Stephen Gallacher has a Scotland ‘feel good’ reason to do well and secure his 2014/15 PGA Tour card at this week’s Wyndham Championship at Greensboro, North Carolina.
Gallacher is making his debut in the $5.3m event being played on the superb Donald Ross designed Sedgefield Country Club course.
Just prior to turning into the course Gallacher passes Scotland Street and then when inside there is a permanent reminder on a ‘Former Champions’ wall featuring fellow Scot Sandy Lyle who captured the event in 1986 and 1988.
Stephen Gallacher has the benefit of a Scotland feel good factor heading into his maiden Wyndham Championship. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)
This year’s 75th anniversary event also is the final regular Tour event ahead of the start next week in New Jersey of FedEx Cup Play-Off Series and as such it is a last chance for the likes of fellow Scot Martin Laird to qualify for the lucrative four tournaments.
However as Bounce Sports Ian Stoddard, who manages Gallacher, remarked: “Stephen currency this week is Ryder Cup World Ranking points.”
Gallacher is currently lying 11th and two places outside of qualifying for Paul McGinley’s European Ryder Cup team, and a strong finish here in North Carolina could see Gallacher go past the absent trio of Jamie Donaldson (eighth on the points table), Graeme McDowell (ninth) and Luke Donald (10th).
“I’ve thought about it long and hard playing here this week and, while it helps avoiding jet-lag if I had of gone straight back to Scotland, being out here is the chance and the opportunity for me to break into the top-nine on Paul’s side,” he said.
“I spoke with Paul last week and he was very encouraging and I’ve also entered the next two events in the Czech Republic and Italy before the qualifying ends just to show Paul how committed I am.”
Scotland’s Sandy Lyle captured two Greater Greensboro Open titles in his career and now Stephen Gallacher will look to draw on the Scottish connection in this week’s $5.3m event.
But then Gallacher has a double goal also of earning some $US 110,000 and secure his 2014/15 PGA Tour card.
“If I were to obtain my PGA Tour card it gives me enormous options going forward, so electing to play here in Greensboro this week is really a three-prong thing,” he said.
“I haven’t thought about lightly and I’m looking forward to this week, and even if I achieve what I want to achieve this week I will still go to Czech and Italy to hopefully further help automatically qualifying for Gleneagles.
“It will be as much golf I’ve played in a while having played every event since the Scottish Open and now these three but if sees me competing at Gleneagles it will be all worth while.
“And I’ve come here having played all the four Majors this year and that’s a first in my career, so I’m pleased with my season despite not taking my chances last week in Louisville and missing the cut.
“It’s where I want to be playing all four Majors and it’s what you play your whole life for. It’s been a big career step for me, and along with playing the WGCs, it’s all going the right way.”
Gallacher will tee up at 2.45pm in the company of the American duo of Jeff Maggert and John Peterson.
Laird is currently lying 136th on the FedEx Cup list and needs to be inside the top-125 on Sunday night to be assured of qualifying for next week’s Barclay’s Championship.
He will tee off at 8am alongside the Americans John Merrick and Johnson Wagner.
And triple Major winning Padraig Harrington will need to finish top-two this week to avoid losing his PGA Tour playing rights but if not successful, the Irishman can draw on a one-time special exemption, given he is 36th overall on the PGA Tour all-time money list, to compete next season.
