Scotscraig to stage 2021 Rose Ladies Series event

Gemma Dryburgh celebrates the second of her 2020 Rose Ladies Series successes at Royal St George's

Scotscraig is to stage one of the events on this season’s Rose Ladies Series, the circuit launched last year by Olympic champion Justin Rose and his wife Kate to provide more playing opportunities for British-based players.

The initiative provided a timely boost for the women’s game as Covid-19 left the schedule threadbare.

The circuit’s first foray into Scotland will take place on August 7 as part of a second leg that will also involve visits to Hillside (August 2), Royal Birkdale (August 3) and JCB Golf & Country Club (August 5).

Scotscraig, in Tayport, was where former US Open winner Rose tried to qualify for the Open as a 14-year-old.

The 2021 series gets underway on April 29 at West Lancs, with the first leg also involving events at Woburn (May 6), Brokenhurst Manor (May 13), The Berkshire (May 21).

A final leg later in the year will involve visits to Rose’s home club North Hants (September 20) and The Buckinghamshire (September 23) before a grand final at Bearwood Lakes on 25 September.

It’s a fantastic group of venues and the first prize at the regular events will be £10,000, rising to £25,000 - the biggest first prize in women’s one-day golf in England - for the final.

The 2021 schedule was given a thumbs up by top-ranked Scottish women’s professional Gemma Dryburgh, a double winner in the 2020 series at Buckinghamshire and Royal St George’s.

“This is fantastic news,” said the Aberdonian. “It is great to see the Rose series continue. It is just what the women’s game needs.

“It is fantastic to have an all women’s tour available to play in at home and to see one of them being played in Scotland is fantastic.

“I am sure we will see the Rose Series continue to grow after being such a big success last year.

“I might be able to play a few looking at the dates which I’m very pleased about.”

It was at Royal Birkdale, of course, where Rose enjoyed one of his finest hours when chipping in at the last to finish fourth in The Open in 1998 as a 17-year-old amateur.

"It’s great that we’ve been able to put this all together and as ever there’s always so many to thank," the Englishman told the Daily Telegraph. "These obviously include the female players themselves, as they were the ones which made the series such a hit.

"When you have pros with the profile of Charley [Hull, the series winner] and Georgia [Hall] competing, it clearly ramps up the status and, thus, interest.

"The increase in prize money will concentrate the minds still further and I’ve always said you can’t beat the experience of having a card in your hand.

“As much as my schedule allows, I’ll be in attendance, especially as these courses are very close to my heart.

“There is Birkdale, my home course of North Hants and Scotscraig, our first event in Scotland, where I tried to qualify for the Open as a 14-year-old.”

A message from the Editor:

Get a year of unlimited access to all of The Scotsman's sport coverage without the need for a full subscription. Expert analysis, exclusive interviews, live blogs, and 70 per cent fewer ads on Scotsman.com - all for less than £1 a week. Subscribe to us today