Aberdeen’s Richie Ramsay refused to be downhearted despite narrowly missing out on the Alfred Dunhill links championship title yesterday.
The 31-year-old was leading the £3million event by two shots coming down the stretch but bogeyed two of the closing three holes to finish one shot adrift of winner Oliver Wilson.
But Ramsay, who earned £218,975 for finishing second, was content with his best finish of the season to date.
He said: “I played really well the whole week and I am proud of the way I stuck in.
“I didn’t get the job done but I gave it 100%. This game is a matter of inches.
“I didn’t hit the best chip on 16 but I played 17 really well and hit a great putt that just dived left really hard and horseshoed out. If that drops and I had made 4 at the last I would have been in with a really good chance of winning.
“It is an inch here and there. I just need to find that extra inch which will pull me over in a big tournament but I don’t think it is that far away. My goal when I came back was to get in the final series and that is a goal I have now accomplished.”
Ramsay, who has finished in the top 10 in four of his previous five tournaments, was delighted for Oliver Wilson to win his first European Tour event.
The 34-year-old from Mansfield had been on a downward journey from Ryder Cup player in 2008 to having spent the past couple of years on the Challenge Tour after losing his status on the main tour.
Ramsay added: “I am not bothered about not winning. It would have been great to win but I gave it my all and that is all I could do. Anything else is outwith my control.
“Ollie played well and to go where he has gone – he played Ryder Cup and dropped back down – must be exceptionally tough.
“I have gone through lows but the difference between his highs and lows is massive.
“You have to hand it to him. He got the job done at St Andrews, which is one of the best places to win a tournament.”
Also in joint second place was world number one Rory McIlroy – the third time he has finished second in the Alfred Dunhill links championship.
He said: “It’s easy to accept these things when you have two majors in the bag.
“I’m really happy with how I’m playing and that’s the main thing and that’s what will see me through for hopefully a prolonged period of time.
“I was not 100% out there. It was a nice stroll but my excitement level didn’t get above about three at any point during the round. I’m ready for a break and a rest.”