Ashlan Ramsey is ready to become a Clemson Tiger this fall as a member of the university’s inaugural women’s golf team.
“Starting something new at such a place is a fun and exciting experience and making history as Clemson’s first women’s team,” Ashlan said. “I feel like I’ll be able to get better here and improve my game.”
There isn’t much improvement needed for the Milledgeville, Ga., native.
Ramsey is even more prepared for Clemson after coming off three consecutive amateur wins before heading to the Women’s Trans-National Amateur in California next week. She claimed titles at the Georgia Women’s Match Play Championship and the Women’s Eastern Golf Association Amateur Championship in the past month.
Most recently, the rising freshman won the Western National Amateur Championship with a 7-6 victory over Jenna Hague of Ontario in a 36-hole final.
“Winning three weeks in a row just makes me want to win more,” the 17-year-old said. “I feel like I’ve kind of had a drive this summer to go out and play every tournament with the expectation to win. That’s really helped me not go to a tournament and think, ‘I’ll just play well and it’s fine.’”
Ramsey partially credits her resolve this summer to her Kraft Nabisco appearance in April, citing that it gave her confidence heading into the rest of her tournaments this summer. She tied for 48th after a final score of 2-over 290.
“It confirmed that playing on the LPGA is a big deal and it made me strive to be like them,” Ashlan said. “It was a chance to get up close and personal with the best players in the world to see what they do and understand how their world works.
“I’ve kind of gotten more passionate about golf and more driven to practice to prepare for every tournament. I saw how my hard work paid off.”
Ramsey also credits her victories to the extra work she’s put in with her coach, Todd Anderson.
“He’s helped me tremendously,” Ashlan said. “He has really helped me not only with my swing, but kind of my mindset in golf to prepare for each individual shot, going into every shot having a plan and things like that.
“He’s really worked with me a lot on changing the way I think around the course.”
Anderson says that Ramsey has always been a hard-working, fearless and focused player in the five years he has been working with her.
“One thing Ashlan has always had is a big belief in her abilities, regardless of who she’s playing against,” Anderson said. “I don’t think she’s ever really been intimidated by competition because she’s younger or because it’s new and different for her.
“She’s just a great kid who is really passionate about trying to improve and get better.”
Ramsey, second in the Golfweek/amateurgolf.com Women’s Amateur Rankings, will be joining her sister Taylor next fall at Clemson.
“I’m really thankful for that because I don’t know if I could transition very well without her,” Ramsey said.
Taylor knows exactly how her sister feels.
“We grew up playing golf together every day of our lives,” Taylor said. “It was kind of hard the first year not to have her there and up here playing with me and practicing every day.
“I’m so proud of her. I’m ready for her to get up here and play with us.”