There’s just something about Asia that brings out the best in Scotswoman Gemma Dryburgh.

She became a Rolex First-Time Winner at the TOTO Japan Classic in 2022, and two of her 10 total career top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour were recorded during last year’s fall Asian Swing, with Dryburgh tying for sixth at both the 2023 Maybank Championship and 2023 TOTO Japan Classic.

And that trend has seemingly continued for Dryburgh this week at the BMW Ladies Championship, as the 31-year-old carded a 6-under 66 in the first round at Seowon Valley Country Club to sit two shots back of the early lead in the Republic of Korea.

Dryburgh kicked off her third career start in this event with a birdie on the par-5 1st hole, but she quickly gave that shot back with a bogey on the par-4 2nd hole. She waited until the par-4 6th hole to pick up her second birdie of the round and then made a pair of back-to-back birdies on holes eight and nine to turn in 33 at 3-under overall.

She grabbed another birdie on the par-4 12th hole to climb to 4-under and recorded two consecutive birdies on the par-5 15th and par-3 16th holes to move to 6-under, parring in to post a 66, just her fourth round of 66 or better on the LPGA Tour this season and first since she shot a 64 on day one of The Amundi Evian Championship.

“I had quite a few birdies out there. I hit the ball well,” said Dryburgh. “I had a few nice putts out there and rolled the ball nicely, and hit quite a lot of greens, as well. Off the tee, wasn't my best today. But it's quite wide out there, so you can get away with a few things like that. I'll work on that this afternoon. Rolled the putter well. The greens are cut quite nicely with the break today, so hopefully, (I will) keep that going.”

The 2024 LPGA Tour season has been a difficult one for Dryburgh, but the LPGA Tour veteran has grinned and bore it as best she could throughout the year. Before she tied for 44th at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G, her last LPGA Tour start before this week’s BMW Ladies Championship, Dryburgh had missed the cut in four straight LPGA Tour events, including at her home-country tournament, the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, and the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews.

Dryburgh had a similar stretch that lasted from May to June, as she missed four consecutive cuts at the Cognizant Founders Cup, Mizuho Americas Open, U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally and KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Despite those struggles, Dryburgh has still managed to record six top-25 results this season, the best of which is a tie for ninth that came at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and the most notable of which is a tie for 17th that came at The Amundi Evian Championship. Those six performances have helped Dryburgh maintain her position in the top 80 of the Race to the CME Globe – she is currently ranked 76th – but the Scot still has some work to do over the remaining regular-season events if she wants to move into the top 60 of the Race and qualify for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

A solid finish this week and strong showings at the Maybank Championship and TOTO Japan Classic would likely help her in that pursuit, but with 54 holes still to be played at the BMW Ladies Championship, Dryburgh is focusing on capitalizing on the momentum she generated on Thursday in Korea, eager to keep this good golf rolling at the Seowon Hills Course at Seowon Valley Country Club.

“(I will take away) just seeing the ball go in the hole,” Dryburgh said. “Hitting the ball well from the approach shots. So (I will) take that confidence into tomorrow.”

Gemma Dryburgh Just Two Shots Back After Opening 66 at BMW Ladies Championship

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