Richie Ramsay, February 2015 :: Archive

You have to go back to 2007 to find the last time a Scottish amateur golfer was invited to participate in the Masters Tournament, Richie Ramsay getting to experience Augusta National by virtue of winning the US Amateur Championship in August 2006.

Now 31, the Aberdonian was 22 when he got to experience arguably the world’s most famous golf course for the first time, and it’s something he still looks back on fondly.

“The thing I remember most is just how much fun it was,” says Ramsay. “It was a great challenge under the world’s best setting.

“As soon as I got there, it really hit me where I was and what I was doing” – Richie Ramsay

“I was in awe, just very excited to play it because you’ve grown up watching other guys play all the holes on TV. The course really began as you walked down the tenth and saw the big fairway bunker. British TV only really used to show the back nine most of the time when I was growing up watching it, so as soon as I got there, it really hit me where I was and what I was doing.”

Unfortunately, Ramsay’s Augusta debut ended after 36 holes. Nothing unusual about that, of course. It is a notoriously tough place for first-timers. Even so, he still feels he did himself justice.

“I played really well that week,” he says. “I just played the par-5s poorly and my putting wasn’t great but I have hundreds of fantastic memories, like staying in the Crow’s Nest and so on.”

His US Amateur champion status also earned him the honour of playing with the defending champion Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott.

“That was fantastic,” he adds. “Augusta National are great at setting up those ‘marquee groups’ for amateurs because of their amateur history and it was a great experience.

“The whole week was, to be honest. It was beyond all my expectations and Bradley, I’m sure, will undoubtedly feel the same.”

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor