Business as usual for caddy Vicky Drysdale in Saudi Arabia

Vicky Drysdale will be caddying for her husband David at the Saudi International this week. Pic: TSPL

Respecting Saudi Arabia tradition, Drysdale wore an abaya she’d bought as she flew in from Dubai on Monday.

But it was shorts, a short-sleeved polo shirt and a sun visor as she got down to work at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in preparation for the new tournament on the Europpean Tour schedule.

“I was always coming,” Drysdale told the Edinburgh Evening News. “David and I never thought otherwise, to be honest. As the week has come around, some of the stuff being said about what you can and can’t do probably raised a slight doubt about whether or not I should caddie.

“But I spoke to Janet Squire, the other female full-time caddie on the European Tour. She’s on the caddie committee and had spoken to lots of people connected to the tournament. They all said that we would be fine.”

Drysdale, who has been on her husband’s bag for more than two years, added: “We were all advised to wear abayas as we got on the plane and got off it. That was out of respect. I had bought one and didn’t mind at all having to wear it as we arrived. But I don’t have to worry about wearing it when I am caddying.

“I spoke to a girl when we arrived at the hotel and asked if I had to wear the abaya in that area. But she said, ‘no, I was absolutely fine’. It’s just business as usual. I feel fine and I’m here to get on with my job.”