Richie Ramsay: I’d love to be a Walker Cup captain

DP World Tour professional Richie Ramsay is urging Blairgowrie’s Connor Graham to savour every minute of his Walker Cup experience and has said he’d love to captain the side one day.

Ramsay has forged a successful career at the top level of the game but he still recalls targeting the biennial clash with the USA in his days as a student at Stirling University.

Graham, just 16, will be one of the youngest ever players to fly the flag for Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I) when they go up against the best American talent at St Andrews on September 2 and 3.

Ritchie Ramsay Golf Day at Blairgowrie GC

Four times Tour winner Ramsay (40), who admits he’d love to emulate Blairgowrie Golf Club’s managing secretary Stuart Wilson by leading a GB&I team in the future, was selected for the 2005 Walker Cup in Chicago, a year before he made history by becoming the first Brit to win the US Amateur title.

At the Richie Ramsay Golf Day held by Carbon Financial at Blairgowrie, he said: “Playing for GB&I for a golfer is like a rugby player being selected for the Lions. It is a huge honour.

“It was cool making the team. It was a huge deal for me and Connor and Calum Scott from Nairn will be playing at the Old Course to mark the 100th anniversary since the Walker Cup was first played at the Home of Golf. That makes it even more special and hopefully it will help them.

“I still remember the thrill of getting the bag and the clothes with the lion motif on them.

“Things change when you turn pro, going from being a big fish in a small pond to a small fish in a big pond. But the American teams usually produce a series of guys who go on to make it on the PGA Tour so it will be a great opportunity for a young lad like Connor to benchmark where his game is against the best amateur players.

“Time is on his side of course, being younger than the others in the teams. But testing himself against older players will help his own game develop. It will be a great experience for Connor.”

Ramsay played in a team which lost by a point to their US hosts, who included this year’s Open champion Brian Harman and Ryder Cup players JB Holmes, Anthony Kim and Jeff Overton.

Ramsay said: “I enjoyed my Walker Cup experience and while I know times have changed, I like the team mentality of the event and I keep an eye on emerging amateur talent.

“I wish Stuart Wilson well in his role as captain and in the future it is something I’d love to do.”