Money is motivation for Richie Ramsay in Turkish Open

Richie Ramsay isn't embarrassed to admit that he only has one thing on his mind heading into the final two rounds of the £5.7million Turkish Airlines Open in Belek.

Richie Ramsay is in good from at the Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

“I’m here to try and win as much money as possible to get me up the Race to Dubai rankings,” declared the Edinburgh-based player.

Ramsay was speaking after signing off with three consecutive birdies for a second-round 68 on the Regnum Carya course to sit joint-27th at the halfway stage on three-under-par.

The 33-year-old came into the event sitting 68th in the Race to Dubai and needs to stay inside the top 72 tomorrow night to get into next week’s Nedbank Challenge at Sun City in South Africa.

The top 60 after that then move forward to the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai the following week. “I’ve really got nothing to lose so I went out today determined to enjoy myself,” added Ramsay. “We are playing under blue skies on a nice course and the alternative is being back home freezing my nuts off!”

Dane Thorbjorn Olesen takes a six-shot lead into the weekend after carding a second-round 62 but David Drysdale is among those chasing last year’s Dunhill Links winner.

Drysdale followed up his opening 67 with a 68 to sit joint-eighth on seven-under and will get into the Nedbank event if he can stay in the top 10 come the finish.

“It’s a funny old game,” said the Cockburnspath man. “I actually played miles better today than I did yesterday. I was in no bother at all, hitting a lot of fairways and giving myself a lot of chances. But it’s a good position to be in heading into the weekend.”