Richie Ramsay sweats over Dunhill date after being ‘fortunate’ to get into Wentworth

Richie Ramsay plays his second shot from a bunker on the ninth hole at Wentworth

The Edinburgh-based player only got into the European Tour’s flagship event on Sunday night - and had Sergio Garcia to thank for that as the Spaniard won the KLM Open and not Dane Nicolai Hojgaard.

“I was hoping Sergio, who wasn’t going to play here, would do me a favour, so I will need to shake his hand the next time I see him,” said Ramsay after an opening one-under-par 71 in sunny Surrey. “If a non-exempt player had got in here, I wouldn’t be playing.”

Part of the reason that it was a close call for the 36-year-old is that this week’s event has attracted more Americans than normal, with Patrick Reed, Tony Finau and Billy Horschel all in the field. While Ramsay got in to make his 10th appearance, Englishman David Horsey missed out despite holding a card from last season’s Order of Merit.

“I was fortunate, very fortunate,” said Ramsay. “I’m kind of handcuffed what I can say. Irrespective of where I am, I believe all the card holders should be in the field. But, at the same time, the tour has a responsibility to attract big players, get the field as good as possible and get the world ranking points up.”

Ramsay, who finished second in 2014, is currently fourth reserve for the Dunhill Links and admitted: “It is going to be tight.”