How coronavirus and finances affect elite British sportswomen

Gemma Dryburgh is a Scottish golfer who plays on the LPGA tour and Ladies European Tour. The LPGA tour resumed last month after a near five-month break because of coronavirus

“It’s going to be a lot more costly this year. Usually on the LPGA, I stay with local families, which saves on accommodation costs but they are recommending us not to do that and to stay in a hotel by ourselves. Usually we’ll do that or share with other players in an Airbnb or hotel room but we won’t be able to do that this year. We’re not allowed to share cars, so that’s going to be more costly too.

“Thankfully on the LPGA, they are going to be able to give a stipend from our Arkansas event [the NW Arkansas Championship from 27-30 August] onwards to anyone who misses the cut, so that’s going to be helpful for a lot of girls to cover costs, that’s positive at least.

“It’s definitely an extra incentive [to win more money]. You want to do as well as you can, make this year a positive one even though it’s been hard for everyone.

“The extra cost and the fact that there is not going to be any qualifying for next year… it’s going to drive a lot of girls out of the game, unfortunately, especially on the lower tours. So basically, if you want to get on the LPGA or LET, you have to wait another year.

“That could change a lot of girls’ lives and a lot of their career paths. Some girls might have sponsorship, thinking ‘if I get on tour next year then that will be it’ but they will have to wait another year for that. It’s another year of just amateur golf – a lot of girls might not be able to afford to do that, so I hope we don’t lose that talent coming through.”