Richie Ramsay Won His First Euro Tour By Clinching South African Open at Pearl Valley By Beating Indian Shiv Kapur in a Play-off

FORMER Stirling University student Richie Ramsay won his first Euro Tour event on Sunday when he clinched the South African Open at Pearl Valley by beating Indian Shiv Kapur in a play-off.

The pair tied on 13 under par after Ramsay had shot a best-of-the-day 65 and Kapur had carded a 67.

But the last title of the 2009 golfing year was settled when Ramsay two-putted the first extra hole for a birdie four.

Aberdonian Ramsay started the final day five adrift of Pablo Martin but the Spaniard managed only a 73 and dropped to sixth.

"There's no greater feeling than winning and I'm just a flood of emotions - I'm holding back the tears," said Ramsay after receiving the second oldest trophy in golf, a first prize of £141,745 - and a Tour exemption that runs until the end of 2011.

"Things just went for me," he added. "But I am a lot more positive now - I go out believing and thinking I can win."

Ramsay did not drop a shot all day, going to the turn in 33 and then grabbing more birdies on the 10th, 12th, 15th and 17th.

It’s his biggest success as a professional after winning the US Amateur Championship in 2006 – the first Scot in more than 100 years and the first Briton since 1911 to win the title.

The former marketing and sport studies student went into the South African Open ranked 240th in the world and the victory will take him just inside the top 120.