Gemma one shot behind Choi Hye-Jin after impressive opening round
KUALA LUMPUR: Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh believes she has what it takes to lift the trophy at this year’s Maybank Championship after a strong opening round at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC).
Speaking to theSun after posting an impressive 7-under 65 yesterday, the 31-year-old expressed confidence in her form and mindset heading into the weekend.
“Of course.
I’ve put myself in a good position now, so no reason why not.
If I keep going the way I played today, then no reason why I can’t be in the hunt on Sunday,“ Dryburgh said.
She is tied for second with Italian Benedetta Moresco, one shot behind first-round leader Choi Hye-Jin from South Korea.
Dryburgh acknowledged the demanding nature of the KLGCC course, describing it as both beautiful and punishing for those who miss the fairways.
“KLGCC’s got a couple of challenging holes.
It’s a tough course, and usually, the scores are pretty low.
“You have to hit it hard off the tee because the rough is quite thick.
But if you can get it close, you can make some putts, which is nice.”
The scorching Malaysian weather added another layer of difficulty to her round, with temperatures soaring under the tropical sun.
“It’s very hot, obviously,” she said. “I just tried to stay cool, had the umbrella out to stay in the shade.
It’s more of a mental challenge than anything else.”
Dryburgh also praised the emerging talent among Malaysian golfers, highlighting the progress of players rising star Mirabel Ting.
“Yeah, (they are) amazing.
I’ve known Kelly Tan for a long time.
I think she was behind me today.
It’s great to see some new girls come through.
Ashley Lau, I think as well.
“I’m obviously excited for what Mirabel is going to do.
She’s obviously had a really good amateur career.
I’m excited to have them on the tour and see how they go.”
Meanwhile, Malaysian pro golfer Tan made a solid start to this year’s Maybank Championship, finishing at 3-under 69.
The 30-year-old, playing in front of her home crowd at the KLGCC, showcased her skills despite a few setbacks.
“I hit a lot of fairways and gave myself a lot of looks.
I hit 15 greens, so obviously, a lot of birdie chances.
I made a few, so that was nice.”
However, she also encountered some trouble on the 9th and 10th holes, recording bogeys on both.
“I just pulled my 7-iron on No. 9 and went in the bunker, and had a top fly.
On No. 10, I had a bit of bad luck with a flyer from the rough.
But I took my medicine and came back with birdies.”
Despite the minor setbacks, Tan remained upbeat about her performance, saying that she had what it takes to recover from the mistakes.
“You can’t win a tournament on the first day, but I kept myself in it and gave myself chances.
I just focused on the next shot and how I could set up for a birdie.”
Tan also said that she enjoyed playing in front of friends, family, and passionate Malaysian fans.
“Playing at home is always hard but fun at the same time.
The expectation is through the roof because you want to make your country proud.
This week, though, I’m just trying to keep it low key and enjoy myself.”
KLGC’s challenging layout didn’t faze Tan, who was familiar with the course but acknowledged it still presented risk-reward decisions especially the 16th hole, though she said that that’s not where he struggled.
“I birdied the 16th, so that was really good.
But I’d say 9 and 10 challenged me the most today,” she said.
Looking ahead to the rest of the tournament, Tan said that she need to fine-tune her putting and work for longer putts.
The Maybank Championship, the most prestige woman golf tournament in Asean, features a 78-golfers competing over four days in a no-cut format, with a total prize purse of RM12.6 million at stake.
