Richie Ramsay
Richie Ramsay

Richie Ramsay wins the Cazoo Classic as tipped by our Ben Coley at 25/1


Richie Ramsay won his first European Tour event for seven years at the Cazoo Classic as our tipster Ben Coley bagged his followers more big profits.

The Scotsman hadn't tasted success on the European Tour since the Trophée Hassan II in 2015 but he holed a dramatic par on the last to clinch an emotional victory by just one shot.

It was yet more great news for followers of our golf expert Ben Coley, who also tipped Cameron Smith to win the Open at 28/1 last week, as he included Ramsay in his pre-tournament staking plan at 25/1.

He wrote: "He should've won already this year, making a mess of the final hole at the Belfry to finish third, but if anything he's built on that in the way he's played since. Four cuts made have all shown promise and I can forgive anyone for withdrawing from the awful spectacle that is the Porsche European Open, where the emphasis is on making good players look bad with absurdly long holes and water everywhere.

"In this field, just about the weakest one he's played in all year, a continuation of his recent performances ought to give him a chance. Everything he does well should be emphasised by this fabulous little course, and at the very least he should make it six years running without missing a cut in England. The courses they play here has a lot to do with that record."

That's for you, Olivia

Ramsay dedicated his Cazoo Classic victory to daughter Olivia.

The Scot produced a brilliant finish, with three birdies in the last five holes, but it was a two-putt from the front of the green which secured a round of 69 for a 14-under-par total and a one-shot victory over Paul Waring which started the tears flowing.

Ramsay had promised his daughter he would win a trophy for her as he had not tasted victory since she was born and had collapsed on the final hole in May’s British Masters at The Belfry, when he held a one-shot lead only to “duff” his second shot into the water from the middle of the 18th fairway and finish with a double-bogey six.

“Maybe I haven’t been in a good place the last couple of years, but the biggest thing was that I made a promise to my daughter and I don’t break promises to her,” he told Sky Sports.

“I said I’d get her a trophy. I haven’t won since my daughter was born and that’s six years. That one is for Olivia. Hopefully she is watching.

“It feels unbelievable, the relief. I kept believing, I knew my game was good.

“I know about what happened at The Belfry, but it is links golf and I feel I always have an advantage when I play links golf and there is nothing better than holing a putt under the gun with the tournament on the line.

“The way I did it, to hole that putt at the last – hours and hours of practice and it comes down to one shot.

“No matter what happens now I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”

Ramsay, and to a lesser extent Waring, took advantage of more sloppy golf from overnight leader Julien Guerrier in Southport.

The Frenchman, who bogeyed his final hole of round three, had extended his advantage by two to lead by three at the turn but then had three bogeys in his final six holes to throw away his chance.

Waring, with three birdies in his last eight holes, set the clubhouse lead at 13 under after a round of 70 and, although he was surpassed by Ramsay, the Wirral golfer from Birkenhead, 30 miles down the road, moved up 88 places to just outside the top 60 in the DP World Tour rankings.