Martin Laird as the only Scots in the June 16 Major.
“I feel suicidal,” he said. “I got a call from Stevie to say four under was in and to get back here. To miss out on the chance to play the US Open makes me feel sick.
“I’ve been to Heathrow, missed my flight because of the traffic, come back, and I’ll probably get a couple of speeding tickets, only to be told I’ve missed out. Even when I was driving back it was pitch black but the play-off goes ahead. But I’ve only got myself to blame. It’s my own fault as I should have played better, and if it wasn’t for my putting today, I might be heading to the US Open.”
Earlier, Gallacher made amends for missing out two years ago, when he lost in the second play-off hole but the Bathgate pro was not be denied on this occasion with scores of 70 and 69 to finish the joint fifth qualifier.
Colin Montgomerie missed out with rounds of 72 and 73 just a day after his best finish in three years. “It was hard work; miserable, miserable, miserable.”
Glasgow’s Scott Jamieson posted a first round 74 but withdrew after 15 holes of his second round.
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