Stephen Gallacher seeking medical

exemption to keep Euro Tour card

FROM THE GLASGOW EVENING TIMES WEBSITE

By MATTHEW LINDSAY
Stephen Gallacher, the Bathgate golfer who has been struck down by a rare debilitating disease this season, has spoken to European Tour officials about receiving a medical exemption.
Gallacher, a former Dunhill Links Championship winner, has struggled badly in recent months after contracting sarcoidosis at the Dubai Desert Classic in February.
The 34-year-old has missed the halfway cut in his last seven tournaments and is lying a lowly 187th in the Race to Dubai standings with earnings of under £50,000.
Only the leading 115 or 116 players successfully retain their card at the end of a season and the Scot is in serious danger of losing his playing privileges.

However, Gallacher, pictured above, who is at Loch Lomond to compete in the Barclays Scottish Open this week, this week met David Garland, European Tour director of operations, to discuss his situation.
If officials are sympathetic to his plight they could decide to hand him automatic entry to a number of events once he makes a full recovery.
"I spoke to David about a medical exemption while I have been here at Loch Lomond," confirmed Gallacher.
"I mentioned to him a couple of weeks ago that I had been poorly. Unfortunately, I am struggling a bit healthwise just now. I have sarcoidosis, a disease which affects my immune system. It has attacked my lymph glands, lungs and joints.
"It came on in Dubai back in February. I started the season well and finished 20th and 16th in my first two tournaments. Then I woke up one morning and couldn't move my hand.
"After that I started coughing.
I just thought I had a cold. But it went on for two or three months. It was pretty worrying while I was getting tested for it. I have seen my doctor and a consultant at Bupa Murrayfield, John Wilson, who has been great. I get regular three -week X-rays just to see how I am."
He added: "I get tired easily.
I have no energy at all just now. I am sleeping a lot. I am absolutely knackered. I have been told that nothing can help it because it is a viral infection. My body just needs total rest. It is fighting against itself just now.
"I am on steroids for it. Until I finish taking them I am not going to be anywhere near full fitness. I have got a couple of decisions to make. Rest and risk losing my card or play on and risk not recovering."
Still, Gallacher, who finished sixth last year at Loch Lomond after a seven-under-par final-round 64, is hopeful he can make an impression this week on a course he used to be attached to and knows well.
He added: "I have been told by one of the tour doctors to take it easy, not play practice rounds or hit too many balls. I haven't played any practice rounds for three weeks.
"It isn't a problem this week because I know the course so well. I am hoping to have a good week. Then I can take stock and see if I can go on or not. If I did well I probably wouldn't play for a couple of months.
"If I have a good finish this week then it will allow me to take a few weeks off to rest, finish taking my course of steroids and build my strength back up. It is one of these diseases that just goes away when it goes away.
"If I played well enough to get into the Open I would just turn up at Turnberry on the Thursday. I wouldn't be able to play any practice rounds.
I would love to play. I played it last winter and thought it was one of the best Open venues I had ever played.

+Published by kind permission of The Herald Sports Editor.