DESERT STORM
Gallacher shoots 28 over back nine to take the lead in Dubai
FORGET Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Stephen Gallacher was the name on everyone’s lips i n Dubai last night after an astonishing third round in the Desert Classic. Having played his first eight holes in one over par, the Scot was in danger of drifting off the pace in his battle to retain the title he won in style 12 months ago.
He had started the day four shots behind the halfway leader McIlroy and when the Ulsterman, after a bogey start, made a birdie at two and eagled the third, that gap had grown to six shots.
But the next two hours saw a dramatic change on the leaderboard sparked when Gallacher picked up his first birdie of the day at the ninth.
That started a run that which was to see the 39-year-old from Linlithgow play his last 10 holes in 10 shots under par to leave all of his rivals in a top-class European Tour field in his wake.
Covering the back nine, with its par of 37, in 28 shots will not be entering the Tour record books because in history there have been six 27s — including one by fellow Scot Andrew Coltart.
But only three of those 27s have equated to nine-under-par, so Gallacher’s golf has never been bettered in Tour history.
And, half an hour after he had finished an endless round of media interviews when McIlroy mis-hit a chip into the 18th and could only make a par five, Gallacher got an extra bonus.
Having signed for a 63 and a 16-under-par total his name was two shots better than any other player on the leaderboard.
McIlroy, after a 69, will be Gallacher’s playing partner in today’s final round but even he cannot match the Scot’s record at the Emirates, for not only he did he win last year but in 2012 he was also the runner-up behind the Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
And those highlights could be the catalyst for him become the first Scots golfer to defend a title since Colin Montgomerie won the PGA at Wentworth in 2000.
‘I love this course because I have so many happy memories from here and that’s going to lift me,’ said Gallacher.
‘There are putts I have holed out here, there are drives I have hit and chips I’ve holed.
‘I am just trying to think of all the good things I have done around here all the time.’
It had looked grim earlier in the round when he pulled his drive into a bush and was just thankful that his 12-year-old son found it and, after taking a penalty drop, he went on to save par with a 20-foot putt.
But, after his great run had started on the ninth green with a three-footer for birdie, it was not long before his happy memories clicked in as his charge up the leaderboard gaining momentum when he eagled the par-five 13th with a 25 footer.
‘It seemed that every putt went exactly where I hit it,’ he said. ‘That was the best back nine I ever had by far.’