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ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT SCOTTISH OPEN


July 10, 2016


Richie Ramsay


Inverness, Scotland

Q. How proud of what you've achieved this week?
RICHIE RAMSAY: Fantastic. The putt on the last, I just thought if I could roll that in, maybe just put a little bit of pressure. But the great thing was, I played to win today, which is a great feeling when you're in that position, home pride, great golf course, striking it well. Can't get better than that. I just loved it out there. I really thought I had a good chance to win but I'm proud of finishing high and hopefully trying to got a spot.

Q. We just went through the scenarios, it is mathematically possible for people to birdie four of the last five, but does look virtually certain you're in The Open; what does that mean to you?
RICHIE RAMSAY: Huge. I've played it three times before. I don't think I've done myself justice, but this time we have our little daughter to take along. I think she'll enjoy her first major. It's more of a treat for her.

Q. What is your assessment on the way The Scottish Open has gone for you?
RICHIE RAMSAY: Yeah, just speaking to Tim there, the way I played today, I think Colin was great on the bag. We stuck to our game plan that we sort of formulated yesterday, and today was to be committed swings all day long. I did that and I managed to execute the shots I wanted to.

I putted well, which helped, but to be honest, I had a sea of chances out there. Holed a nice one from about 14 feet on 10, and then 11, 13, 14, 15, got one on 16. Nice little par save on 17. I feel like I could have been 5-under on the back nine, but everything can't go your way. And to play on a course like this, home crowd, on a Sunday afternoon, in the mix, it's just a brilliant feeling. Brilliant feeling.

Q. Given that you were a little off the pace coming into the final round, four birdies in a row, that must have made it really exciting, didn't it?
RICHIE RAMSAY: Yeah, it definitely sort of got the butterflies in the tummy going, and you start feeling nerves a little bit, and that's what I love. You start thinking, yeah, this is where it's going to get -- the pressure is going to come on. There's no better feeling than executing shots under pressure.

I just played lovely today and the thing was, I took time to enjoy it. Sometimes when you're in that moment, you forget. Doesn't come along that often. Especially Scottish Open where I haven't played so well, and I just loved it. I loved the atmosphere out there and obviously holing a nice putt on 16, there's a few cheers and a lovely par save on 17. That's what we live for.

I'll remember that, when it's cold and windy in December and I'm practising, and that's what you use to fire you up for practice when things aren't going so well.

Q. I appreciate this is all about your national open, but was there a little nod to The Open Championship itself?
RICHIE RAMSAY: There was an acknowledgment coming down the last thinking if I can get one more, get one more birdie, then hopefully I can cement a place and be playing next week. But it's looking good at the moment, but I just don't want to tempt fate. It would be fantastic to play and take Olivia down there and let her see the Claret Jug and just have her at a major championship would be really neat. So fingers crossed, it goes well.

Q. Nothing like an enjoyable Sunday afternoon after a good week?
RICHIE RAMSAY: Yeah, just like I was saying, just love it out there. I didn't come out with a tentative attitude, which sometimes has been my fault in the past. I spoke to Colin and said to commit to swings all day long, and when I do that, pretty much laser it. Hit some great shots today.

There wasn't really much that was going wrong. I hit a few really nice putts on the back nine. Even the putt on the last, I thought was going to break a bit more. And then I'm trying to putt to hole putts. I'm trying to play to win tournaments and there's no better tournament than The Scottish Open.

I gave it 100 per cent today, so that's all I can do, but I know, standing on that 10th tee, I knew I could win the tournament. That's a great feeling and I just have to take that into the next sort of year and see if I can get it done. Get the title on the bag one of these years.

Q. We spoke at the end of your round yesterday, you said you were disappointed you weren't aggressive enough in your third round as you would have liked. Obviously the mentality changed when you went to the first today.
RICHIE RAMSAY: Yeah, attitude makes a huge difference. Having Colin on the bag, we had a little discussion yesterday and that was the plan. I think when you have a plan, all you do is you've just got to go execute, and I did that well; a lot of swings at 100 per cent.

Still a few things that I can work on. I definitely think I can get better, and for me, that's the exciting thing; being there, being in the mix, I've had a chance to win but I'm not firing on all cylinders. I've got a lot more in the tank. If I can just match that short game and move it up another one per cent, take that attitude, move it up another one per cent, there's definitely more titles to be had.

Q. It almost sounds easy, me asking but the change in attitude. But just watching Andy Murray --
RICHIE RAMSAY: Did he win? Good.

Q. Every time he sat down at the end of a game, he looked at notes and it was notes that his team had prepared for him. Is that something that you think about, perhaps, if such a difference to your game came in 24 hours just because you had a chat about being more aggressive and more assertive on the course.
RICHIE RAMSAY: Yeah, I keep a journal and it's pretty much short game and mental notes. I go over it and work out what I want to do, what plan I want to have.

Q. Do you take that up with you?
RICHIE RAMSAY: I take it to tournaments. I'll have a few books that my good friend, Rick, sends me over from the States to do with attitude and character and belief and confidence. And little things like watching Andy play this week, even watching Jamie play in Wimbledon, those guys are huge inspiration for Scottish people. For him to win Wimbledon is a massive achievement, but I think sometimes we take that for granted. We forget how good he is.

Q. You maybe forget how good you are.
RICHIE RAMSAY: Sometimes, yes, that can be the problem. My coach tells me all the time, and my old caddie, Mark, used to tell me all the time, you have to believe how good you are. You have to realise when I'm standing on the bag, you're on the range, you're lasering it on the range and you just need to take it on the golf course.

Watching other sports stars, especially Andy, because he's Scottish, and he has that grit and that kind of fire, I really kind of love that attitude. I've got that and I've tried to tone it down a little bit over the years. But I love watching those guys and try and use that as an inspiration. There's a lot of kids out there today, if you win The Scottish Open, it's like Andy Murray winning Wimbledon; it's a huge incentive for them to go out and play well.

Q. I know you don't want to tempt fate, but you might not have a week off next week. What would it mean for you to be back at The Open?
RICHIE RAMSAY: It means I'm going to get a little bit more sleep, because I was on night feed till Tuesday night. I've dodged a bullet. Yeah, if I can do what I do every week, try to be the best I can be; and this week it was fifth, and hopefully it's another great week next week and just go out and take the same attitude, or a little bit better attitude, a little bit better short game and go out and play golf and soak it up and enjoy it.

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