Scotland’s Richie Ramsay wins the South Africa Open

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay won 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 a best-of-the-day 65 and Kapur had carded a 67.

But the last title of the 2009 golfing year was settled when 26-year-old Ramsay two-putted the first extra hole for a birdie four.

Ramsay, 25, started the 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.

Denmark’s Anders Hansen, Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed and Italian Edoardo Molinari all could have joined the play-off with a closing eagle but failed.

Ramsay went into the event ranked 240th in the world and the victory will take him just inside the top 120.

That makes him the second highest-ranked Scot behind US Tour-based Martin Laird. The last Scottish winner on the European circuit was Alastair Forsyth in Portugal 19 months ago.