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Richie Ramsay has rejected Rory McIlroy’s claim that the courses on the European Tour are too easy.
Four-time major winner McIlroy hit out at the difficulty of set-ups on the tour after finishing in a tie for 26th at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
“I’m sort of honestly sick of coming back over to the European Tour and shooting 15-under-par and finishing 30th,” said the former world No.1, whose trip to Scotland was only his fourth ‘regular’ European Tour start of the season.
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However, Ramsay, who finished three shots better than McIlroy at St Andrews, disagreed with the Northern Irishman’s observations.
“I think the standard of courses is really good,” said the Scot. “I think what we’ve got to remember is that, 51 weeks of the year, they are members’ golf courses, so they need to be built that way, and that’s what the Old Course is like.
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“We play some great golf courses on the European Tour. We’re very fortunate. There was some low scoring today, even though conditions weren’t easy. I think they are very good golf courses.
“I do prefer the harder ones because I tend to play better. It’s one of those things, the standard is so good now and so deep that you just need to shoot some better numbers. When you get 23-under, that’s an incredible score.
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Ramsay added that, since he turned professional in 2007, the standard on tour has got significantly deeper.
“The top guys are still the top guys, playing in Ryder Cups and things like that,” he added. “But I think the average score is a little bit lower. I think the average age of the players is a little bit lower, and that’s got a little bit to do with the distance guys hit it. I don’t think most guys are young and they tend to just stand up and bomb it.”
Ramsay’s top-10 finish at St Andrews has vaulted him to 55th on the Race To Dubai and to 257th on the Official World Golf Ranking, up 51 places on last week.
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