The last time a Scot won the FREED GROUP Women's Scottish Open presented by Trust Golf was in 2013 when Catriona Matthew took home the title, but Aberdeen, Scotland native Gemma Dryburgh is determined to buck that trend this week at Dundonald Links. The 30-year-old comes to her national open fresh off an eighth-place showing at The Amundi Evian Championship, her best finish ever in a major championship and her best result of the 2023 season. It's also the first time she's teed it up in Scotland since becoming a Rolex First-Time Winner at the 2022 TOTO Japan Classic last November, and Dryburgh is looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd, this time as an LPGA Tour winner.
"You want to do well. It's an event that you look forward to all year. Kind of got it in my mind that I want to play well at the (Women's Scottish Open). But I think more experience playing it and coming back helps, and having a good week last week helps as well going into the next few weeks. Hopefully, I can just relax and enjoy it," Dryburgh said. "I guess it gives me some confidence coming into this week as well knowing that I can win out here, winning in November last year in Japan, so it's been a bit of a whirlwind since then but a fun one. It will be nice to see the Scottish crowd since that, and hopefully, they know my name a bit more as well."
This is Dryburgh's seventh start in the FREED GROUP Women's Scottish Open, and in her six previous appearances, she has only made two cuts, finishing 69th in 2020 and T34 in 2022. This is her 15th start this season, and in addition to last week's top-10 result, she has finished inside the top 20 three additional times, tying for 16th at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, tying for 13th at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro and tying for 19th at the Dana Open. After capturing her first victory in Japan last fall, a lifelong dream for the Scot, she had to set some new goals for the 2023 season. Dryburgh met one of them after last week's strong performance in Evian-les-Bains but is still looking to accomplish the other, arguably the taller of the two orders.
"It was a life goal of mine to win on the LPGA, so doing that, had to readjust some goals at the start of this year, and to win again is another goal of mine. To get into the top 50 is another goal of mine, which happened last week, so going to have to readjust again," Dryburgh said. "Hopefully, it doesn't take too long, but it would be nice to (win) again in the near future. But, obviously, just take it as it comes. I know it's very hard to win out here. I know there's a lot of good girls that haven't won out here yet, but I feel lucky to have done that but obviously, looking for the next one."
Dryburgh has also got her eye on the Solheim Cup and knows that she will have to make a big push in the next few weeks to either qualify outright or catch the eye of European captain Suzann Pettersen. "(Suzann) was watching last week. She's here this week," said Dryburgh. "It's obviously in the back of our minds. It's been a goal of mine since I can remember. I remember watching Solheim growing up, and I went to the one in Gleneagles when she had that famous putt, and I was there on the 18th green watching that. It's honestly the best sporting moment I've ever witnessed. It gives me goosebumps thinking about it, the enormity of it. I don't know if she'd announced it yet, but obviously, her final professional event and doing it in that style was pretty amazing.
"I love team sports, playing at Tulane University on the golf team there. Kind of miss that aspect of it when we play out here. It's nice to maybe be able to play on a team again. Hopefully, I can bring something to the team if I get picked, that is, but hopefully, get to be part of the team and bring some good vibes and banter as well."
)
)
)
)
