Since its founding in May 1754, the Royal and Ancient (The R&A) Golf Club of St Andrews had never had a woman serve as captain. However, that changed on Friday morning when Claire Dowling made history by taking the first tee shot on the Old Course following the traditional driving-in ceremony.
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Nominated by former captains in May 2026 for the position, Dowling officially began her term as the 272nd captain by sending her opening drive down the fairway. Members, former captains, and members of the public gathered to witness the historic moment and celebrate the time-honored tradition. For Dowling herself, the moment was very special.
“To begin my year as Captain here in St Andrews, surrounded by friends and fellow Members, is a very special moment,” the 68-year-old said following the tee shot. “ It is a huge privilege to serve as Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, and I am honored 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. I am really looking forward to representing the Club and to everything the year ahead will bring. I’m also excited to be supporting The R&A as it continues its important work to develop and promote golf around the world while celebrating everything that makes our sport so special.”
In her new role, Dowling will serve as an ambassador for the Club and the R&A. Interestingly, though, the process of selecting the captain has evolved over the years. In the past, the winner of the annual Challenge for the Silver Club was awarded the captaincy. That tradition came to an end in the early 19th century, when the position began to be determined by a vote.
Meanwhile, the current tradition requires the new captain to buy back her golf ball from the caddie who retrieves and returns it, paying with a gold sovereign bearing the image of His Majesty King Charles III. In Dowling’s case, caddie Dillon McCarron carried out the task of retrieving the ball, which will be cast in silver and displayed on the Silver Club.
“It’s pretty cool to collect the ball,” said McCarron. “With Claire being the first female Captain, it’s quite an honour. I didn’t really know where the ball was going to go, but it came over my buddy’s head and then came right to me. This is my second season caddying here, so I learned about this tradition last year.
“I was excited to come down this morning, and I didn’t think there would be much chance of winning with there being so many caddies, so it’s quite the honour for sure.”
That said, how much do you really know about Claire Dowling?
Who is Claire Dowling and what are her achievements?
A native of Dublin, the Irish golfer has one of the most decorated careers in women’s golf. When she was an active player, Dowling won the Irish Women’s Close Championship five times, the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 1986, and the Spanish Amateur Championship in 1987. That’s not all!
She also won the Women’s South Atlantic Amateur in the US in 1983, which made her only the second Irish golfer to win there after Christy O’Connor Snr. Not to mention, she won the Hampshire Rose, Critchley Salver, and Bridget Jackson Bowl. Meanwhile, internationally, the 68-year-old represented Great Britain & Ireland in four Curtis Cups.
That includes the landmark 1986 team that secured the first GB&I victory over the USA on American soil at Prairie Dunes. Beyond that, she captained the GB&I Curtis Cup team in 2000, as well as the Vagliano Trophy and Irish teams. Dowling later transitioned into administration and officiating, becoming among the first women admitted to R&A membership in 2015.
That being said, it seems the captaincy at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews was destined for Dowling. However, only time will tell how she embraces the responsibilities of her historic new role.