'All the money is going to the top' - Scottish golfer on being without hat sponsor
Ramsay opens up on ‘getting older’ and feeling close to ‘no man’s land’
It happened to Gemma Dryburgh a couple of years ago and now Richie Ramsay has started a new season without a sponsor on his hat.
The Aberdonian isn’t necessarily losing sleep over it, especially as his clothing still bears the logos of three loyal backers - Craig Group, Metrol Technology and Carbon Financial.
However, when you are talking about a four-time DP World Tour winner and someone who is holding a card for the circuit for the 15th consecutive season, then it’s something that merits scrutiny.
“I don’t have a hat deal,” Ramsay told The Scotsman. “Would I like to have one? Yes, but it’s just the way the market is going. All the money is going to the top. You either need to be a top player or a young up-and-coming player. I get it. I understand it.”
After turning professional on the back of a glittering amateur career that was capped by a win in the US Amateur Championship, Ramsay has made more than 400 appearances on the DP World Tour but his latest ones, including the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, have been wearing hats of his own choice as opposed to ones sporting a sponsor’s brand.
“I know my place. I am older. I’m not a young up-and-coming player. But I feel like I still serve a purpose with regards to that,” he added with a smile. “Look, if someone wants to sponsor me, then great. But I have always said that I have some good sponsors in Craig Group, Metrol and Carbon and it has to fit in with those guys. They are all great to get along with, really good fun and they want me to do well. It’s not so much a financial deal, if that makes sense.”
Helped by a win in the Cazoo Classic, Ramsay finished a career-best 19th in the 2022 Race to Dubai but, after a spluttering campaign, missed out on making it to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship last year as he ended up 81st in the rankings.
“At the end of last year, I struggled a bit mentally,” admitted the 41-year-old. “I struggled with where I was at, I suppose. I wouldn’t say I was in no man’s land, but you are at that point in your career where all these guys are coming through who send it a country mile and the technology helps that.
“You still want to compete and, you know me, I don’t like losing. To try and stick to my game, a win for me is something I want to chase, but it is increasingly harder relative to where we play and the way the game is.
“That is something that can be very frustrating but, at the same time, it’s something I can’t control, so I can’t lose any energy on it. I’ve just got to focus on my game and what I do day-to-day. And I think if I can do that, then I might contend. Whether I finish this week 46th or third, I feel that I did all I can do and that’s something you have just got to live with. I’ve never liked losing, but I’ve just got to have more process goals.
“My goal is to chase a win because a win gives me time and time is something you can’t buy irrespective of who you are. It would give me time to pick a schedule and ultimately to take more time off and manage things better, especially when you get older.”
Ramsay finished joint-45th behind Tyrrell Hatton in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic before making a disappointing early exit in last week’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship. He’s now preparing to tee up in the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship before completing a second phase of his campaign in next week’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
“I felt quite happy with it,” he said of his effort on the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club a fortnight ago. “I played with Dan Hillier in the first round and there’s a big difference between a 9-iron and 6-iron going into these greens when they are firm and the spin control you can get on a ball. So, relative to my game, I thought I actually played quite well.
“I’ve had some new clubs in the bag and they’ve settled in quite well. I don’t have an obligation to play anything and I feel like I have figured that out, which is a bit of a puzzle. I just need to apply myself the next few weeks and be a little bit more aggressive.
“My attitude was actually quite good in Dubai as I stayed patient. I don’t play the same golf course as Rory [McIlroy]. Okay, generally I don’t play the same golf course as most people, but it is exaggerated there. That’s part and parcel of golf, but on that course it shows itself significantly.”
One upside of not being tied to a particular equipment company at the moment is that it is allowing Ramsay to experiment a bit more than he has in the past, as he has done so under the watchful eye of his trusty coach and fellow Scot, Ian Rae.
“When you don’t have an obligation to play anything, it gives you a little of options, but, at the same time, you need to watch that you don’t go down the rabbit hole and find yourself pulling out tonnes of different clubs,” he declared in a message that will no doubt resonate with club golfers as they constantly look for this club or that one in a bid to reduce their handicap.
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