New era starting to take shape in our women’s game

It’s purely a coincidence but, since Catriona Matthew opened the next chapter in her career as Europe’s Solheim Cup captain, Scottish women’s golf has enjoyed its most encouraging spell for some time.

Gemma Dryburgh will be joining long-time Scottish No 1 and, of course, major winner Matthew on the LPGA next season after her recent success in that circuit’s Qualifying School in Florida and now Michele Thomson is showing signs that her Ladies European Tour career is about to get really exciting.

It took a lot of guts from the Aberdonian to give up on her dream at one point and join the police, but her feat in securing a top-20 finish on this season’s money list, where she ended up as the top Scot, just goes to show that taking a step back then trying again can often be a sensible move in professional sport.

As much as Matthew has been an inspiration for every young girl golfer in Scotland for the past 20 years, the game has been crying out for new role models and it’s great to see both Dryburgh and Thomson shaping up nicely in that respect.

In a welcome boost for the Ladies European Tour, it’s just been announced that the 2018 schedule will start with a four-event swing in Australia, where Kelsey Macdonald will also be heading with renewed confidence after joining Thomson in finishing in the top 15 in the season-ending Dubai Ladies Classic at the weekend.