2024 AIG Women's Open: Tough day for Scottish hopes at St Andrews

The opening round of the AIG Women's Open at St Andrews proved to be a formidable test for the field, with local favourites Catriona Matthew (+5) and Gemma Dryburgh (+7) facing particularly challenging conditions. The only Scottish players in the field described the experience as one of the toughest rounds they’ve ever played, with strong winds wreaking havoc on every aspect of their games.

Catriona Matthew: "One of the Toughest"

Catriona Matthew, a seasoned veteran and former AIG Women's Open champion, described the round as "really tough." She and her playing partners, Karrie Webb and Stacy Lewis, had hoped that conditions would ease as they moved to the back nine, but they quickly realised that the front nine was playing even tougher. "That slight change in the wind, and it's more into off the left now," she explained, highlighting how the wind complicated even the simplest shots.

Matthew’s struggles began right from the start, where she was forced to use a 3-hybrid off the first hole, for her the 10th, normally just a wedge in calm conditions. "It's one of the toughest," she admitted when asked if this was as challenging as it gets. "Putting's difficult. You start aiming left hoping the wind is going to take it, and sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn’t. Everything is tough."

The relentless wind impacted all parts of her game. On the 9th hole, Matthew had a two-footer for par that required delicate judgment to account for the gusts. "My putter must have done a figure of eight by the time it got back to the ball," she said, underscoring how difficult it was to make even short putts.

Despite the brutal conditions, Matthew maintained a positive outlook: "There's always hope until Friday, isn't there?" She emphasised the importance of driving well to at least give yourself a chance on each hole, acknowledging that every aspect of the game must be sharp to contend in such wind.

Gemma Dryburgh: "Blown Away" by the Wind

Gemma Dryburgh echoed Matthew's sentiments, stating she was "blown away" by the ferocity of the wind. "It was hard. My ball was blowing off the tee, it was blowing on the fairway. It was tough," she said, detailing how even getting the ball to stay still long enough to take a shot was a challenge.

Dryburgh shared that on the 11th hole, her second of the day, the wind was so strong that her ball moved twice before she could putt. "Don't know how it was playable, to be honest," she remarked, especially noting the difficulties on exposed holes like the 7th and 11th.

The conditions were exhausting, both physically and mentally. "It's just really tiring. It's exhausting to be honest. Ready for a nap might be lighter tomorrow," Dryburgh confessed, illustrating the toll the round took on her.

Dryburgh, too, was full of praise for Ruoning Yin, who managed an exceptional round despite the wind. "Amazing round," she said. "Hard to get close to the pin and putting is not easy either because you're dealing with the wind." She placed the round among the top five most difficult she’s ever played, noting that while the absence of rain made it slightly more bearable, it was still a brutal test of skill and endurance.

A gruelling test for all

Both Matthew and Dryburgh agreed that St Andrews, under these conditions, is a course that punishes even the slightest mistakes. Their comments highlight the mental and physical challenges that players face when contending with such unpredictable elements. As the Major progresses, it will be interesting to see how the field adapts and who can rise to the occasion in this ultimate test of links golf.

View the full AIG Women's Open leaderboard here.