Gemma Dryburgh digs deep to land third Rose Ladies Series success

Gemma Dryburgh handed herself a timely boost for next week’s Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open by landing a third success in the Rose Ladies Series.

Gemma Dryburgh, right, after receiving the trophy and her £10,000 cheque from Kate Rose following the Scot's play-off victory at JCB Golf & Country Club in Uttoxeter. Picture: Rose Ladies Series

The 28-year-old Aberdonian claimed her latest victory on the circuit after beating Becky Brewerton of Wales in a play-off at JCB Golf and Country Club in Uttoxeter.

On a day when the competitors had to dig deep in tough conditions, the pair both shot one-under-par 71s, with Dryburgh holing a long birdie putt on the second extra hole to come out on top.

The win, which was worth £10,000, added to Dryburgh’s back-to-back successes at The Buckinghamshire and Royal St George’s last year on the circuit launched by Justin Rose and his wife, Kate.

“I was so happy to get the win yesterday,” Dryburgh, who is based at Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, told The Scotsman.

“JCB is quite the course and we had some really tough conditions yesterday with the wind and some rain, too.”

The Scottish No 1 birdied the first, sixth and 12th before dropping shots at the 15th and 17th.

Brewerton, meanwhile, bogeyed the fourth, sixth and seventh but then birdied eighth, ninth, 15th and 16th before following a bogey at the 17th with a closing birdie.

“I played really well, so it was good to see it pay off,” added Dryburgh, who has played most of her golf so far this year on the LPGA Tour and Symetra Tour in the US.

“I holed a pretty big putt - a 35-40 footer - from off the green in the second play-off hole to win, so that was a lot of fun.”

Dryburgh wasn’t able to secure a spot in this week’s Aramco Team Series event in Spain due to her current LET category and has been sweating over a spot in the Scottish Women’s Open for its first visit to Dumbarnie Links next week.

However, she has secured one of the invitations from VisitScotland for the LET/LPGA event, with the other one going to Dubai-based Alison Muirhead.

“It means a lot to win another Rose series event and it gives me such good confidence going into next week,” said Dryburgh.

This win has also earned her a spot in the final qualifying at Panmure for the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie the week after next.

Dryburgh and Brewerton will be renewing their rivalry at Scotscraig tomorrow when the Fife venue hosts the first Rose Ladies Series event in Scotland.

The Tayport venue is where Rose tried to qualify for The Open as a 14-year-old, with 38 players set to battle it out over 18 holes.

The hopefuls also include Stirling University golf scholar Penelope Brown, with the winner securing an added bonus in the shape of a spot in the Women’s Scottish Open.

Meanwhile, Team USA’s Nelly Korda takes a three-shot lead into the final round of the Olympic women’s event in Japan.

The world No 1 added a 69 to her opening efforts of 67-62 to stay in pole position in the gold medal race, with India’s Aditi Ashok her closest challenger.

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