Gemma Dryburgh will have a good story to tell son Léo as he gets older. About the time mom holed out for eagle on her first hole back and went on to card a 6-under 66 in the opening round of the Honda LPGA Thailand.
Seven weeks ago, Dryburgh’s partner, Anne-Lise Bidou, gave birth to Léo. Bidou is a physiotherapist who travels on the LPGA, but not this time.
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“It was hard to leave,” said Dryburgh, a Scot who now makes her home in New Orleans. “I’m going to be away for three weeks this stretch, so it was tough to leave them, but, yeah, it will be nice to see them when I get back.”
Dryburgh pitched in from 79 yards on the par-5 10th hole at Siam Country Club’s Old Course and followed that with three consecutive birdies. She was 5 under after her first four holes of the season. She had only 26 putts on the day.
“Yeah, changed putters end of last year, so just kind of getting more used to it,” said Dryburgh. “Been working a lot on it. Saw my putting coach, Nick, over the winter and kind of worked a lot on it. Yeah, see the results today.”
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In 2022, Dryburgh became the fourth Scot to win on the LPGA when she triumphed at the Toto Japan Classic. The former Tulane standout was the first Scottish player to win on tour since Catriona Matthew at the 2011 Lorena Ochoa Invitational.
Dryburgh currently sits in a tie for third with South Korea’s Somi Lee and Hye-Jin Choi, one stroke back of leaders Nasa Hataoka and Chanettee Wannasaen of Thailand.
Fans take a photo of Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand after her tee shot on the 1st hole during the first round of the Honda LPGA Thailand 2026 at Siam Country Club on February 19, 2026 in Chon Buri, Thailand.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul is two back at 5 under, along with another Thai star, Ariya Jutanugran. Thitikul will celebrate her 23rd birthday on Friday.
“I couldn’t believe like time flies so fast,” said Thitikul, who was 14 years old the first time she played this event in 2017.
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“I mean, yesterday I just sitting on the coach in the hotel room and imagine I couldn’t believe how far that I have been come from 14 to now. Tomorrow going to be 23 now. I’m just grateful for everything that I really put the work in, and it just pays off.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: New mom holes out for eagle, shoots 66 in first event back on LPGA
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