THE 151ST OPEN

July 22, 2023

Richie Ramsay

Mixed Zone

Q. That's a good round of golf.

RICHIE RAMSAY: Yeah, I had lots of chances actually coming in. Holed a putt on 12, and apart from that, had a little chip on 15 from the side, but that was a nice chance, but I had a really good chance on 18, eight feet. Hit a great putt, and it just didn't break.

Yeah, I played really -- I hit two what I would say terrible shots, but I don't know if that was to do with the water because it seemed to come off a hell of a quick low and left, which I would not think it would always do that.

All in all, I played really well. It was just really a shame about 4. It was a little bit self-inflicted because I needed to be firmer with my decision. The decision should have been a cut driver and I hit rescue. It was a right-to-left wind, and I'm going to hit that right to left to get down there.

It was solid, but there's definitely an opportunity to score out there because of the rain, and the greens are softer and the light wind.

But the winds don't make it -- there's a few holes which make it quite tricky now. I want to say like 7 tee shot.

8 is not easy. 8 is a long iron in there.

Sorry, 9 is a long iron in there.

8 tee shot.

10 is not playing easy. It's driver and probably a wood in there.

But then the back nine plays completely different. Makes the driving a little bit easier.

But that's where I really or nearly profited today was the fact that on the back nine I was never really out of position, bar 18. I put myself back in position, hit a good shot there, so...

Q. When was the last time you hit a tee shot in the (indiscernible.)

RICHIE RAMSAY: I can't remember.

Q. Indiscernible).

RICHIE RAMSAY: Probably, yeah, something like that. It was with a rescue, but it was a stupid -- the problem was it was a little bit self-inflicted. It was a cut driver held into the wind, take out the right bunker and tackle it, and probably this week to a certain extent I've been a little bit defensive.

But I just hit the wrong shot at the wrong time. The funny thing, I've seen some guys who have been a million miles off line still hit a clean shot. It was just unfortunate. I got a drop, hit a 9-iron, hit a good 9-iron, wind didn't touch it. Actually moved it right.

I don't know why it moved right, but the wind was off the right, and it plugged in the bunker up the face and I had to come backwards and then didn't get up-and-down.

I like the fact that I fought myself back, but I'm kind of tired of digging myself out of a foxhole.

Q. 10 years ago if that had happened would there have been a different outcome to today?

RICHIE RAMSAY: No, there would have been a few more swear words for sure. I've always been pretty resilient. I just thought today was -- like I definitely could have posted sort of 2-under, and from being 3-over, that would have been -- I would have remembered that for quite a long time if I shot 5-under in the last 13. That would have been really cool.

I feel like I could have done it. I hit some great putts. Every putt was a foot past pace. It was good. Level par is pretty good considering where I was standing on 5 tee. We'll go into tomorrow and chase another number.

Q. What are your thoughts going into tomorrow?

RICHIE RAMSAY: Just do the same thing. I'm doing a lot of good stuff. I've been making slightly poor decisions and getting punished for it and ending up against faces, plugged lies. No plugged lies tomorrow, please, and just get my decision making to be a bit better.

Q. What would be the biggest takeaway for you from this in terms of Race to Dubai? Is that a goal for you?

RICHIE RAMSAY: Dubai is a big goal for me. Obviously a nice round tomorrow, you look at points and stuff, and I don't know what the points are this week, but I'm guessing they're substantially more than any other week.

Then you go into your break, which I will have quite a bit of a break, a bit more buoyant and you can relax more.

But I'm playing really good golf. I wish the break was maybe just a couple weeks and then get back to it, but after this it's going to be Switzerland and then some good stops. Switzerland, Ireland. It's at The K Club, which I'll have to play another links course, but Rory will enjoy that. BMW, France, all courses -- Madrid, Dunhill. All courses that I can thrive on. I've given myself that window at the end of the year.