The 39-year-old was “disappointed” that he came up just short in the battle to be involved in last week’s inaugural Hero Cup after landing a fourth DP World Tour title in the Cazoo Classic at Hillside last summer.

But, starting with a Rolex Series double-header in the United Arab Emirates over the next two weeks, he’s determined to do everything in his power to stake a claim for a place in the European side to take on the US in September.

“Being a bit older, you learn to pat yourself on the back a little bit more,” said Ramsay as he reflected on his first win in seven years and finishing a career-best 19th in the Race to Dubai “Yeah, I got the emotion away from it and looked at it and I was happy with the way a lot of things went.

Richie Ramsay hits a tee shot during the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Pro-Am at Yas Links. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.

“Disappointed that I didn’t make a little extra money to get in the Hero Cup, but one of the things I worked on last year was to not compare myself to other people and worry about what other people think about my game, so I can’t let that take any shine off it.

“I understand what I have to do (for the Ryder Cup). It will have to be something exceptional. I have to move the needle in a big tournament, which is fine, as you know where you stand with it.”

Ramsay’s return to winning ways came after he’d seen a chance to land the Betfred British Masters slip from his grasp at The Belfry at the final hole following a poor second shot.

“Ian [Rae, his coach] made a comment to me about a year and a bit ago, saying, ‘I like it sometimes when you get annoyed because I know there’s still some fire there’ and I felt that a lot last year,” said the Edinburgh-based Aberdonian.

“I felt that way where it kind of hurts when you don’t play well and I like that because it focuses the mind. It shows that, although I look at the future, I still have the present to take care of.”

This is Ramsay’s 15th successive season on the main tour and he’s worked with fellow Scot Rae throughout that time. “Nothing dramatic,” he said of what had been required technique-wise during this particular break. “It’s a case of staying on the same path we are on and let’s take it up another notch. You don’t reinvent the wheel. You just try and make the wheel turn a bit more efficiently.”

“I feel like I was a little bit rusty in Dubai when I started back but mentally I was quite fresh. The golf will come, but the fact I was mentally fresh was really important.

Ramsay has fond memories of Yas Links, having shot a blistering ten-under 62 there to win the Emirates Airline Invitational in 2012. “There’s a big marker this week and next week,” he said of this visit before heading to Emirates Golf Club next week in events carrying lots of Race to Dubai points. “This course particularly suits me and it’s in exceptional condition.”

I need to move needle in big event to get in Ryder Cup mix, says Richie Ramsay

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