Richie Ramsay and David Drysdale book Open spots

Scottish duo Richie Ramsay and David Drysdale booked their places at the Open next week after superb final rounds at the Irish Open.

Ramsay shot 12-under-par over the weekend at Portstewart to finish on an 18-under-par total and joint second with Englishman Matthew Southgate – some six shots behind winner Jon Rahm.

For Drysdale, though, it went down to the final hole. If Daniel Im had made a par at the last, the Scot looked set to be squeezed out of the reckoning based on Im’s higher world ranking after closing with seven straight birdies to post up a course record nine-under-par 63.

However, the American made a bogey to ensure both Scots would make the trip to Royal Birkdale along with New Zealander Ryan Fox.

“The Open is a special event and it’s going to be fantastic. Royal Birkdale really suits me and I love playing there. I remember playing at the Amateur there and it’s just a great set-up.

“You want to test your game against the best players in the world and I was fortunate enough to do that this week. It’s going to be even better at the Open and the way I’m playing at the moment, who knows.”

Drysdale added: “I think it’s amazing. I regard the Open as the biggest and best championship on the planet. I’ve only played once, in 2009 at Turnberry, and as a golfer you only want to play in the biggest and best events. I haven’t played Royal Birkdale so I’m looking forward to playing there in a couple of weeks’ time.”

Ramsay and Drysdale will join five other Scots at Royal Birkdale – Sandy Lyle, Paul Lawrie, Russell Knox, Martin Laird and amateur Connor Syme.

Both also leapt up the world rankings, with Ramsay up 171 places to 170th and Drysdale up 91 places to 256th.