Six of the world’s top-10 are among a star-studded field competing at this week’s 2023 Women’s Scottish Open presented by Trust Golf at Dundonald Links.
Twelve months ago, Japan’s Ayaka Furue produced a stunning final round and course record score of 10-under-par 62 to finish three shots ahead of overnight leader Celine Boutier.
It was Furue’s maiden win on the LPGA Tour with her final round including a run of six successive birdies during her closing round from holes six through to 11 as she charged up the leaderboard.
Her victory at Dundonald remains her only LPGA Tour win to date but the 23-year-old has been showing good form in 2023 with seven top-10 finishes, including at two of this year’s majors – the US Women’s Open and the Women’s PGA Championship.
In her pre-tournament press conference, Furue, who is the shortest player on the LPGA Tour at 5ft, said: “I’m very happy to be back here and very excited to be playing this week.
“It was my rookie year so the win was very important for me and it gave me a lot of confidence
“I felt very relieved to get is this win.
“I have learned a lot of things on the LPGA Tour, from travelling around, how to play every week and my English. I’m very much enjoying the tour.”
On returning to Dundonald, she added: “I’m trying to be a good friend with the wind on this course and enjoy my golf this week.
“From playing in the practice round, I realised 10-under is a great score for me on this course.
“The course is a little softer this year after the rain.”
Other potential winners this week?
There is no shortage of players who could win at Dundonald this week.
France’s Boutier, the world number four, came close 12 months ago so has shown form on the course. She heads into the event on the back of the biggest week of her career after winning a major on home soil with her six shot victory at the Evian Championship.
She said: “I had a very good week last year on this course.
“I feel it’s going to be a good week to prepare for the British.”
“I really enjoy playing on links courses and even though Walton Heath is not going to be a traditional links it’s still good to be in the UK and Scotland and to be able to get a feel for the wind and weather.”
Dundonald Links 👌🏴#RaiseOurGame | #FGWSO pic.twitter.com/JKiL4V8aWk
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) August 2, 2023
Will her efforts last week have an impact on her hopes of winning in Scotland?
Sweden’s Linn Grant, whose grandfather James was a professional golfer in Inverness before emigrating to Helsingborg, could easily make her way into contention.
Charley Hull, Hyo Joo Kim, Allisen Corpuz, Atthaya Thitikul and Australian Minjee Lee, whose brother Min Woo Lee won the 2021 Scottish Open, are among those expected to be in the mix.
Nasa Hataoka is another player to watch. She finished seventh last year and arrives at Dundonald on the back of a tied third finish at the Evian Championship and a tied fourth at the US Women’s Open on her last two starts.
Can Dryburgh dazzle at Dundonald?
Gemma Dryburgh will lead home hopes, especially following an excellent top-10 finish at last week’s Evian Championship in France.
It was her best finish in a major to date and has propelled her into the top 50 in the world rankings.
She said: “It was nice to get that first top-10 of the season.
“That was my best finish in a major so far so I’m coming into these events in good form and feeling confident.”
A strong week at Dundonald would do no harm to Dryburgh’s chances of making Suzann Pettersen’s European team to face the United States in the Solheim Cup in Spain.
📈 This is how @SolheimCupEuro looks after the #EvianChamp 👇
🏆 @celineboutier #VamosGirls | #SolheimCup2023
— The Solheim Cup (@TheSolheimCup) August 1, 2023
Dryburgh, who grew up in Westhill near Aberdeen, is one of seven Scots in the field along with fellow north-east duo Laura Beveridge and Michele Thomson as well as Pamela Pretswell Asher, Louise Duncan, Kylie Henry and Heather Macrae.
Beveridge has made a good start to the Ladies European Tour, which included a fourth-place finish at the Czech Ladies Open. She will be hoping for another good week in her national open.
