Richie Ramsay back to business after '˜daddy day care' duty

Richie Ramsay is hoping to make it to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in a fortnight's time

The Edinburgh-based player spent three days on his own with baby daughter Olivia and the proud dad was positively beaming as he described the experience as “brilliant”.

“Just spending time with her and finding out the little things she does during the day was pretty cool,” admitted Ramsay on the practice range at the Regnum Carya resort on the eve of the first event in this season’s European Tour Final Series.

Earlier on his career, the Aberdonian was totally focused on trying to squeeze everything he possibly could out of his game and, to a lesser degree, that is still the case.

However, a combination of getting married and then starting a family with his American wife, Angela, has led to Ramsay having a different perspective on life these days.

“I appreciate the golf a bit more this week because I spent three days with Olivia,” he added. “It’s trying to find the balance and I knew that was going to be the hardest thing after becoming a parent.

“The most important thing is trying to be happy. I had a good chat the other day about a few things with my coach, Ian Rae. Life to me, I’m very much it’s what you do that defines you, not what you have.

“It’s not whether you have a BMW 7 Series or 1 Series. It’s trying do my best every day. That makes me happy and spending time with Olivia.

“It’s a no-regrets thing. You know if you hand in a piece of work and you did only 80 per cent of it, that’s not good. I try and do 100 per cent and try and apply the 100 per cent, even though it is tough when you are trying to get the balance between work and family life.”

Ramsay heads into the big-money Final Series sitting 68th in the Race to Dubai and needs to climb into the top 60 by the end of next week’s Nedbank Challenge in South Africa to get into the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in a fortnight’s time.

“Rather than having a couple of decent weeks here and in South Africa, I think you are better almost missing a cut and having a really good week,” said the 33-year-old, who has Paul Lawrie for company in his opening round tomorrow.

“The minute you take the foot off the pedal, you will be struggling. The days of shooting par - like in Scotland when the weather is crap - are gone. If you look at the leaderboards after the guys have won, you see they shot four or five, even six or seven-under in rounds.”

The fourth Turkish Airlines Open has moved to a new venue this year after previously being held a few miles along the Mediterranean coast at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal.

“There are a lot of good solid holes on the course and the greens are quite tricky,” said Ramsay. “There are a lot of hills around the greens. That makes it difficult if you miss it on the wrong side, with run-offs and stuff.

“It’s a good set-up, very fair and very scoreable. If you don’t, you will be chasing it a bit.

“My game is good and the chipping has come on a lot. My swing feels solid and it’s just a matter of sharpening up and keeping the momentum going.”

If the three-time European Tour winner does make it to Jumeirah Golf Estates for the season-ending event in two weeks’ time, then it will be a family affair.

“If I get into Dubai, Olivia and Angela will both be going with me,” he said.