St Andrews breaks tradition with historic R&A captaincy announcement

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has announced that Claire Dowling will serve as Captain for 2026/27, following her nomination by the Club’s Past Captains.

In a historic moment for the Club, Dowling becomes the first woman ever appointed Captain. She will formally take office after the traditional Driving-in ceremony on the first tee of the Old Course on Friday 25 September 2026.

A highly accomplished amateur golfer, Dowling represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup on four occasions and was part of the 1986 team that achieved a landmark 13–5 victory over the United States at Prairie Dunes, the first GB&I win on American soil.

Born and educated in Dublin, she graduated from Trinity College in 1979 with a BSc (Mgt) in Hotel and Catering Management. 

Her playing career included five Irish Championship titles, the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 1986, and the Spanish Amateur Championship in 1987. 

Dowling also reached the semi-finals of what is now the Women’s Amateur Championship in 1981 and 1988, while representing Ireland in the Home Internationals for more than a decade and competing across multiple European Team Championships, Espirito Santo Trophy events and Vagliano Trophies.

Following her playing career, Dowling moved into leadership roles at the highest level of amateur golf. She captained the GB&I Curtis Cup team in 2000 at Ganton in a narrow 10–8 defeat to the USA, as well as leading both the Vagliano Trophy and Irish teams during her career in administration and leadership.

Dowling's influence on the governance side of the game has been equally significant. 

She chaired England Golf’s Handicap and Course Rating Committee following the EGU/EWGA merger in 2012, served on the CONGU board from 2012 to 2015, and was an advisory member of The R&A Amateur Status Committee between 1997 and 2001.

Dowling was among the first women to become a member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 2015. 

She served on the Rules Committee from 2015 to 2019, becoming Deputy Chair in 2017, before being elected to the General Committee in 2019 and later appointed Deputy Chair in 2022. 

Dowling currently serves on the Membership Committee.

She has also acted as a referee at The Open on seven occasions, including at Royal St George’s in 2021, when she and her husband Peter became the first married couple to referee at the same Championship.

A respected figure in Irish and international amateur golf, Dowling holds honorary life memberships of the Irish Ladies’ Golf Union and several clubs including Portmarnock, Copt Heath, Woodbrook and Cork, and is also a member of East Devon. 

Her current Handicap Index is 7.6.

Dowling and her husband Peter, a retired District Judge, live in Devon and enjoy spending time on the beach.