Disappointed John Gallagher will try

for Alps Tour card next month

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE

By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Former Scottish amateur champion John Gallagher is set to turn his back on the PGA EuroPro Tour and try his luck instead next season on the Alps Tour, a circuit comprising events in countries including France, Spain, Italy and Austria.
The 28-year-old, who is attached to Swanston New, is coming to the end of his first full year as a professional and admits he's not done nearly as well as he was hoping.

Despite playing in all but one of the 12 events on the schedule, he finished 69th on the EuroPro Tour Order of Merit with earnings of just over £1,300, missing out on a place in this week's Tour Championship at Slaley Hall.

Gallacher, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who has an unorthodox cackhanded grip, also fell at the first hurdle in the qualifying process for the European Tour and has now decided to look to pastures new for next season.

He's heading off to Bari in the south of Italy in the middle of next month and is hoping to come back with a card for the Alps Tour, which, like the EuroPro Tour, is a third-tier circuit in Europe.

"It's been quite a difficult first season for me and, to be honest, it has not gone as well for me as I thought it would," said Gallagher. "After a good start, I had a bad spell in the middle of the year and now it is a case of building for next season.

"The standard on the EuroPro Tour is good but there are things I've encountered that have been a big difference to when I played in amateur events. For instance, it is very frustrating when you make an 8hr drive down to somewhere like Devon, only to find you can't play a practice round due to the fact the course is closed for a pro-am.

"That sort of thing definitely affected me and, having spoken to some of the English guys I used to play amateur golf with, I have decided to give the Alps Tour a try. If I can get my card for that, I will get into 20-odd events next year and, while it might sound a bit daft, I genuinely believe that travelling to countries like France, Italy and Spain will be a lot less stressful than some of the journeys I've had to make this year on the EuroPro Tour.

"It is also cheaper to enter events on the Alps Tour – £85 per tournament compared to £275 per event on the EuroPro Tour."

The first stage of qualifying takes the form of a 36-hole event at Riva Dei Tessali Golf Club, near Bari, on 12-13 November, with the final stage being played over 54 holes at the same venue on 16-18 November.Gallagher, who will need to finish in the top 35 to secure the card he's looking for, added:

"This year has cost me some money but I've been fortunate to have some good sponsors and I'm hoping to persuade them to commit to another year. I won't deny there have been times this year when I've felt lousy about things but my family and friends, including Colin McClung and Stewart Snedden up at Swanston New, have helped me to try and stay positive.

"At the moment, my career may not be as glamorous as it was when an amateur, when I was playing in events like the British Amateur and representing Scotland. But, if I can get my confidence back, I know that I can start shooting those low scores again and I am already looking forward to next year.

"I know what I need to do in Italy next month and I am working hard to get my game as sharp as it can possibly be at this time of the year."