Paju, Korea - The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews made history on September 25, 2026, welcoming Claire Dowling as its first female Captain during the traditional driving-in ceremony on the 1st tee of the famous Old Course.
At precisely 8:00 a.m., a cannon blast signaled the start of the proceedings, and Dowling hit her opening drive down the fairway before a large crowd of members, past captains, and spectators who gathered to witness the milestone moment.
In taking on the historic role, Dowling will serve as a global ambassador for both the Club and The R&A. Throughout her term, she will represent the organization at major professional and amateur championships worldwide, supporting The R&A’s strategic initiative to grow and promote golf internationally.
“To begin my year as Captain here in St Andrews, surrounded by friends and fellow Members, is a very special moment,” Dowling said following her tee shot. “It is a huge privilege to serve as Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and I am honoured to be the first woman to take on the role. The Club has such a remarkable history and tradition, but it is continuing to evolve, which is so important for any institution.”
Dowling brings an extensive competitive and administrative background in golf to the captaincy. Born and educated in Dublin, she enjoyed a decorated amateur career, winning five Irish Championships, the 1986 Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship, and the 1987 Spanish Amateur Championship. She played in four Curtis Cups for Great Britain and Ireland, featuring in the historic 1986 team that secured GB&I’s first-ever victory on American soil at Prairie Dunes.
She later captained the GB&I Curtis Cup team in 2000 and was among the first group of women invited to join The Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 2015. Alongside her administrative service, Dowling is a seasoned referee who has officiated at seven Open Championships. In 2021, she and her husband Peter made history at Royal St George’s as the first married couple to referee at the same championship.
The ceremony also preserved one of St Andrews’ most enduring traditions. While the captaincy was originally awarded to the winner of the annual Challenge for the Silver Club, it transitioned to an elected position in the early 19th century. Under longstanding custom, the incoming Captain buys back their opening tee ball from the caddie who retrieves it, paying with a gold sovereign bearing the image of His Majesty King Charles III.
Canadian caddie Dillon McCarron, 30, retrieved Dowling’s drive to earn the traditional reward.
“With Claire being the first female Captain, it’s quite an honour,” said McCarron, who is in his second season caddying at St Andrews. “I didn’t really know where the ball was going to go, but it came right to me. I didn’t think there would be much chance with so many caddies out there, so it’s very exciting.”
The retrieved ball will now be cast in silver and added to the historic Silver Club collection.