Gemma Dryburgh Makes Prediction On Potential Women's Masters

Gemma Dryburgh believes there will "eventually" be a women's professional event at Augusta National, but predicted that it won't happen during her playing career.

The Scot tees it up at the AIG Women's Open this week at the world famous Old Course at St Andrews, where Lorena Ochoa in 2007 and Stacy Lewis in 2013 won the previous two stagings.

Much has been spoken about on the potential for the world's best female golfers to one day play a 'women's' Masters, with the Augusta course being on par with the Old Course and Pebble Beach, venue for the 2023 US Women's Open, as some of golf's most famous layouts.

"I always think that we will get there eventually," Dryburgh said of a potential women's Masters.

"I don't think it will be when I'm still playing; that's my prediction. But it would be great to have a women's professional event there. 

"It's obviously a nice step in the right direction that we've got an amateur event there now but yeah would I love to see a professional event there."

The Augusta National Women's Amateur was founded in 2019 and has an impressive list of winners already in just five stagings. Major winner Jennifer Kupcho triumphed in the inaugural tournament, with Rose Zhang winning in 2023 before sealing the NCAA Division 1 title and then emerging victorious in her pro debut on the LPGA Tour.

England's Lottie Woad, the current World No.1-ranked amateur, prevailed in 2024 after birdieing three of the final four holes.

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley this year suggested that there are currently no plans to introduce a Women's Masters, however.

"There are some fundamental difficulties in that," he explained.

"We happily were able to find a way to have a competition for juniors and a competition for women amateurs sort of wrapped around the Masters tournament, and it just seems to fit really well.

"To have another tournament of any kind would be very difficult based on our season, based on the fact that this is essentially a winter and spring golf course. It's not open in the summer. It doesn't play the way we want it to play in the fall for a major tournament. We did have one, one time, and Dustin Johnson did very well [2020 Masters, delayed until November due to Covid-19]."

'Lorena was a hero of mine growing up'

Dryburgh is proud to be following in her hero's footsteps this week, with the World No.81 describing Lorena Ochoa's 2007 win at St Andrews as an inspiration for her pro career.

"I would say when Lorena won, that's probably like one of the most inspirational moments from my childhood watching women's golf, apart from Catriona winning, as well, The Open," she said.

"But Lorena was a hero of mine growing up. I just loved way she played and her attitude and obviously when she won at St Andrews, it doesn't get more iconic than that, and obviously watching Stacy win as well. 

"Yeah, I was in the Dunvegan two weeks ago and I saw Stacy's photo right in front of the bar. It's just so cool to have those moments in women's golf, and I think women's golf going to more venues like St Andrews and Pebble Beach last year, just iconic places where people know all these shots and all these moments, and it's just great that we can make our own history."

Gemma Dryburgh won her maiden LPGA Tour title at the 2022 TOTO Japan Classic. She plays in her fifth AIG Women's Open this week.