GEMMA NEEDS GOOD RUN AT GLENISLA TO CLINCH GIRLS' CAP

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Next week's Scottish Under-18 girls' match-play championship at Glenisle Golf Club, Alyth is a make-or-break event as far as Aberdeen-born Gemma Dryburgh is concerned as she bids to achieve her ambition of gaining a Scotland girls' cap in what is her last season in junior golf.
Gemma, pictured, will be enrolling at Tulane University, New Orleans in August, having been a student at the IMG David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Father John is an oil company executive who divides his time between his Aberdeen office and the family home in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.
“I moved the family down from Aberdeen in 2002 as my London office was as that time growing fast and I needed to be on top of it. Now all our work is looked after in my Aberdeen office and I work from home in Beaconsfield and in my Aberdeen office in Albert Street,” said John.
“Gemma is a member of Beaconsfield Golf Club and she played for Bucks in the recent County week in Worcestershire, where she was undefeated and included past English girls champion Elizabeth Mallett among her victims.”
Gemma is better known as a promising junior golfer in the United States, where she has lived for most of the past few years, than she is in her native Scotland. Tulane University's golf staff, for instance, were delighted she chose to go there for the next four years. They feel it's a major boost for their women's golf team prospects on the US college circuit.
There were difficulties in translating her US handicap to gain entry to the British girls' championship last year and she missed the event but she will definitely be in the field for this year’s Under-18s championship at Gullane in early August.
“Gemma’s CONGU handicap has come down from 6 to 1 and after third-place finish in last week’s Bridget Jackson Bowl open tournament at Handsworth, it will be 0.9, so if she can play a few medal rounds before the Scottish tournaments she might get it down to scratch in time for those. Her US handicap is +2,” said Mr Dryburgh.
“She is desperate to play for Scotland – and she loves Gullane where the girls’ home internationals will be played from August 3 to 5 (the week before the British girls championship, also at Gullane).”
The Scottish Ladies Golfing Association selectors will choose the Scotland Under-18 team at the conclusion of next week’s Scottish girls’ championship at Glenisla Golf Club, Alyth (July 12 to 16).
Gemma's US form and rating is an unknown factor for the SLGA selection committe but her low handicap and her recent performances in the Astor Salver and Bridget Jackson Bowl will stand her in good stead but she needs a good run in the championship to clinch an Under-18s international cap.