THE 151ST OPEN

July 20, 2023

Richie Ramsay

Mixed Zone

Q. You certainly dug deep to make a good fast start.

RICHIE RAMSAY: I didn't play that great. I didn't hit my irons that well. Yeah my pace putting was quite good, but it's tough to get close to the pins. There's definitely -- like the greens, I understand what they're thinking because the greens are going to be soft from the rain the other day, so if they're going to stick tough pins, today is the day.

But I didn't hit my irons the way I could do. I kind of left them short there. Dug in, made some putts to get some -- I missed it in some wrong spots. Made some good pars.

I was kind of -- like starting on the 13th, hitting it on the 13th green, I was in quite good position because I'm level par and haven't played it well but I actually scored quite well, and I three-putt that and then make a bogey on the next.

I lip out on 16, sorry, 15. You could try and make a birdie on the last, but the pin is very tough. It's right on the downslope, and 17 is no giveaway.

Yeah, sort of mixed emotions because I didn't play that great, but I put myself in good position, and I was like, right, keep it going, and then if you can get a couple of chances at the end, hole a couple putts because my pace was very good on the greens and I'd say anything inside 25 feet I could probably make.

2-over is a bit disappointing. I feel like 1-over, one shot, would feel way better.

But it was a great atmosphere. The first tee was very, very cool, people walking on the tees, applauding. There was plenty of people out there early doors, probably to see Matty, which made obvious sense. Just a bit disappointed in the way I played.

Q. How impressive was that for Matt under the circumstances?

RICHIE RAMSAY: Yeah, I think he missed it where he needed to miss it at times, but he obviously knows there's certain tee shots for him whereas like 16 is a good example.

Like there's a bunker down the right, and he's like, as long as he hits it left, he's fine. He hit it left, he gets a lie, and then he makes a 25-footer or something for birdie.

But yeah, it must be tough because obviously the element of expectation, first out, it's never easy. Probably a lot of nerves.

Yeah, he's a big boy. I don't need to hold his hand.

It was good to see. I think it was just nice being out there first out with him because obviously there was a lot of people watching and a lot of cheers going up and stuff like that.

Open fans are the best. They really understood -- there was a few pins today that were tucked and we were hitting them to like 15 feet, and they understood if you're going at a flag and you miss it left, you're toast.

Yeah, just probably that to mention, as well, just the knowledge and appreciation of what kind of shots you're trying to escape.

Q. The speed of the greens today, is that what you were -- or just in difficult locations?

RICHIE RAMSAY: Difficult locations. The greens weren't overly quick I didn't think. Definitely running like very well. Like if you got your eye on it, I could see you making a lot of putts.

But if you're looking on TV I would expect a lot of guys to be putting from 25, 30 feet just with the close to the edges on 14, on 4, obviously 3. You're not going at that pin.

There's a few holes you're getting pitch marks, but you can see it's starting to firm up, which is nice, because it allows you to hit different shots, and I think people will appreciate that. Obviously playing with Brandon today, he spent some time down in George, and he's sort of got that low shot and I'm trying to work the ball a little bit, so it gives you some options more coming into the greens.

I thought the greens were pure, and I think James is trending nicely. I'm a big believer that for some reason that Sunday, if I can hit a wedge and it takes one bounce and stops, I think that's probably about right. It makes it very fair with regards to where you're hitting it into and the firmness, but it doesn't get away from you because you never know with gusts and wind what can happen.

Q. Overall today did you get enough out of it to give yourself some confidence going into tomorrow?

RICHIE RAMSAY: Honestly, probably no. But I'll have lunch. I'll have a nap. I'll change that around.

But that's our job. Our job is not to -- it's easy to be great when you're shooting 7-under. Most of our job entails when you're back is against the wall, but that's what I kind of like, because you've got to dig in and you've got to grind it out and you've got to battle yourself when you're not at your best.

I kind of sadistically enjoy that.

Q. There's a lot of talk about the bunkers this week and how they've kind of flattened the bottoms a little bit. I know you were in a couple today, but just through your preparation and through today, how have you found those?

RICHIE RAMSAY: It's heavily, heavily underrated how much of a difference that makes, like they do at St Andrews, and also grew up with links golf. If there's an element of rise at the bottom of the face, it works twofold.

If the ball goes up, it's obviously giving you loft straight off the back, but when the ball comes down it obviously will feed in more into the middle of the bunker.

I got caught today on one sort of leg, knee up on the side. It's just part of links golf. You've got to take it on the chin. But you're very wary of hitting into a bunker knowing that you could be like a foot from the face with seven feet in front of you.

So you're going to see a lot of guys -- like I say, maybe right up against the face trying to hit it as hard as possible.

Matt had one today where he did well to get out, and it just popped out with a bit of forward spin and it got over the lip of the bunker, but he wasn't far off playing that out sideways.

I think over the course of a tournament, it's worth at least an extra shot, make it harder. I would say definitely, yeah.