Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher has now set his sights on qualifying for next year’s European Ryder Cup team with a three shot victory in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Gallacher, 38 ended a more than eight-year winless drought to capture only his second Tour title.
Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher ends a more than eight year winless run to capture the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
The Scot equalled the Dubai tournament record in posting a final round 72 for a 22-under par tally and matching the record set by Thomas Bjorn in capturing the 2001 event.
And Bathgate’s favouritRe son went one place better than last year in grabbing five eagles over the four days and none more important than holing a 115-yard sand-wedge shot at the par four 16th today to finally break clear of South African Richard Sterne.
Sterne, a winner of six Tour titles, chased the Scot all day before finishing second with a score of 71 for 19-under par total.
Gallacher collected a first prize cheque of Euro 309,232 to move from 139th to sixth on the Race to Dubai.
But of more importance he now qualifies for the WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship later this month in Arizona.
He arrived in Dubai ranked 111th in the world and should move to around 57th when the rankings are officially adjusted in the morning.
“I’m glad it’s over as it was a tough day, really tough and hard to get the ball cost with the wind gusting,” said Gallacher.
“So it was nice to get over the line in the end.
“As for the eagle, I feel you have to do something special these days to win out here and I just had a perfect number, 115 yards and it just came out perfect and if it wasn’t in the hole it was always going to be close.
“So I’ve had the breaks this week and that’s what you need to win.
“And yes it’s been a long while since I won, eight years but I am just maturing with age.”
AND WITH HIS WIN –
• Gallacher’s second European Tour International Schedule victory in his 404th European Tour event.
• Moves to sixth in The Race to Dubai with €314,269.
• Moves into the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking from 111th and in a very good position to qualify for the WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship for the first time.
• His first European Tour victory since the 2004 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, a gap of eight years and 116 days.
• Played in a total of 210 European Tour events between victories.
• From those 210 events played he has been second on three occasions. The events were the 2006 British Masters, 2012 Maybank Malaysian Open and tied second in the 2012 Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
• Victory would come in his 13th appearance in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
• Victory would beat his previous best finish in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic of tied second in 2012. (Was also tied fourth on his debut in 2000 and tied tenth in 2011).
• Only the second Scot to win the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and first since Colin Montgomerie in 1996.
• Becomes the second Scot to win on the 2013 European Tour International Schedule, following Scott Jamieson, who won the Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa.
• His first European Tour victory where he has led going into the final round. (Made up three shots in the final round to win the 2004 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship).
• His winning total of 266 (-22) matches the tournament record in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, set by Thomas Björn in 2001.
