Richie aiming for some home comfort

RICHIE RAMSAY aims to use home advantage to help him secure his Euro Tour card for next season.

Ramsay carded the best score of the day of five-under-par 67 at chilly Carnoustie – the hardest of the three courses being tackled this week – on the opening day of the £3 million Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Aberdonian Ramsay was today teeing off at the Old Course at St Andrews with the knowledge he will play the easiest course – Kingsbarns – in forecast winds of up to 40mph tomorrow.

The 26-year-old was the leading Scot and is determined to take advantage of all the home comforts this week as he bids to move up the Race to Dubai rankings.

Ramsay, who needs to improve from his current position of 141st to get into the top sanctuary of the top 115, said: “We’re playing the courses we were brought up on.

“There are places like Asia when you can see guys doing well but it’s because of the home advantage, really.

“It’s just like when you’re playing a football match.

“ You've got home advantage, and you’ve really got to takes positives from that.

“I know the shots to play and how far the ball flies.

“So all of those little things add up to give you that little edge that sometimes makes a difference.

Ramsay is just three shots off the pace set by Denmark Thomas Bjorn who carded a 64 at Kingsbarns.

Fellow Aberdonian Paul Lawrie had a disappointing day at St Andrews, firing a three-over 75.