European Tour: Stephen Gallacher aiming for more memories after joining 600 club

3 years ago 34

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Stephen Gallacher joins an exclusive 600 club on the European Tour

Stephen Gallacher will clock up his 600th European Tour appearance at this week's Dubai Championship.

A permanent fixture on the Tour for 23 years, he becomes just the 13th golfer to reach that milestone, including fellow Scots Sam Torrance, Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie.

The 47-year-old has packed a lot in since his bow as a teenage amateur at the 1993 Scottish Open, picking up four titles and playing on the winning side in the Ryder Cup on home soil.

But he insists it is "600 not out" as he aims for another century over the next four years before giving the seniors a crack.

It is fitting that the landmark event takes place in Dubai, a place that holds happy memories, with back-to-back Desert Classic victories in 2013 and 2014.

He finished fourth on his debut in 2000 and hasn't missed the tournament since.

"It's the place that got me on the map really," he told BBC Scotland. "It's where I won my second title and then to do it again was huge.

"For the 25th anniversary in 2014, all the past winners were there apart from Seve Ballesteros, God rest his soul. His son Javier came and played, which was lovely.

"I had the pleasure of partnering Tiger Woods and Fred Couples in the exhibition game. We had a ball. That special 18 holes is right up there for me.

"Then I played with Rory McIlroy, who was world number one, and Tiger in the first two rounds. I played with Rory in the last round as well and to win was phenomenal for me.

"The whole family was there to see it. I took my son Jack out of school. It's was a dream come true, competing against the best."

Advice from Uncle Bernard & taming Tiger

While Jack had permission for his absence, dad admits he was often guilty of dogging lessons to pursue his passion.

"I was four when I put a golf ball through the dining room window," he said. "I always knew what my vocation was going to be.

"I wasn't very academic at school. The teacher just needed to look outside and, if it was sunshine, she knew I wasn't going to be there.

"Back in the day, there used to be truancy officers, but I got to know mine well because he was a member of the golf club, so at least he knew I wasn't getting up to much trouble.

"Coming from a family that played a lot of golf and were quite successful at it, it definitely gave me a helping hand too."

Uncle Bernard can boast 10 European Tour wins and eight Ryder Cup appearances as a player, while he captained Europe on three occasions.

"Coming from Bathgate and seeing my uncle's picture with Eric Brown in the middle of the clubhouse with their Ryder Cup clothing on - that was all the motivation I needed," said Gallacher.

"I thought I'd turn professional when I was Scottish Amateur champion in 1992 but my uncle said it was too early."

Gallacher lifted the Walker Cup in 1995 as Great Britain & Ireland saw off a United States team that included a certain Mr Woods.

Both men would turn professional the following year. Tiger had won eight of his 15 majors before the Scot enjoyed his first tournament win at the 2004 Dunhill Links Championship.

"You're like a fish out of water going from amateur to pro and I tried to do too much and lost my way a little bit," said Gallacher. "I lost my card in 96, went back to Tour School and got it back, then lost it again.

"I had a full year on the Challenge Tour and that was the best grounding you can get because it teaches you to travel. You don't want to be on it for very long because you don't make much money and that makes you want to win to get off it."

Realising a Ryder Cup dream

Stephen Gallacher with the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in 2014

In 2009, the auto-immune disease Sarcoidosis forced Gallacher to take a break from golf.

"I was tired all the time, had swollen hands and was coughing non-stop," he explained. "It was a tough year but once I recovered I really kicked on and I had the target of the 2014 Ryder Cup to aim for. My only chance to play it in Scotland.

"I wrote down a list of all the things I needed to do and pretty much every box was ticked. I was sixth in a WGC, top 20 in a few majors, got to the Masters. That period was the most consistent I've been."

A captain's pick for Gleneagles after narrowly missing out on an automatic place, Gallacher could not contribute a point from two outings to Europe's 16.5-11.5 triumph.

"I gave it my best shot," he said. "Obviously I'd like to have played a bit more but it's all about the team winning.

"It was one of the best weeks ever, just to be in the room with those guys and there was so much going on. Sir Alex Ferguson gave us a talk on avoiding complacency then said 'you'd better win because I've got 10 grand on you'.

"It was 24 guys going hammer and tongs at it, but then having a beer together afterwards."

A 'perfect day' in New Delhi

Gallacher's most recent tournament win came at the 2019 Indian Open and success was made all the sweeter with son Jack on bag-carrying duty.

"My caddie had left and my dad suggested it," he said. "I didn't want to push Jack into golf but he was delighted.

"Of all my 600 events that Sunday was more special than anything. I had a quadruple-bogey eight at the seventh hole but I said 'we're only five behind, we've still got a chance here'. From there I went five under to win by shot.

"Jack helped me with a tricky club selection at the 17th and to win with him there made it a perfect day on Mother's Day - and Celtic beat Rangers as well! It doesn't get better than that."