Tag: Rose Ladies Series

Ryder Cup stalwarts Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson giving it one more try at Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Ryder Cup stalwarts Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson are giving it one more try at the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson have a unique, shared history in golf.

The two go way back to their amateur days, but are most known for their dominant partnership in the Ryder Cup, where they boast an impressive 6-2 record. Rose won the gold medal in the 2016 Olympic Games, beating Stenson, the silver medalist. Both players have won 20-plus professional events worldwide and each has earned a FedEx Cup title, Stenson in 2013 and Rose in 2018.

But that shared history and past success has yet to make its way to TPC Louisiana and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In two previous appearances together, the pairing missed the cut in 2017 and finished T-19 in 2018, poor performances by their lofty standards.

“Teamed up the first two years and we didn’t have much success, so we obviously are hoping and looking to turn that around this time,” said Stenson in the team’s pre-tournament press conference. “It’s like a bit of a fresh air to see something slightly different compared to the regular 72-hole tournaments that we play most of the time. So really fun week and looking forward to teaming up with Justin and turning that fabulous record that we have here around this week.”

“I actually feel like there’s a lot of pressure on us because reading between the lines, Henrik phoned me up and said, ‘Hello, partner, should we give it one more try?’” joked Rose, a Zurich ambassador who won the event in 2015 before it became a team event in 2017.

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If anything, the two less-than-stellar performances at the Zurich are somewhat of a benefit for Rose and Stenson.

“I think that is always that temptation to say ‘sorry’ or that temptation to try to be too perfect or that temptation, yeah, it’s not wanting to let your partner down, but we have let each other down multiple times already, so I think we’re over that hurdle,” explained Rose.

“There’s certainly that element that you don’t want to let your partner down, but you do that by trying to do your best and trying to play as freely as you can,” added Stenson. “And, yeah, we are both going to miss and no one’s doing that intentionally, so it’s just to move on and get on with it, and I think a key part is that we know each other so well for many years, both playing together in the Ryder Cups but also playing amateur golf, and kind of, yeah, going way back, as they say.”

“So we know each other and trust each other and I think that’s been obviously key to our success as well in the Ryder Cups and having that comfort. And we also play a very similar game, I would say, when we play our finest and that makes it kind of easy out of a strategic and tactical standpoint as well.”

As Michelle Wie West launches her #HoodieforGolf initiative to grow the women’s game, it’s worth noting the work that both Rose and Stenson do to increase the opportunities for women to play the game.

Rose and his wife, Kate, founded the Rose Ladies Series in 2020 to provide playing opportunities while the Ladies European Tour was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stenson and LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam will host the Scandinavian Mixed, a co-sanctioned event by the European Tour and Ladies European Tour, June 10-13 at Sweden’s Vallda Golf & Country Club. The tournament will feature 78 men and 78 women on the same course, competing for one prize fund and one trophy for the first time.

“It’s a unique one, the first of its kind having both men and women playing together in the same tournament for the same prize check,” Stenson said of the mixed event. “And it is going to be interesting to see, I’m sure we are going to have some little challenges getting the setup and getting all that to work out perfectly the first year, but it’s innovative and inclusive concept and it’s not just going to be a celebration of golf in Sweden on the men’s and women’s side, it’s, I think it’s going to be an event that’s going to be seen and heard around the world, really, and that’s really the part where you can get those benefits and really spread the word around.”

Rose said he doesn’t see an even pay structure happening in golf without the women’s game being highlighted to the point where fans at home have the chance to get to know the players as more than a name on a leaderboard.

“And obviously that’s sort of been what the Rose Ladies Series is all about, creating a platform for them to play through lockdown and also try to support times of the year where their schedule isn’t as strong,” said Rose. “So just giving – like as an athlete you got to keep your skill set sharp, so we’re trying to support the playing opportunities, but at the same time very cognizant of telling the stories and trying to create the upward profile so the journey towards a better pay equality is possible and that’s why (the Scandinavian Mixed) is amazing.”

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Gemma Dryburgh wins again, this time making history at Royal St. George’s

Gemma Dryburgh hoisted a trophy at the first women’s professional event ever held at Royal St. George’s, a Rose Ladies Series event.

Only one player broke par on a windy and historic day at Royal St. George’s. Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh won her second consecutive Rose Ladies Series event with a 1-under 69, clipping England’s Charley Hull and Georgia Hall by one stroke. Both Hall and Hull are winners on the LPGA, with Hall, of course, winning the 2018 AIG Women’s British Open.

Dryburgh, a former standout at Tulane, found out earlier this week that she’ll be playing in her first Women’s British Open next month at Royal Troon. Surely hoisting a trophy at the first women’s professional event ever held at Royal St. George’s bodes well for her upcoming debut.

After all, Royal St. George’s was set to host the men’s British Open next week before COVID-19 canceled those plans. This marked the fourth event on the Rose Ladies Series, which has eight total.

Dryburgh has history at Royal St. George’s, having competed there at the 2014 British Ladies Amateur, the same year she represented Great Britain and Ireland at the Curtis Cup. The previous trip helped with the fact that she didn’t have a practice round at Royal St. George’s this week. She instead warmed up with a Clutch Pro Tour event at Sunningdale Health, finishing tied for ninth in a mixed tournament won by Will Percival.

On Wednesday after an LPGA player meeting, Dryburgh booked her ticket to the U.S. She’ll quarantine for two weeks in Texas before heading up to Toledo, Ohio, for back-to-back events as the LPGA reboots its 2020 season. She’ll then travel back home to Scotland for two more events, a most welcome homecoming in these uncertain times.

Dryburgh has come a long way since she was hitting balls in a homemade backyard net last April, wondering when she’d get to play golf again. Two trophies later, she’s ready to get back on the LPGA.

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LPGA player Gemma Dryburgh wins third event on Rose Ladies Series, edging Georgia Hall

LPGA player Gemma Dryburgh claimed the third event on the Rose Ladies Series, holding off former AIG Women’s British Open champ Georgia Hall

LPGA player Gemma Dryburgh claimed the third event on the Rose Ladies Series with a 3-under 69, holding off former AIG Women’s British Open winner Georgia Hall and Cara Gainer, who turned pro last fall, by one stroke. The 18-hole event took place at Buckinghamshire Golf Club and featured the likes of Dame Laura Davies, Charley Hull and Bronte Law.

Scotland’s Dryburgh is now second on the tour’s Order of Merit behind Hull. Liz Young, co-creator of the series, is third.

Dryburgh earned 5,000 pounds for her efforts. Amerian Golf stepped up to sponsor an Order of Merit race after Justin Rose and his wife Kate put in 35,000 pounds to help create the series.  The Order of Merit winner will receive 20,000 pounds while 10,000 goes to second and 5,000 to third.

This marked Hall’s first appearance on the English tour. Earlier this week she told the Telegraph Sport that she planned to compete in the remaining six events, which included Buckinghamshire.

“As far as British women’s golf goes, this field is as good as it gets really and I’m excited about being part of it,” Hall told Telegraph Sport. “Initially, I wasn’t sure going to play at all in the series and instead just practie hard for when the Tours resume.

“But I played in a pro-am in Worplesdon last week and I absolutely loved having a scorecard in my hand again. It had been more than four months and I didn’t realize how much I’d missed competition.

“Plus the first winners gave the series great exposure and I figure that as Justin and his wife have done so much to get this on, not only putting in their own money but also attracting a couple of sponsors, I should turn up and I’ll play in every one of them from now.”

Hull won the series’ first event and the LET’s Meghan MacLaren won the second.

On Wednesday, organizers announced that a third day of competition had been added to the Rose Ladies Series Grand Final. In addition to Berkshire and Wentworth, the last event will also be held over North Hants Golf Club, where Rose grew up playing golf.

“I wanted the Grand Final to best replicate the playing conditions these professionals will be going back to over the coming weeks on tour and by adding an extra day, with a cut, it felt like we were doing just that,” said Rose in a release.

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Justin Rose’s new women’s golf series means so much more than a place to play

Karen Stupples: “I believe that Justin is saying that he believes these women are tremendous athletes and they deserve a chance.”

Justin Rose’s actions sent a strong but simple message to the women’s golf world: I see you. I respect you. I care.

Rose and his wife, Kate, recently unveiled details of the new Rose Ladies Series in a Telegraph exclusive. The series, which consists of seven one-day events in England, kicks off on June 18 at Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club and includes a stop at Royal St. George’s, which was set to host the men’s British Open later this summer before the coronavirus hit.

“You cannot distinguish between men’s golf and ladies golf,” Rose told The Telegraph. “The dreams are same from the outset, but it is the opportunity and the platform that is skewed.”

That sound you just heard is the collective women’s golf world exhaling deeply. Finding an ally does so much to lighten the load.

As Rose readies to get back to work on the PGA Tour this week at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas, the Ladies European Tour won’t get started again until the Evian Championship in early August. The LPGA is slated to restart in late July.

Rose put 35,000 pounds (about $44,500) of his own money toward the prize fund, which is otherwise made from player entry fees. The money is nice, of course, but this isn’t about the money.

As former Women’s British Open champion Karen Stupples said, it’s about validation. It’s about respect. A former No. 1, major champion and Olympic gold medalist saw a need in women’s sport and lent his support.

“I believe that Justin, as a top player in the world, is saying that he believes these women are tremendous athletes and they deserve a chance,” said Stupples. “In this tough economic climate. … he didn’t want to see them getting left behind.”

This all got started when LET player Liz Young and Jason MacNiven, a head professional and custom-fitter at Brokenhurst Manor, decided to put together a one-day event at the club for English professionals. A story about the event ran in the Telegraph last Sunday, and later that evening Rose’s management company called Young to offer support.

Sky Sports signed on as a broadcast partner, giving English golfers incredible exposure. Young, a member at Brokenhurst, had 32 players signed up prior to the Rose announcement. She’s had nine more entries turned in since then. If hotels were open in the U.K., Young said the field would likely triple in size.

Dame Laura Davis is signed up along with LET winners Meghan MacLaren and Alice Hewson, who won the South African Open in her pro debut last March.

“It’s so powerful,” wrote MacLaren in a text. “It’s not just the events being created and the platform for us, it’s the entire conversation around it. It’s a conversation we’ve been having endlessly in the female game, but the simple fact is even collectively, our voices aren’t as loud as a top male player. … that’s just the world we’ve been living in.”

The Telegraph noted that Rose’s agent, Paul McDonnell, will act as the series manager while Excel Sports management will run the tournaments.

“We need feminist voices to not just be female,” Kate Rose, a former top-level gymnast, told The Telegraph. “We have to be promoting the sport of golf, which we all love. Opportunities in women’s golf are so much more difficult to come by at the moment, so anything that the men can do to lift up the women, they should be.”

Liz Young and daughter Isabelle (courtesy of Young).

Young, who played the 2016 Women’s British Open while seven months pregnant with daughter Isabelle, wants to make sure there are opportunities down the road for future generations. She’s already thinking about starting a kids’ academy off the event at Brokenhurst that would then allow junior players the chance to walk with their heroes inside the ropes, perhaps raking bunkers.

“If there’s no opportunity,” said Young, “then how do we know?”

LPGA commissioner Mike Whan publicly thanked Rose on twitter for recognizing the opportunity gap that exists between the men’s and women’s games.

“As a male athlete growing up, I never thought about the future of the athletic endeavor I was in,” Whan recently told Golfweek. “I never thought about the future of football or baseball or basketball or hockey. Those sports were going to be just fine. Find me a female playing a sport who isn’t worried about the future of her sport and making sure that the next kid gets more opportunities than her.”

The new Rose Ladies Series also gives British players a much-needed chance to warm up before their next start, which happens to be a major. Two of the next three events on the LET schedule, in fact, are majors, with the Aberdeen Stanford Investments Ladies Scottish Open and AIG Women’s British Open set to follow the Evian.

“What would stop the likes of Henrik Stenson doing it in Sweden,” asked Young, “Martin Kaymer doing it in Germany?”

Rose’s actions could have a ripple effect that go far beyond hosting one-day events in the midst of a global crisis. It’s an outreached hand that breaks through the insular bubble of men’s professional golf to help women who are simply trying to do the same thing.

“Hopefully it pushes people,” said MacLaren,” men and women across the industry to question why things have been enabled to get this far, and do more to change it.”

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