Stephen Gallacher feels he is hitting form just at right time

Stephen Gallacher is hoping to stretch his season all the way through to the final event '“ the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai '“ by building on a promising run of form.
Stephen GallacherStephen Gallacher
Stephen Gallacher

The Lothians star has recorded top-30 finishes in his past three starts, effectively securing his European Tour card for next season by climbing to 87th in the Race to Dubai.

He’s broken 70 in seven of his last 12 rounds and is in good fettle heading into the last four regular events of the 2018 campaign. He’s got the Portugal Masters week then the Dunhill Links Championship in a fortnight’s time. That’s then followed by the British Masters at Walton Heath, then the Valderrama Masters.

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Gallacher’s first goal is to climb into the opening Final Series event, the Turkish Airlines Open at the beginning of November, then make it to Dubai by being in the top 60 on the money-list after the 
Nedbank Challenge.

“I am looking forward to the end of the season,” he told the Edinburgh Evening News. “I’ve been through a couple of swing changes and I’m starting to hit the ball very well.

“I’ve been working hard with both Phil Kenyon and Davy Burns and last week I went up to see Chippy (Paul Lawrie) for a short-game lesson. He made a lot of sense and that’s what can make the difference. If you are finishing mid-20s, you are only a couple of putts away from competing in the top 10.

“It’s not far away so hopefully I can have a strong finish to the season to cement a place in the Tour Championship in Dubai.”

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The 2014 Ryder Cup player kick-started his good run by finishing joint-24th in the Czech Republic then backed that up with a share of 27th spot in Denmark before claiming a share of 23rd position in his most recent outing, the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.

“I am happy with my scores of late. I have been putting the graft in and it is starting to pay off,” added the 43-year-old, who is the highest Scot in the Race to Dubai after Irish Open winner Russell Knox.

“I know all these courses coming well and I’ve had some decent results on them. I can’t wait to play at Walton Heath in the British Masters as it’s just a magnificent course.

“When you are familiar with the courses, you know what you are getting and that’s a help. Walton Heath plays like a links course so it will almost be two events like that back-to-back after the Dunhill.”

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Gallacher has now had his son, Jack, on the bag for nine events and is delighted how their on-course partnership is blossoming.

“I knew it was always going to work,” he said. “I didn’t hire him just because he’s my son. He’s got to bring stuff to the table as well and he’s doing that.

“We get on great. We travel together and he’s good on the course, so it is perfect.

“He’s learning all the time. Switzerland was tough for him due to the altitude and light air as he’s not used to that. He’s going to countries he’s never been before and it will become a piece of cake going forward.”

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