The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Gallacher pays tribute to his dad after death
Sadly, my father Jim died on Monday so it has been a very tough week.
It came as a real shock. He was only 67 and it all happened very quickly. My mum, my sister and I were by his side when he passed away.
He has been a huge part of my life – my number one fan as well as my biggest critic. He was hard on me when needed and always there with the right thing to say when I needed a boost.
We were very close so it is going to be a tough one to take as I always turned to him for advice.
It was actually his idea for my son Jack to start caddying for me and that probably gave me my happiest moment as a golfer when I won the Hero Indian Open with Jack on the bag last year.
My father was very keen to get me interested in golf from an early age.
When I was born my dad went to the golf club that night to have a few beers to celebrate and he joined me there and then as a member. I was only an hour old and already a signed-up member at
Bathgate Golf Club. I think I was predestined to be a golfer, and he was always there to support me as I progressed.
He was a very good golfer, too. When I was 10 he was club champion at Bathgate.
He played a big part throughout my amateur career but I know being there when I won my first event on the European Tour, the Dunhill Links in 2004, was a proud day for him.
He was also there when I won in Dubai, and I know he was chuffed to see me play for Europe in the Ryder Cup.
But I think watching Jack and I winning in India together would have given him the most happiness.
Jack spoke to him on the phone most days to give him the story of the round, and he was always particularly interested in finding out the story behind any dropped shots.
They had a very close bond.
He felt having Jack on the bag would be great for both of us, and so it has proved.
I have received a lot of kind messages from people sending their condolences, which I have really appreciated.
He was a great man, who loved seeing Scottish golfers doing well.
I’m going to miss my chats with him about golf as well as other things.
It is going to leave a big hole in my life but he also leaves some great memories. It has given me the drive to do well when I’m back competing to make him proud again.