Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher brilliantly holed an eagle bunker shot at the last to break Tiger Woods’ 12-year old 54-hole record in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Gallacher’s 30-yard gem from the sand also steered the Scot in recording his lowest-ever round of a 10-under par 62 that handed him a three shot leading cushion heading to the final day in Dubai.
Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher acknowledges the crowd after holing a bunker shot at 18 to upstage Tiger Woods and secure a new 54-hole low in the 2013 Omega Dubai Desert Classic. (Photo – Stuart Adams/www.golftourimages.com)
Woods had held the record of 20-under par for three rounds set by the then long-time World No. 1 in 2001 before being denied victory by Dane Thomas Bjorn.
And Gallacher, who is looking to end more than an eight-year winless drought. will be looking not to end the event as Woods did all those years ago.
“It’s nice to beat Tiger’s record but all I’m worried about is finishing in front tomorrow,” said Gallacher.
After a first round 63, Gallacher continued to set up a hopeful second Tour success since winning the 2004 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship with two eagles and with the first coming after he struck the flagstick with his second shot at the par five 13th .
Gallacher went into the third round tied in second place 11-under par but soon overhauled South African Richard Sterne with three birdies in his opening five holes.
He then birdied the ninth before turning up in the heat in the overcast and rainy conditions with birdies at the 11th and 12thholes before hitting the flagstick with his 8-iron approach shot at the par five 13th.
Then at the last Gallacher stood in the middle of the fairway some 232-yards from the flag and already at eight-under for his round but with a lump of mud on his ball.
“It was a perfect rescue club distance but I couldn’t chance it with mud on the my ball, so I thought I would hit a 3-wood into the bunker,” he said.
“If I had of flushed the 3-wood it would have ended up in someone’s dinner sitting in the corporate enclosure or landed short in the water.
“But the bunker shot just came out perfectly and went straight in the hole.”
Gallacher has contested 205 Tour events since defeating Graeme McDowell in a play-off over the Old Course and in the intervening period he’s had three second place finishes, including joint runner-up in Dubai a year ago, along with 22 other top-10s and banked more than £4m in prize money.
If successful, Gallacher would join Scott Jamieson is making it two Scottish successes in the first six events of the new season.
As well, success would see Gallacher qualify for the February 20thstarting WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship in Arizona.
