Stephen Gallacher shots miss monthly prize target

STEPHEN Gallacher has missed out on the European Tour’s Shot of the Month Award – despite having an unprecedented three contenders for the January prize.

It went instead to Englishman Chris Wood, who had already picked up the Player of the Month Award on the back of a shot that set up his maiden victory in the Qatar Masters.

Unfortunately for Gallacher, it appears that having three separate contenders – all from his win in the Dubai Desert Classic – cost him the prize.

They totalled a combined 55 per cent of a public vote on the European Tour website, the most popular being his holed approach for an eagle-2 at the 16th in the final round which garnered 22 per cent.

An earlier miraculous recovery from trees at the ninth picked up 20 per cent, but Wood’s effort at the 72nd hole in Doha the previous week beat both those with 27 per cent.

It was for a 6-iron approach from 202 yards, which pitched on the front of the green and rolled to 12 feet from the flag. The lanky Bristolian duly holed the eagle putt to pip Sergio Garcia and George Coetzee for the title.

Gallacher’s other contender was a holed bunker shot at the last in his third-round 62.