After winning the third event on the Series at the Buckinghamshire, the friendly Scot tells us why the tournament backed by Justin Rose has helped her own career and women's golf as a whole.
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Until last week, Gemma Dryburgh’s last professional win was at the 2017 ALPG Oatlands Pro Am in Australia. But now, after winning the third event on the Rose Ladies Series, the friendly Scot thinks that both her game and women’s golf as a whole are moving in the right direction.
“It’s been a few years so it was nice to finally get a win,” she said.
“This was my best win too as it was more high-profile than the tournament in Australia and the field was amazing.”
“It’s so good to get a card back in your hand, it’s such a different feeling to playing at your home club and you can really see where your game is at and what you need to work on. It’s been really helpful for me ahead of the Tour restarting.”
She was up against three of the top 50 players in the world; Charley Hull, Bronte Law and Georgia Hall, the latter finishing just one shot behind her along with Cara Gainer.
“It was quite tense at the end,” she admitted.
“I was three under on the 12th and I saw that Georgia was two under but then when I birdied the next two holes that gave me a bit of confidence that I was getting close to the lead. I knew I needed to par the last and when I hit my first putt a bit fast it was quite nerve wracking, but I made up for it in the end.”
Perhaps best of all, she got to share the experience with her dad.
“I was so happy and it was so special to have my dad on my bag,” she said.
“When I first finished I wasn’t sure if I had won or not so I tried not to celebrate too hard, if Cara had birdied her last hole then we would have been in a playoff. But we had big hugs when we saw that she hadn’t and it was so nice.”
Like all the players taking part, Gemma is so super grateful for the opportunity that Justin Rose, Liz Young and the rest of the team have given them.
“COVID-19 flagged up the inequalities in golf as the LET aren’t due to start playing again until August, but the men were back at the start of July. That’s why Justin wanted to back us and create this opportunity and we’re so glad he did,” she said.
“To have such a big name in the golfing world like Justin’s backing us gives the tournament an extra sense of prestige. It’s got such good media coverage and I don’t think that would normally happen if it didn’t have his name behind it.
“We are so grateful for the opportunity the Rose Ladies Series has given us - women’s golf deserves to be seen more than it is, it is getting better but there’s still a long way to go."
With the LPGA restarting in Ohio, USA at the end of the month Gemma expects that this Thursday’s Rose Series tournament (July 9) at Royal St. George’s will be her last.
It’s a good one to end on, too. Not only is the course in incredible condition (it was due to host the Open this year) but the event is also the first ever professional women’s tournament to be held at the iconic venue.
“It’s going to be amazing and I’ve heard they haven’t changed the set up too much from what it would have been like for the Open. So it will be nice and tough for us! I’m sure the wind will be blowing like it normally does down there as well. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Looking ahead to the 54-hole Grand Final in August, Gemma is backing Series founder Liz Young as the winner of the Order of Merit.
“Liz Young is doing so well; it would be special if she won and everyone would be pleased for her. Meghan MacLaren would be a good bet as well.”
She would love for the Series to come back next year, too.
“It would be hard to hold it in the summer next year as we are normally so busy then. But if they could schedule it for a time of year when we are less busy on the LET that would be great. It would be a shame not to have it again and for it just to be a one-year thing.”
We wish Gemma the best of luck for Thursday and we can’t wait to see what happens in the rest of the Series.
For more information on the Rose Ladies Series visit https://theroseladiesseries.golfgenius.com/pages/6435837915409981386
How the Rose Ladies Series has helped women's golf - READ MORE
