TRUST GOLF WOMEN'S SCOTTISH OPEN

July 27, 2022

Gemma Dryburgh

Dundonald Links

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Here with Gemma Dryburgh at the Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open. Excited to have you here, and I'm excited to be here in your home country. How excited are you to be back in Scotland?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, very excited. Obviously this weather today is just perfect. No better place to be than on a Scottish links in that sunny weather, just a light breeze, family out here to watch. So it's great to see them. I don't get to see them very often. Yeah, it's special to be back and it's such a great event. VisitScotland do a great job.

THE MODERATOR: You've played this event quite a few times and you've played here in 2017 when it was held at Dundonald Links. What do you remember about the golf course and what do you see out there this morning that you liked?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, I remembered it reasonably well when I got here on Monday. Especially 18, it's a great risk/reward hole. It was a great playoff between Rafa and I think Callum Shinkwin.

Great to get back there, and saw the girls. I played with some Scottish Golf girls, and they played, went for the green which was great to see. We'll see if I get to go for it this year. We'll get to see.

THE MODERATOR: How excited are you to see not only the future of Scottish golf, but how excited are you to be a role model for girls?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, I hope I can be. I'm always open to anyone asking me advice. Hopefully the girls today will ask me whenever they need advice, whatever they need. I love to help the game and grow the game and I was in their position once before. I appreciated people reaching out to me out on TOUR and offering advice. Hopefully I can be that person.

THE MODERATOR: Talk about your season. Obviously got back out to the LPGA Tour via Q-Series last December, a grueling two weeks. You've been playing pretty well. How good do you feel about your game thus far?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Feeling really good. It's been a decent start to the season. Probably the best I've ever had really, very consistent, only missing a couple of cuts here and there but kind of went on a run of making every cut at the start of the year.

My coach has just come out this week. I haven't seen him since March, so it was nice to get a bit of a tune-up before this week. Yeah, because I've just moved to America, so I wasn't coming back as much as I had in the past. Yeah, it's been good to see him and I'm just feeling ready for this week.

THE MODERATOR: We spoke to you at the Founders Cup and you had started a new campaign, Birdies for Alzheimer's Research. How has that been doing? You've been making a lot of birdies. How much money have you raised so far.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yes, I think it was close to, I think it was five grand if I -- don't quote me on that. I might need to look that up. It was a good amount. I was very pleased with it, and I think I'll do something with them in the future and actually become one of their champions for the sports united against dementia. Hopefully I'll be able to do more work with them.

My grandma has Alzheimer's, so it's kind of close to my heart. I know it's maybe a cause that doesn't get as much recognition as it should sometimes.

Q. You come into this event in the past, had high hopes, but coming in this time, just the confidence you've got on the back of that consistency, how different is that this year?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, I think just the confidence, it's probably the most confidence I've had coming into the Scottish before. Kind of, you know, playing well out in America and then coming back here. Feeling good for it, and yeah, I'm just feeling really good with my swing and my putting as well. I think I will stand in good stead hopefully.

Q. Your first year on the LPGA, you worked hard and now you're making progress; how satisfying is that?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, I just felt like I've tried to improve every year, and I feel like I've done that. When I first came out, like you said, I did struggle. I kind of felt a little bit out of my depth almost and didn't have confidence. I've just kind of grown into that.

Some girls come out and they do it straightaway but sometimes it's just a bit more of a process. Yeah, it's just kind of coming into it now which is great.

Q. Louise making her debut at this event, any advice to Louise coming into her first event on home soil, pressured atmosphere?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, very excited for her. I think she won her British Am over here just at Kilmarnock over the road. She's got some good vibes around this area.

So yeah, I'm really excited for her. When she announced it last week, I was like, yeah, perfect time to do it, just before The Open. She's in next week, as well. I'm sure she'll be feeling really comfortable with the last weeks, as well. I'm excited for her and hopefully see her regularly on tour soon.

Q. You obviously knew when the time has arrived, and Louise has done it quickly. When you turned pro, did you know you were ready to do it?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, when I turned pro after I finished uni in America, and then played -- I think I played some Access events. I might have played the Tartan Tour I think first. I was ready, I had kind of done four years at university, and that was kind of the plan to turn pro after that. I went to Q-School that year. I felt ready. Sometimes you know when it's the right time.

Q. Coming back, is there more pressure when you're coming back? You're based in America predominately but is there an extra -- wanting to make a name for myself among the main folk?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, there is. You kind of tend to put more pressure on yourself your kind of home events, almost, because you want to do well. Your family is all there and got the home support as well but sometimes you have to kind of get it out of your mind and play like you do at every other event.

Q. You talked about playing this event here before. The whole thing has just grown, isn't it, the stature has gone up. That's a nice thing to be part of this week, I'd have thought?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, I remember because in 2016 and 2017, the clubhouse was a port-a-cabin. There wasn't much here. It was still a Pro-Am format and now we've got LET, LPGA, and I think is it 2 million this year, the pot? So it's great to see Scottish golf growing and women's golf as well.

Q. You live in the United States but it's a good time for Scottish Golf with Grace and others, and Hannah. Do you appreciate that, and that maybe you are playing a role and being a role model?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, I hope so. It's great to see them going through the ranks. Grace is only 15 and she's got great potential, and there's Hannah in America, she's won quite a few times over there and there was Louise as well but now she's turned pro. It's great to see Scottish golf growing and doing well. Hopefully I can play a small part in inspiring them.

Q. Is it a bit weird to think that in your early 20s you can be a role model?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, I know. Yeah, it's weird to think because I felt like I was there not too long ago.

Q. You said some people reached out to you?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: When I was first out on tour, it was Laura Beveridge, Kylie Henry; and Catriona Matthew, she always opened up for any advice. I actually asked her to play a practise round next week, so I'll be picking her brain again.

Q. Got the inside track.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah.

Q. I saw you give your number out. Did anyone give you a number when you were turning pro that you gave your number to?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, Catriona, honestly. When I came up and first turned pro, I actually kind up to visit her. We played Archerfield and we played nine holes and had lunch and stuff. She said just contact me any time you want advice or anything. So she was really lovely.

Q. Best question you were asked?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Well, Grace asked good questions. She asked, like what was your route into the pros. Like I think that's a good question because everyone has their own way of doing it, and there's no right or wrong. But you know, she wants to know, kind of for her kind of progression what she wants to do, so that was good.

Yeah, I think it's a good transition between junior and getting on to the pros. I think it's a good way to go that route.

THE MODERATOR: I'll ask you one more to close it out. Big year for Scottish golf. I'm sure there's a lot of pride in your home country. What has it meant for you to see all of these major events and be part of these major events being played in Scotland right now?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, it's huge. I think there's five weeks in a row in Scotland. So it's great for Scottish golf and women's golf in particular. You know, this week and next week at Muirfield, first women's event at Muirfield, pretty big. Never thought I would see it but it's great to see it and I'm excited to play it as well. It's great to be part of it and hopefully it's growing as it has done the last six, seven years.