Westhill golfer Gemma Dryburgh has made a positive start in the first round of the Evian Championship.
The 30-year-old managed to secure a top 20 finish in last week’s Dana Open and will be hoping to remain in contention in the fourth major tournament of the year at Evian-les-Bans.
With the Solheim Cup looming, Dryburgh has been edging closer to the form that saw her claim a maiden title in last November’s Toto Japan Classic.
The Scot’s best finish in recent months a tied 13th spot at the JM Eagle LA Championship in April. She also secured her best finish in a major by ending the US Women’s Open just outside the top 30 earlier this month.
It was a positive start for Dryburgh, who plies her trade in the States on the LPGA Tour, on her return to Europe as she battles it out with world class players like Jin Young Ko, Nelly Korda, Minjin Lee and Leona Maguire.
Dryburgh made par for her first six holes before a disappointing bogey on the seventh, a par five. She ended her front nine in style with a birdie to level par and see her reach the back nine on 35.
And she was quickly under-par with another birdie on the par four 11th. Undeterred by a dropped shot on 13, a par four, Dryburgh bounced back with a three on the par four 17th to leave her with a one-under-par 70 for the round.
She produced the same card as the aforementioned Ko and Korda and is currently six shots behind the leader, South Africa’s Paula Reto.
In Wales, the men’s Senior Open got underway at Royal Porthcawl with former Open champion Paul Lawrie and Aberdeenshire veteran Greig Hutcheon representing the north-east.
Lawrie’s round was up and running at the time of writing but Hutcheon, the professional at Torphins Golf Club, finished one-over-par on his opening round.
Source : Aberdeen Live
