Stephen Gallacher confessed he’s never experienced a more important six week stretch in his career than the period commencing with today’s (THUR) starting French Open in Versailles.
The French Open heralds the start of a five tournament run for Gallacher including next week’s Scottish Open along with the following week’s Open Championship and then his last two events in the U.S. this season, the back-to-back WGC – Bridgestone Invitational and the August 7th starting PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Of course, foremost in Gallacher’s mind is a second success this season but then at the end of the six weeks his efforts could very well be rewarded with a first-ever Ryder Cup cap.
Stephen Gallacher facing the most important run of events in his career. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)
“I have five massive tournaments to compete in including next week’s Scottish Open which is like a Major for all the Scottish guys, so Championship really in many ways I am staring at three Majors including The Open and the PGA Championship and there’s a WGC event with the Bridgestone Invitational,” he said.
“So I have been working as hard as I can to peak for these five events over the next six weeks.
“I know also if I do play well then there’s that other event in Scotland in late September, so that’s still a very big goal of mine.
“There is also expectations on me to do well over this period, and I don’t think I’ve had a more important run of events in my career like I am facing over these six weeks, so it’s up to me those channel expectations properly.
“Then going to Royal Aberdeen next week, and back to Aberdeen where I used to live for a couple of years, I know there’s going to be expectations to do well on home soil but then I’ve been playing the Scottish Open for 18 years so I sought of know how to handle the week and use the support from everyone next week to my advantage.
“So the five, including this week’s French Open, are five of the best tournaments you could play and I just want to go out and enjoy them.”
Gallacher is currently 12th overall on the European Ryder Cup points table and with most observers believing the Scot, who lives the closest to Gleneagles than any other player among the top-30 on the points list, will not be a member of Paul McGinley’s unless he breaks into the top-nine automatic qualifiers.
However foremost in Gallacher’s mind is a strong showing on this week’s 2018 Ryder Cup host venue where he will lead out the field of 10 Scots.
As well, there is the added bonus of three places into next fortnight’s Open Championship for the leading three players, who are not already exempt, to finish this week inside the top-10.
Tuesday’s Local Final Qualifying at Glasgow Gailes has seen the number of Scots into golf’s oldest Major double with Marc Warren, Jamie McLeary and Paul McKechnie now joining Gallacher and former Open winner’s Sandy Lyle and Paul Lawrie.
“It’s brilliant as we have three more Scots into The Open and chances to boost that number this week here in France and next week at the Scottish,” he said.
“I was really pleased for Paul as he helped out with some coaching for my Foundation and he’s a proper player and a great talent.
“So it’s speaks volumes for the state of Scottish golf at the moment.
“And competing here in Versailles this week is going to help as it’s like competing on three links courses in a row in these next three weeks, though I’ve not seen the National as green as this before.
“But then I’m looking forward to Royal Aberdeen that I haven’t played since 1994 and Royal Liverpool as I haven’t been there since 1995 when I played the Amateur Championship.”
However the timing of the four Local Final Qualifiers has helped with the French Open preparations of Warren, Jack Doherty, Scott Jamieson and Alastair Forsyth who each didn’t arrive at Versailles until near lunch yesterday (WED).
It’s a reason why the likes of Richie Ramsay, Craig Lee, Chris Doak and David Drsydale opted to stake their Royal Liverpool aspirations on securing one of the six places on offer over the next fortnight and with the Scottish Open also affording three places into The Open.
