GEMMA DRYBURGH WINS THIRD ROSE SERIES EVENT

Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh pipped Georgia Hall to win the third Justin Rose Ladies' Series event at The Buckinghamshire Golf Club.

Justin Rose Ladies' Series, The Buckinghamshire Golf Club
-3 Dryburgh (Sco);  -2 G Hall (Eng), C Gainer (Eng);  -1 L M Humphreys (AM) (Eng), A Boulden (Wal), C Hull (Eng), A Dimmock (Eng)

Gemma Dryburgh shot a three-under-par 69, which included six birdies and three bogeys, to beat 2018 Women’s British Open champion Georgia Hall and Cara Gainer by a single shot.

The 27-year-old Scot had a poor start. Bogeys at the first and third dropped her to two over, but she made it back to level par at the 10th after holing her approach shot for birdie. More birdies followed at the 13th, 14th and 16th holes before a 15-foot putt for par on the 17th and a safe par on the 18th completed a cracking back-nine of 32 shots and a three-under-par total of 69.

Georgia Hall, playing her first tournament in almost five months, was two clear of the field on the 18th tee, but a bogey at the last dropped her back to two-over-par and opened the door for Dryburgh to claim victory.

Charley Hull, who won the first Rose Ladies' Series event at Brokenhurst Manor two weeks ago, finished tied for 4th on one-under-par in group that included the teenage amateur Lily-May Humphreys. After three events, Hull leads the Rose Ladies' Order of Merit.

Last week’s winner Meg MacLaren finished tied for 14th at two-over.

Gemma Dryburgh, whose father Jim caddied for her, said:

"It is definitely the best win of my pro career."

"Just look at the field - it was almost like a LPGA Tour event, with Georgia [Hall], Charley [Hull] and Bronte [Law] and, of course, Dame Laura [Davies]. I didn't have the best front nine, but I slam-dunked my bunker shot on the 10th for a birdie and that got me going.

"The coronavirus rules say your caddie must be from the same household, and it was so great to have Dad here. We have a good record together, as he was with me at the Q-Schools when I got my Tour cards, so my normal caddie should look out!"

"I’ll always remember this win. And we’ll have double reason to celebrate tonight as its my parents' 38th wedding anniversary.”

The next event in the Justin Rose Ladies' Series is at Royal St George's on Thursday 9 June. It is likely to be the last in the series for Dryburgh. The Scot is due to head out to the United States to quarantine in time for the restart of the LPGA Tour at the end of July.