How Scottish golfer was tempted to quit game after ‘boys’ trip to Ibiza’

If you were asked to name a Scottish golfer on the DP World Tour who’d probably be talking in a post-round interview about a “boys’ trip to Ibiza”, then the likes of Ewen Ferguson and Connor Syme, both managed by Niall Horan’s management company, would be the ones who’d spring to mind.

The fact it was actually Richie Ramsay certainly came as a bit of a shock to this correspondent and a Scottish colleague as well during a chat at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and even the Aberdonian himself seemed to find it amusing.

“It’s been really mixed,” replied Ramsay to being asked about his season to date, having gone into the third Rolex Series event of the season sitting 78th in the Race to Dubai and, even though now up to 73rd after top-45 finish on Sunday, having work to do over the next few weeks to be involved in the new end-of-year Play-Offs in the Middle East.

Richie Ramsay had talked about ending his playing career at the age of 40 but is still hungry in his bid to add to four DP World Tour triumphs. Picture: Octavio Passos/Getty Images.

“You know, I went on a trip to Ibiza with the boys a few months ago for a weekend and sometimes you think I could go there for a month and just quit the golf,” he added, laughing. “At the same time, though, it still hooks you. When you play badly, it still hurts and, as long as it hurts and I feel that I am good to go and enjoy the challenge, I’ll be out here.”

Ramsay had actually talked at one point about walking away from the game when he turned 40, but, fuelled by a fourth DP World Tour triumph in the Cazoo Classic at Hillside just over two years ago, he’s still feeling hungry at 41.

“I feel like my game is good,” he added. “For me, it’s all about staying healthy and keeping mobile. I had a small procedure that the tour were really good with helping me out with.

“It was a sort of injection just after Prague and that has helped my movement massively. I just need to stay on top of that because, if I am moving right, I am good to go. It’s just when the movement is poor that I struggle with the technique. But the will is still there to win.”