FREED GROUP WOMEN'S SCOTTISH OPEN

August 5, 2023

Gemma Dryburgh

Dundonald Links

Quick Quotes

Q. I saw a quote the other day, was it yesterday, on the LPGA that said that you had in your head that you want to play well. After two rounds in the blue and now one in the red, is it nice to play well?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, definitely, yeah. Obviously got pretty hot on the front nine at one point. So, yeah, it was good fun on that nine. And then kind of kept it pretty steady on the back nine.

So, yeah, nice to get one under par.

Q. What's been the difference in Thursday, Friday and then today?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: I think, honestly, the conditions were a bit easier for us. I kind of had the worst part of the draw definitely on Thursday. It was quite difficult out there.

But, yeah, honestly, I played well every day and happy with how I'm hitting it and putting as well. Just holed a few more today I'd say.

Q. Tomorrow with sort of where you sit in the leaderboard, is it chasing, is it trying impress people, what's the mindset for a nice Sunday here?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Obviously that's kind of in the back of your mind, but you just have to kind of focus on your game and just kind of do the same thing as today. If I can just play one shot at a time, as they always say, but, yeah, it's so true.

Q. Can you pick out one area of your game this week that's turned it around? Is it putting?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Probably when I've missed greens, I've kind of got up-and-down, which has been nice, so kind of kept rounds going kind of on the back nine. Did that a bit today. So that was nice.

But, yeah, putting has been pretty good. So I'd probably say that.

Q. Everyone was predicting such bad weather, but it was actually pretty good. You probably got the best half of the draw today.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yes.

Q. How was it playing? Because the scores haven't been unbelievably low, but obviously you had mentioned --

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, I wasn't sure how -- because obviously our group was going quite low. Me and Minjee and Perrine were doing quite well at the start. And then, so, yeah, I maybe felt the scores might be quite low today.

But, yeah, that's good to hear. But, yeah, it's nice to get the better half of the draw today at least, because the first two days were quite difficult.

Q. And there wasn't much wind out there this morning for you guys.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Not really nowhere. It was probably half a club to a club, maybe. So compared to Thursday, where it was more 2, 2 1/2 sometimes. So, yeah, it was much, much more scorable.

Q. And then after two days where things weren't really dropping and everything, just get on that little run this morning, how sort of comfort-building is that?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, it's nice. Once you roll in a few, you kind of start to see the putts go in a bit more and get a bit more confidence with it, and I think your rolls have better speed as well, which helps.

Q. And leaves full of confidence for tomorrow and next week.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, definitely. Yeah, obviously it adds up, all the confidence going forward and hitting good shots and seeing putts go in helps. So, yeah, just hopefully I have a good week next week as well.

Q. And now do you hope it starts to actually pour with rain?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: I never wish bad on anyone, but just generally, maybe, wind pick up, and we'll see.

Q. I can feel the wind picking up.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, yeah. But it doesn't look like it's going to rain. It looks quite nice. So, yeah, maybe just the wind.

Q. It's raining in Glasgow.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: So it's no too far away.

Q. Speaking about confidence, you normally talk about playing in the wind. Do you get it quite a lot? Obviously you got the bad side of the draw the last two days, and it was pretty windy. Do you get it a lot, people expect it because you're Scottish, they expect you to play well?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah.

Q. When actually the wind is as tricky with everybody?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, yeah, I do. Because they say as soon as it starts raining especially or windy, it's like, Oh, you must love this. And it's like, yeah, I -- I mean, obviously I kind of relish the challenge, but, you know, it's just as hard for everyone.

Everyone's a good player out here, so everyone can, you know, hit it well in the wind. So if you hit it -- if you strike it well, you can play well in the wind anywhere, really.

Q. Is that a stereotype that sort of follows around the world, I guess, wherever you turn up and it's bad conditions?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yes.

Q. Or reminiscent of home, everyone piles that sort of -- not pressure, but piles that onto you?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, sometimes when it's like kind of bleak conditions, they're like, Oh, you must love this, if you just kind of count how many people say it. But I'm not used to playing in the bad weather anymore, just kind of, you know, live in the States and --

Q. Probably played as much golf in the States as you have in Scotland actually.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, I have now, yeah. Definitely. Yeah, because even when I was young, actually we were down south in Beaconsfield, and Dad was working in London, so I actually group up on inland courses and not playing on links too much until went out for the summer tournaments.

Q. It's Paul Lawrie who gave that foundation because he used to be like, Oh, it's raining, I'm going to play great.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah. Yeah, you just got to keep going. I think my attitude is good for it, but yeah.

Q. And did you have a lot of family and friends out there today?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yes.

Q. Any extras for the weekend?

GEMMA DRYBURGH: We're going out to dinner, eleven of us, I think, tonight.

Q. Oh, nice.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah. Yeah. Aunts and uncles and cousins came today, which is nice. My aunts and uncles, they are actually hosting a girl from Ukraine. So she's living with them at the moment. So she's coming as well. She's nice.

Q. Oh, nice. You do look like you are having the best week.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah. It's been so much fun. Yeah. Loving it. Yeah.

Q. We'll see you tomorrow.

GEMMA DRYBURGH: Yeah, see you tomorrow.