Scotland's Richie Ramsay sealed his maiden European Tour victory with a dramatic play-off victory in the South African Open at Pearl Valley Golf Estates yesterday and with it a first prize of more than GBP140,000.

The 25-year-old from Royal Aberdeen produced a flawless seven-under par final round of 65 to top the leaderboard with India's Shiv Kapur then hit a stunning three wood to fifteen feet to set up a winning birdie four in the first extra hole.

Ramsay's win puts him second in the 2010 Race to Dubai standings and moves up inside the top 120 of the world rankings. The victory was the first by a Scot on the European Tour since Alastair Forsyth's success in Madeira last March but comes hot on the heels of Martin Laird's recent triumph on the PGA Tour.

Fighting back the tears, an ecstatic Ramsay said:

"This is something I dreamed about as a kid and there's no better feeling than winning on the Tour. I love coming to South Africa, the weather is beautiful and the course is fantastic. It's amazing to get my name on the trophy alongside guys like Ernie Els."

Ian Rae, the SGU National Coach who has worked with Ramsay throughout his amateur and professional career, hopes that the win will prove to be a boost for Scotland's other young professional golfers:

"Richie has been brought up playing with players like Andrew McArthur, Eric Ramsay, Lloyd Saltman and George Murray and this win can only be good news for the rest of the guys. They must be thinking they can do the same now."

"We need role models at the top, we need people to be doing well and now that's starting to happen. It'll give Richie great confidence going into next season knowing that he has secured his Tour card for the next two years and he's got a lot to look forward to."

Ramsay did not drop a shot all day, turning in 33 before sinking birdies at the 10th, 12th and 15th. A spectacular approach shot from the rough over water at set up another birdie at the 17th, whilst Kapur missed the chance to win the event in regulation play when he failed to convert a 12 foot birdie putt on the final hole.

David Drysdale was next best out of the Scots in a tie for 21st, one shot ahead of former Scottish Boys Champion Andrew Colart, whilst 2008 Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Champion Callum Macaulay finished tied for 35th place.

The Gullane No 1 course in East Lothian tops the list of venues for the Scottish Golf Union's 2010 schedule when it hosts the Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship in July next year.

Six years on from George Murray's dramatic victory over Paul O'Hara when the venue last hosted the country's leading 256 amateur golfers, the recently extended Gullane course will provide the venue for the SGU's flagship championship from Monday 26th to Saturday 31st July.

The domestic season gets underway in earnest with the Scottish Boys Championship at the scenic West Kilbride course (5 - 10 April) whilst Ayrshire hosts another ‘Major' the following month when the Scottish Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship returns to Glasgow Gailes (28 - 30 May).

East Lothian will also be host to some of the leading junior golfers from the UK and overseas when the Scottish Boys Open Stroke Play Championship takes place at Craigielaw (23 - 25 July) whilst Peebles in the Borders is the venue for the Scottish Boys Area Team Championship for a third time (6 June).

The Scottish Seniors Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship moves to a new date in the schedule (30 June - 2 July) with Pollok on the south side of Glasgow providing a great setting for the country's veterans, many of whom will be battling for a place in the Senior Home Internationals side which the SGU will host at Crail (14 - 16 September). The Golf Data Lab Scottish Youths (Under 21s) Championship also moves to a new date of 7 - 9 May with the event being staged at Monifieth.

Auchterarder will be the scene of both the firstpointusa.com Scottish Boys U16s Open Championship (6 – 8 July) and the Loretto School sponsored Scottish Boys & Girls U14s Open Championship (9 July). Fortrose & Rosemarkie will be the SGU's most northerly venue in 2010 when it stages the Scottish Club Championship (26 September) with East Renfrewshire playing host to the Scottish Mid-Amateur (Over 25's) Open Championship (12 - 14 June).

Euan Mordaunt, SGU Events Manager, said:

"We have some fantastic venues for Scotland's amateur golfers to look forward to in 2010 and we are very excited about the quality of golf courses lined up for our championships in the season ahead.

“There have been some significant changes on Gullane No 1 with a new eighth hole and several new tees and it will provide a great challenge for competitors playing in our flagship event. The SGU is very grateful to all the clubs who host us throughout the year and indeed the members who give up their courses."

"These great venues allow us to develop talent through our championships and hopefully we'll see some good crowds turn out locally to support the players." he added.

Details of a new date, venue and revised format for the Scottish Area Team Championship will be announced early in the New Year

Gavin Dear from Murrayshall in Perth with the Eisenhower Trophy   Gavin won this representing Scotland at the recent World Amateur Team Championships along with team mates Wallace Booth from Comrie in Perthshire and also Callum Macauley from Tulliallan.
Gavin Dear pictured with the Eisenhower Trophy   Gavin Dear and the Milnathort Junior Golf team which won the 2008 Perth & Kinross Junior Scratch League.