Golf: Tour Card is within reach as Gallacher gets in swing

Published on Thursday 3 December 2009 09:00

LOTHIANS ace Stephen Gallacher has admitted he's revelling being back at the sharp end of competitive golf after moving into third spot at the European Tour's qualifying school final at PGA Catalunya in Spain.

The former Dunhill Links champion was teeing-up in the closing 18-holes of the six-round contest today with a card for the 2010 European circuit in his grasp after a fine five-under 67 yesterday moved him to a 15-under 341, seven behind English front-runner Simon Khan.

Gallacher has a medical exemption for next year's main Tour but is back at the qualifying school to bolster his schedule for the new campaign.

And despite being sidelined for four months with a viral infection, the former Walker Cup player has made an instant impact on his return to the fairways.

He said: "It's great to be up there competing again. This is not like a normal tournament but when you see your name on a leaderboard it's a good feeling.

"I've not played as many rounds in a row since the last time I was at the qualifying school in 1996 and I feel knackered, to be honest.

"There have been signs of rustiness and that has to be expected but given that I've been out of the game for so long I'm delighted with myself."

Boosted by a 66 in round four on Tuesday, Gallacher hit the ground running yesterday and reeled off five birdies over his opening seven holes to set himself on the way to another impressive round.

He added: "I got out of the traps pretty quickly. I was hitting a lot of good shots into the pins and took advantage of them with some decent putting."

Edinburgh-based Andrew Coltart kept himself in the hunt with a two-under 70 to finish two shots outside the card-winning top 30 with a seven-under 349.

The Archerfield member, who narrowly missed out on retaining his playing rights by just two places on final order of merit this season, highlighted his round with a four-iron to 12 feet at the tricky par-three fifth which spawned a birdie.

"I'm just going about my business and trying to keep moving forward each day," said the former Ryder Cup player.

"I struggled a bit at the start of the round but I'm pretty happy overall."

King's Acre man Andrew Oldcorn has a mountain to climb, however, as he dropped out of the running with a two-over 74 for a one-under 355.

Two-over at the turn, the former PGA champion rallied with a brace of birdies on the opening two holes of the inward half but the momentum was halted with a three-putt bogey from ten feet at the next.

Oldcorn, who is building up for next year's European Senior Tour, said: "I felt a bit tired today and that showed in my swing. The three-putt really took the wind out of my sails and that ended any hopes I had of making a comeback."

Of the remaining Scots in the field, Motherwell's Steven O'Hara joined Gallacher in the top ten after a neatly assembled four-under 68 pushed him into a share of sixth on a 13-under 343.

Scott Drummond, the PGA champion in 2004, shot a two-under 70 and finished inside the leading 30 on the nine-under 347 limit. Tulliallan's Callum Macaulay, who came through the qualifying school a year ago, hit a 70 for a five-under 351 but was needing to mount a late charge in today's closing round to give himself hope of regaining the card he lost at the end of this season.

At the head of the field, former Wales Open winner Khan moved six shots clear with a 70 for a 22-under 334. English rookie Sam Hutsby, who turned pro after playing for GB and Ireland in September's Walker Cup, conjured three eagles in an eventful 66 to roar up into second spot on 340.