Richie Ramsay: I'm ready to take on Scottish Open after knocking it back last year

Jun 28 2009 Euan McLean

RICHIE RAMSAY snubbed an invite to Loch Lomond last year because he reckoned rubbing shoulders with the big names might damage his chances of going up against them every week.

The Aberdonian's decision to focus on his Challenge Tour schedule 12 months ago paid off because he's mixing it with stars like Sergio Garcia as a fully fledged member of the European Tour.

Now the ex-US Amateur champ, who's on the cusp of a qualifying spot for this year's Scottish Open, is determined to get there on merit.

Ramsay said: "Turning down an invite last year proved the right decision because I then won an event in Germany and took a big step towards getting my Tour card.

"It's not easy to knock back the Scottish Open because it's a massive event. You want to be there with all these top guys but by sticking to my goals I get to do that every week, not just a one-off.

"This year, however, Loch Lomond is the one I really want."