Walker Cup brings back memories for Richie

Carbon's DP World Tour ambassador Richie Ramsay has revealed he’d love to play a role in nurturing top amateur talent in the future.

While his immediate focus is on securing back-to-back qualification for the season-ending “Race to Dubai,” the Scots professional was keeping a close eye on the 2023 Walker Cup which pitted GB&I against the USA at St Andrews.

It was the 100^th anniversary of the first time The Old Course had played host to the biennial match.

Richie, a four times Tour winner, fondly recalls his own days chasing a spot on the Walker Cup team as a student at Stirling University.

The Aberdonian was selected for the 2005 clash in Chicago, a year before he made history by becoming the first Brit to win the coveted US Amateur title, sharing the accolade with luminaries like Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

The series has been dominated by the Americans down the years and at the weekend they sealed a 14.5 to 11.5 comeback win on the Fife coast.

Eighteen years ago, Richie was part of a team which lost out by a point to their US hosts, who included this year’s Open champion Brian Harman and Ryder Cup players JB Holmes, Anthony Kim and Jeff Overton.

“Playing for GB&I for a golfer is like a rugby player being selected for the Lions. It is a huge honour,” said Richie, who recently hosted a golf day for Carbon Financial at The Blairgowrie Golf Club in Perthshire.

“It was cool making the team. It was a huge deal for me.

“I still remember the thrill of getting the bag and the clothes with the lion motif on them.

“Things change when you turn pro, going from being a big fish in a small pond to a small fish in a big pond. But the American teams usually produce a series of guys who go on to make it on the PGA Tour.

“There will be players from both teams to look out for in years to come.”

Stuart Wilson, managing secretary at The Blairgowrie Golf Club, where Carbon are long-standing corporate partners, captained this year’s GB&I team.

Stuart won the 2004 Amateur Championship and made the cut at The Open held at the Home of Golf that year, winning the Silver Medal as the leading amateur.

Richie has revealed he’d love to emulate Stuart by leading a GB&I team in the future.

“I enjoyed my Walker Cup experience and while I know times have changed, I like the team mentality of the event and I keep an eye on emerging amateur talent. Captaining the team is something I’d love to do.”