Golf Gallacher set to miss Kirsty's wedding

STEPHEN GALLACHER looks set to play in next week's Scandinavian Masters after all in his bid to secure a spot in the final major of the season.

The Lothians star, one of six Scots in the field for The Open at St Andrews this week, is up to 108th in the world rankings after tying for fourth at Loch Lomond last weekend.

He needs to get into the top 100 to clinch a place in next month's USPGA Championship and the event in Sweden will be his last chance. After leading the home challenge in the Barclays Scottish Open on Sunday, the Linlithgow-based player revealed he was likely to take the week after The Open off so that he could attend the wedding of his cousin, TV presenter Kirsty, in Seville.

However, the Evening News can reveal he's now having second thoughts due to the chance of another major appearance at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, Scottish golf's man of the moment, who has leapt above Martin Laird in the world rankings after a sparkling run of form on the European Tour, has offered his services as a mentor to aspiring young golfers in the Lothians.

Gallacher has watched fellow Scot Paul Lawrie help promising players in the Aberdeen area over the past decade and wants to do something similar in his home patch.

"There's been a lot said in the press about Scottish golf but myself, Paul Lawrie and Alastair Forsyth are all passionate about wanting to get involved," Gallacher told the Evening News. "I've been talking to Paul and would love to do a bit of mentoring with some of the guys in the Lothians."

The former Dunhill Links champion added: "When you've been on the Tour for 12 years and stayed there, you can only help the guys who are aspiring to get there. It's not as easy as they think and I would love to help anyone who wants it.

"Paul, of course, is fortunate that he's got the resources (for a Foundation] but I've been thinking how I can take this on board as well and I'm going to talk to (Scottish team captain] Scott Knowles and see if he thinks there is anyone who'd like a bit of help."

In addition to advice from Tour players, Gallacher, who will partner former champion Mark O'Meara and Byeong-Hun An, the South Korean teenager who won the US Amateur last year, in the opening two rounds at St Andrews, also believes Scotland's top amateurs should be picking the brains of top caddies.

"Why don't we get these players out with Tour caddies on the courses they're playing next year and let them know how a Tour pro would play that course? It only needs something like that to make a difference."

Edinburgh-based Andrew Coltart, another of the Scots playing at St Andrews, also has a former winner, John Daly, and a South Korean, Seung-Yul Noh, in his group for the first 36 holes.