FRISCO, Texas — Gemma Dryburgh has been wearing a flower on her hat the past couple of weeks while competing on the LPGA Tour. It’s about the size of a silver dollar and blue with yellow in its middle, carefully pinned to the side of the Scotswoman’s head, front and center for all to see.

But it’s much more than just an accessory, a flashy adornment to spice up her on-course style. The flower is a forget-me-not, and Dryburgh is wearing it in support of the Alzheimer’s Society’s June Forget Me Not Appeal as she works to raise funds for the UK-based organization. The Society contributes money to dementia research and is committed to providing resources to individuals and their families dealing with the disease.

The cause is one that’s incredibly close to Dryburgh’s heart. Her grandmother Margaret is currently living with Alzheimer’s at a facility in her native Scotland, having suffered from dementia for the last several years following an official diagnosis in 2020. Dryburgh is a Sport Champion for the Alzheimer’s Society and has been donating £20 for every birdie she makes in the LPGA Tour events in which she’s playing in June, raising £340 thus far – which converts to roughly $450 – after recording 17 total birdies at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give.

While her birdie campaign is in honor of her grandmother, Dryburgh also hopes to raise awareness for those fighting the illness and continue to highlight the need for a cure, knowing that there are several individuals who have been affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia, whether directly or indirectly.

“(My grandma has) been in a home for four years now,” Dryburgh said. “It’s sad to see her decline over the last few years, but she’s in a good place and a nice home to take care of her. I know that there are lots of people who either know someone or have someone close to them who suffer with the same disease. It’s very sad, and I feel like maybe people don’t know enough about it sometimes.”

Others have contributed money to Dryburgh’s pledge, with her campaign on justgiving.com currently boasting [Equation]1,057, nearly $1,430. Fields Ranch East, site of this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, hasn’t given up too many birdies to Dryburgh thus far, but she will still be able to donate some cash to the Alzheimer’s Society, raising her total even more so.

But no matter what the final donation amount winds up being, Dryburgh is just grateful to be able to support such an important cause with her golf, doing so with Margaret always on her mind and in her heart.

“It's nice to think about her,” said Dryburgh. “We shared a similar birthday. We were both in June. I think her birthday is next week, so I’ll be playing for her next week as well. It's nice to think about her and how much she's always supported whatever sports I've done throughout growing up. She used to come to my football matches and obviously golf tournaments.

“I know that she’ll be cheering on from wherever she is.”

Gemma Dryburgh Raises Money for Alzheimer’s Society with Birdie Campaign

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