Aberdeen golfer Gemma Dryburgh opted to wear a blank white cap in last week’s LPGA Tour of Champions event.
The 29-year-old, who grew up in Westhill, has revealed she has never had a hat sponsor.
In her own words, she was sending out a message that the hat spot “is open”.
She asked Callaway for hats when she earned her LPGA card in 2018 as she had been using their clubs but she hasn’t actually signed with the company.
That was still the case when she made her breakthrough win on the LPGA Tour at the Toto Japan Classic.
If a Scottish golfer had won a PGA Tour you wouldn’t expect them to be without a hat sponsor.
She is a player who has received a lot of good coverage in recent times – rightly so for her great performances which saw her finish 34th on the order of merit.
If you can make it on the LPGA Tour then that shows you can compete against the best in the world.
It is good she got some publicity from the blank cap which may help her find a sponsor.
There is a perception that every golfer gets a lot of money for sponsorship deals but that isn’t the case.
The guys at the top of world of golf get a huge amount, which is relative to their standing in the global game.
Gemma isn’t the first player to do this. Mel Reid wore a blank cap throughout the summer of 2019 when she didn’t have a sponsor.
Gemma is playing at the highest level possible and performing well. She is going to be teeing up at all the majors in 2023 and could be playing for Europe in the Solheim Cup this year if she keeps up her form.
She said her agent was in talks with one potential sponsor so hopefully someone will see the blank cap and come forward.
With her ranking and her victory on the LPGA Tour you would expect her to have a hat sponsor so it was a surprise to see the blank cap.
But she has certainly sent out a message and hopefully someone comes forward.
A pleasing start
It was nice to start last week in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship where I finished tied 38th.
It was a really fun style of golf course and an enjoyable week.
We have the Hero Dubai Desert Classic this week. It’s a really nice course but the set-up doesn’t favour my game as much as last week’s venue, Yas Links.
The Emirates is a track where you have to work out how to get it round the course.
My back has been a little bit of an issue so I have been resting up as much as I can for the tournament.
Hopefully, it feels better come the start of play on Thursday.
Finally, it was great to see Torphins golfer Greig Hutcheon and fellow Scot David Drysdale make it through their respective Q School tests.
Hutch managed to grab one of five spots available on the Legends Tour.
He has lots of talent and he will want to prove he can compete alongside those top players on what was called the European Senior Tour.
David has been around for a long time and he will be pleased to bounce back straightaway from losing his DP World Tour status by winning a place on the Asian Tour.
It is a great way to start 2023 for them and I’m sure they are excited about the events they are going to be playing this year.
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