In-form Gemma Dryburgh off to promising start in ASI Ladies Scottish Open

Gemma Dryburgh hits the opening shot in today's first round of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian. Picture: Tristan Jones

Gemma Dryburgh overcame a two-hour fog delay and a bout of first-tee nerves to make a promising start in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club.

After hitting the opening shot on the return of international sport to Scotland, the 27-year-old Aberdonian carded a two-under-par 69 at the East Lothian venue to sit just two shots off the clubhouse lead.

Dryburgh, a two-time winner in the Rose Ladies Series in England last month, was up at 3.30am for a scheduled 6.30am start but didn't get underway until 8.30am due to a haar hanging over the Firth of Forth.

After watching Spaniard Azahara Munoz, one of her playing partners get off to a flying start by holing a 7-iron for an eagle-2 at the first, the Scottish No 1 dropped a shot at the second.

But her recovery from that early setback showed the confidence Dryburgh has gained since coming out lockdown, having also recorded a first top-10 finish on the LPGA Tour in the Drive On Championship in Ohio.

In a brilliant burst, she picked up five birdies in six holes, including four in a row from the eighth, to find herself leading by two shots as she reached the turn in 32.

Unable to get out of a greenside bunker at the first attempt, her momentum was halted by a double-bogey 6 at the 11th before dropping another shot at the 15th.

But, refusing to let her feathers get ruffled, she made a great two-putt birdie from off the green at the par-5 16th, produced a lovely chip from a bank to save par at the last before almost holing her approach at the last.

After seeing that run on further than it deserved, she was unable to convert a 15-foot birdie putt, but, it was still a good day's work by the leading home hope in the $1.5 million event.

"I played really well and made some really good putts," said Dryburgh, who is based in Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire afterwards. "It was pretty calm to start out with, so I kind of took advantage of that."

On the fog delay, she added: "It was quite tough actually because we were probably eight minutes away from walking to the tee when it first got delayed.

"It kept being half an hour after that, so we had to kind of be ready to go once that half an hour was up as we'd have to warm up.

"It was an early alarm clock, but it was worth getting up for the calmer conditions as I made the most of it."

After her brilliant start, Munoz went on to card a 68 before Dane Nicole Broch Larsen birdied the last to come in a 67 to hold the clubhouse lead.Dryburgh was backed up on the leaderboard by fellow Scot Kylie Henry as she also hit the ground running on home soil.

The 33-year-old, who warmed up for this event by playing on the new Tartan Pro Tour at Carnoustie last week, signed for level-par 71 that included four birdies.

Two-time winner Catriona Matthew and in-form American Danielle Kang were among the later starters.

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