In the two years since Stephen Gallacher captured a first Dubai Desert Classic title he’s only every used two drivers.
During the intervening period Gallacher’s driven the ball superbly to retain his Dubai Desert Classic title, contested an inaugural Masters and also represented Europe for a first time in a Ryder Cup.
Now on the occasion of the 26th Dubai Desert Classic, when Gallacher could join just five players on the European Tour to have ever won three tournaments in succession, the Scot is considering putting a new driver in his bag.
And this is despite comfortably out-driving World No. 1 Rory McIlroy on many occasions during last Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Invitational at Yas Links.
“I know this is an important week, as is any week out here on Tour, given what I can accomplish but I don’t have any reservations putting a new driver in the bag,” he said.
Stephen Gallacher hitting his new TaylorMade R15 driver for a first time in competiton. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
“I had a big session using TrakMan with the new TaylorMade driver here at The Emirates Club on Monday hitting about 60 balls, and the numbers I got back were very positive,” he said.
“I gave them to my coach, Alan (McCloskey) so he then phoned me back and said the numbers were brilliant”.
Gallacher debuted the driver in competition for a first time in yesterday’s (TUES) eight-man Challenge while he’ll take it into today’s (WED) Pro-Am.
“It’s nothing new, because the last two years I’ve won here, I’ve won with two different drivers, so it’s not going to faze me putting the newer driver in the bag because the numbers are saying it’s a bit faster and the ball is going a bit further.
“In the modern game, the further you hit it, the shorter the iron, and the better the percentage you have of making birdies.”
While Gallacher is confident of his new driver he played down thoughts of joining the rare club of Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els and Tiger Woods to have won the same European Tour event three years running.
“I don’t really think about record to be honest,” he said.
“I’ve got expectations what I want this week but I’m not going to put myself under any more pressure. If it happens, brilliant. If it doesn’t I will be happy I have given 100 per cent as I do every week.
“You come to every tournament and all you can do is prepare properly to win. That’s what you do every week, and it doesn’t happen very often. That’s the kind of nature of the game.
“So when you start to get outside of that and you try too hard and start to pick targets and look at records, you can let yourself get distracted. It’s a simple game of just trying to get out there and shoot as low as you can.
“My goal every week is to post as many birdies as I can, really.”
However Gallacher needs no reminding of his success in the Middle East given a full size replica of the Dubai Desert Classic ‘coffee pot’ trophy proudly staring him in a corner of his Bathgate abode.
“I see that trophy every morning when I get up,” he said.
“But then it’s just there because I cannot put it anywhere given it is very heavy and has to sit on the ground though we are doing up one of the rooms, so the trophy is going in one of the rooms eventually.
“I’ve also got some nice photographs from my two wins.”
MEANTIME
Henrik Stenson and Stephen Gallacher win the 2015 Dubai Desert Classic Challenge. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
Gallacher could not have asked for a better start to his double Omega Dubai Desert Classic defence with a timely victory in an eight man and nine-hole Desert Classic Challenge Tuesday on the Emirates Cousre.
Gallacher and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson teamed to post an eight under par Two-man scramble score of eight under par moments before World No. 1 Rory McIlroy, who teamed with Sergio Garcia, holed a 15-foot birdie putt at the last to tie the encounter.
All four players headed to a ‘Drop Zone’ in front of water guarding the 18th green for a nearest-to-the-pin contest to decide the winner.
Gallacher was third to hit and landing his ball inches inside McIlroy and just four feet from the flag fo he and Stenson to win the trophy.
“It’s a great way to start the week and the good thing is this new driver felt really good,” said Gallacher.
“But then I have a full 18 holes in the Pro-Am to further gauge how it is before I decide to stick it inn the bag.”
