As Stephen Gallacher nears a 600th Tour event the champion Scot has singled out son, Jack in helping him get through the continuing COVID-19 crisis.
They’ve been two more players to test positive and ruled out of this week’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic including ultra-Thai talented Jazz Janewattananond and Scot Ryan Lumsden.
‘Jazz’, and with 10 wins already in his pro career, was forced out of the Dubai event along with his caddie, while Lumsden withdrew thus ruling himself out of qualifying.
Gallacher tees-up this week in not only his 583rd Tour event but also as the only player in the 31-year history of the event to win back-to-back in Dubai and that being in 2013 and 2014 and in both ceremonial victory photographs there’s young Jack with the family surrounding their father on the 18th hole green.
Jack Gallacher was 17-years old and just starting his final year at school when his then 42-year-old father asked if he wanted the job as caddy.
That was in 2018 and then in May, 2019 the pair combined for Gallacher to end a five-year winless drought in capturing the co-sanctioned Hero Indian Open.
As Stephen Gallacher nears 600 European Tour events he single out son/caddy Jack for praise in helping him get through the continuing Covid-19 crisis. Photo of father and son in winning the 2019 Hero Indian Open. (Photo – European Tour)
It earned the teenager a 15% cut of a take home £sg 35,000 and while it’s been relatively lean pickings since then, the father-and-son team did combine last week for a £stg 70,000 pay day in Abu Dhabi.
Gallacher said: “It’s just been so enjoyable having Jack on the bag though last year was tough as I did not enjoy last year, at all.
“When the virus struck I had a lot of feel stuff going on but once we’ve got back to this year there’s a wee bit of normality in that it’s now become the new normal being regularly in the bubble and what not.
“So, it’s great having Jack here as we can keep ourselves occupied spending time together away from the course whether it’s watching the football on TV in the room or whatever.
“Definitely that has been a big part of me playing well these last few years and that’s having the wee man out with me caddying.
“Jack helped me get a fresh pair of eyes on everything and not try and make so many three-putts, as well (smiling).”
The Gallacher’s again tee-up this week with the now 46-year old again delighted to be back in Dubai and where he made his tournament debut with a superb fourth in 2000.
Gallacher said: “I am very proud to have the Desert Classic twice but then I’m one not to be overly proud as it is what it is.
“The good thing for me is when I keep coming back here to Dubai thre are always the great memories. Dubai is one of those places I’ve always loved coming, and it just seems that every time I’ve come here, I have played well.
“I first came out to Dubai 1998 and I guess, it’s because I have been coming here for so long and familiarity because there are quite a few places I like returning given I have been on the Tour for so long.
“You know how to play the course, where to expect the wind to come from and where to miss it and which way the putts will break.
“I also used to come here on holiday with the relatives and we’d be either playing the course here or just relaxing around the pool, and it’s been that way for a while that the Emirates feels like my own course.
“So, it’s definitely a play I love to come and also compete.”
Though the Emirates course when he first won eight years ago is slowly taking on a different but a tougher face, as Gallacher explains.
He said: “Over the years, I have seen the course evolve and changes introduced with three to four new tees installed for this year, and that’s probably added 150-yards to the layout.
“There also digging the greens up after this week’s event so it’s going to get a lot tougher in the years to come.”
And in achieving 600 European Tour events later this year, and his first appearance as an 18-year old at the 1993 Scottish Open, Gallacher will join already a dozen players, including fellow Scots Sam Torrance, Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie to have broken the 600-event mark.
Gallacher said: “The key has been keeping myself fit, and as long as you look after yourself and you still don’t mind all the travelling and also, you can still hit the ball and still feel as though you can compete.
“You’ve also got to have the desire and as long as you have the game to back-up that desire, so it’s really a bit of everything.
“The fact is I am rubbish at everything else, so that’s not good either. I would not be a good joiner or lawyer (smiling).
“I guess also, now that Paul Lawrie’s not on the Tour, I do feel like the elder statesman of Scottish golf (smiling).
“Though the young Scottish guys now out on Tour don’t need any advice as they pretty much just need to keep on doing what they’re been doing.
“They have no fear and it’s just a matter of offering them encouragement, and the more the merrier out here.
“The great thing when I first came out on the Tour, I had a lot of Scottish players to look-up to such as Monty, Sam, Gordon Brand Jr, Coltart, Paul Lawrie and Gary Orr.
“It just comes in cycles and there’s a great crop of Scottish boys coming through now and it’s great to watch them, and I am sure there will be even more coming through in the years ahead.”
