AIG Women's Open hit by weather warning - with one day under serious threat

“Oh, there’s the rain on,” said Gemma Dryburgh looking upwards from her seat on the raised podium in the AIG Women’s Open Media Centre at St Andrews as it suddenly started to hammer down before the thunderous noise that created on a tarpaulin tent soon meant neither she or those asking questions could be heard.

Some people might be tempted to say the latter was a good thing, especially as this correspondent was the one asking the majority of the questions, but, once the downpour had abated, it seemed somewhat appropriate due to the weather meriting being a topic as the Scottish No 1 geared up for this event being held on the Old Course for just a third time.

In short, it’s certainly not going to be played in summer-like conditions and, with a chance of winds gusting to 50mph on Thursday, there’s a strong possibility of the first round in particular being disrupted, as was the case here in The Open in 2015, when a Monday finish was required.

Gemma Dryburgh speaks to the media ahead of the AIG Women's Open at St Andrews. Picture: Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images.

Dryburgh, of course, is no stranger to playing in tough conditions but, having found herself on the wrong side of the draw in last week’s ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links and missing the cut there, she is hoping the same thing doesn’t happen again in the final major of the season.

“Yeah, I was out early last Thursday in the worst of the conditions and it’s kind of swings and roundabouts,” said the Aberdonian, who is flying the Saltire this week along with the 2009 winner, Catriona Matthew. “You get the good half of the draw sometimes and not-so-good other times. Hopefully I'll be lucky this week and, if not, just try and do your best with what you've got. The wind looks like it's going to be even stronger this week. But hopefully it will stay dry.”

Mexican Lorena Ochoa won the event’s first staging here in 2007 before American Stacy Lewis finished birdie-birdie to follow in her footsteps six years later. “Yeah, it doesn’t get any better than this really,” said Dryburgh of now being among the latest batch of 144 players to tee up in the event in the sport’s cradle.

“It’s what dreams are made of, really, playing in Scotland and at the Home of Golf. It’s a place where I’ve come to a lot as a kid, and it’s a pretty special place for anyone. This is why you practise all those hours when it's freezing cold, raining outside. This is why it's all worth it for moments like these and I’m going to really enjoy this week as much as I can.”

An American voice asked the 31-year-old, who is making her fifth appearance in The R&A event, where she was when Ochoa, the game’s dominant force at the time, recorded her historic victory and when Lewis, the current US Solheim Cup captain, won as well.

“I would say when Lorena won, that's probably like one of the most inspirational moments from my childhood watching women's golf, apart from Catriona winning The Open,” she declared. “Lorena was a hero of mine growing up. I just loved the way she played and her attitude and obviously when she won at St Andrews, it doesn't get more iconic than that.”

As for Lewis, she added: “Yeah, I was in the Dunvegan (the iconic watering hole close to the 18th green) two weeks ago and I saw Stacy's photo right in front of the bar. It's just so cool to have those moments in women's golf, and I think women's golf going to more venues like St Andrews and Pebble Beach last year, just iconic places where people know all these shots and all these moments, it's just great that we can make our own history.”

As Lottie Woad, one of five amateurs in this week’s field battling for the Smyth Salver, did earlier this year when she became the first European player to win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Does Dryburgh dream she’ll get to play there as well one day but in a professional event?

“I always think that we will get there eventually. I don't think it will be when I'm still playing; that's my prediction,” she said. “But it would be great to have a women's professional event there. It's obviously a nice step in the right direction that we've got an amateur event there now but, yeah, I would love to see a professional event there.”

Another step in the right direction for the women’s game has been prize pots for the majors being increased significantly in recent years. For the second year running, this event, for instance, is worth $9 million, with the winner on Sunday picking up $1.35 million.

“Yeah, obviously it's a good time to be playing women's golf,” acknowledged Dryburgh in reply to being asked if she feels lucky about what’s now on the table even though some people are calling for even bigger rewards. “Ten years or so ago, it wasn't quite as lucrative. I would agree that we obviously deserve even better. But yeah, very privileged to be playing at a good time.”

Due to college commitments at the time, Dryburgh missed out on playing the Old Course as an amateur in the St Rule Trophy and, somewhat surprisingly, hadn’t played it all before her first practice round for this event. But, having picked up some useful tips from getting a local caddie to walk around with her and her full-time caddie, she’s excited about being in one of the marquee groups with Lexi Thompson and Minjee Lee for the opening two days and, as its ambassador, is also enjoying her billet this week being the Old Course Hotel.

“I am looking at the car park, unfortunately,” she reported of her room with a tinge of disappointment, “but it’s a great room and very comfortable and a nice breakfast at the top overlooking the Old Course. It’s obviously iconic, just a special place and it’s a fantastic atmosphere there as well.”