One spot to fill in Get Back to Golf Tour grand final at Dumbarnie Links

One final spot is still up for grabs in the grand final of the bunkered Get Back to Golf Tour at Dumbarnie Links later this month.

John Gallagher, pictured in action in 2018 SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge at Macdonald Spey Valley in Aviemore, is through to the Get Back to Golf Tour grand final at Dumbarnie Links. Picture: Tony Marshall/Getty Images.

The 12th and last qualifying event on the circuit set up last year by Alan Tait to provide playing opportunities during the Covid-19 pandemic is currently taking place at Ladybank.

The winner will join a strong line up for the season-ending event, which was won by Tait himself when it was also held at Dumbarnie Links last year.

Chris Maclean, a winner on the Tartan Pro Tour at Royal Dornoch last year, was the first player to book his trip on 24 October to the venue for this season’s Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open with a victory at Castle Stuart.

The 2017 Irish Open Stroke Play Championship runner-up also topped the leaderboard at Arbroath, with the spot in the grand final from there going to second-placed John Henry.

Former Scottish Amateur champion Michael Stewart was another double winner as he came out on top at both Prestwick St Nicholas and The Carrick on Loch Lomond, with Fraser Moore securing the grand final spot from the latter.

Henry then won himself at Blairgowrie, where John Gallagher earned a visit to Dumbarnie before Gallagher then claimed a victory as well at Duddingston, with Ryan Campbell clinching that spot.

Others in the grand final field are Joe Bryce, Scott Herald, Andrew Thomson, David Booth and Ken Campbell, who won at Hayston, Scotscraig, Murrayshall, Strathmore and Montrose respectively.

Gallagher, the 2007 Scottish Amateur champion, carded a six-under-par 66 in tough conditions at Duddingston. A member there, he started with an eagle-3 before adding birdies at the third, fourth, seventh and 17th holes.

“The venues have been fantastic this year and I’m really looking forward to the Dumbarnie final,” said Gallagher, who finished a shot ahead of both Booth and Ryan Campbell.

The other Campbell, Ken, secured his spot with a five-under 66 at Montrose Links, pipping Jamie McLeary on a countback with a back nine of 30.

Praising the circuit, Campbell, who was the head pro at Machrihanish for nearly 30 years, said: “This tour has given me the opportunity to play competition golf at some of the best courses in Scotland.”

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