'New man' Stephen Gallacher goes to

Tour School after four-month lay-off

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Stephen Gallacher will return to competitive golf this weekend feeling like a new man after using a four-month lay-off due to illness to refocus and figure out what has been holding him back since he landed one of the top titles in European golf.
The 35-year-old, who now lives in Linlithgow after being brought up in Bathgate, has suffered a horrible year, having tried to soldier on after being hit by a debilitating viral infection before admitting defeat following the Barclays Scottish Open in the middle of July.
He didn't pick up a golf club for six weeks after that, taking the chance during his enforced break to get an operation on his hand to clear up a problem that had plagued him for the past two years, but is now set to resume his career.
Despite being given a medical exemption by the European Tour that will guarantee him ten starts on the 2010 circuit, Gallacher, pictured above, has decided to join the other hopefuls at the final stage of the Qualifying School, which gets underway at PGA Golf de Cataluyna near Girona and Barcelona on Saturday.
The six-round test is a tough way to start back, especially for someone who was so lacking in energy earlier in the year that he couldn't even play a practice round before events, but Gallacher is excited about his return and is confident he can get his game back to the level it was when he won the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews in 2004.
"It's been a nightmare year, really, but, at the same time, good things have come out of it," he reflected. "I've been able to have a summer holiday for the first time in 20 years and do the sort of things I've maybe taken for granted in the past – watching my wee boy play football and taking the kids swimming, for example.
"Four months is the longest I've ever one without touching a golf club in anger, so to speak, and, having been able to reflect on things, it's given me back my hunger and passion for the game. Over the last couple of years, I've not been doing as well as I want to do. I've had time to reflect on that, work out where I was going wrong and what I need to do.
"I actually think it is going to be the making of me. I've been practising harder than I ever have, putting in double sessions on the range at Kingsfield (just outside Linlithgow), and I am swinging the club as well as I have ever done."
After beating Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell to make the big breakthrough in the professional ranks, Gallacher, one of Scotland's most decorated amateurs, was expected to kick on and be pushing for a Ryder Cup place.
Why that hasn't happened is one of the things he's thought long and hard about over the past few months and, having made changes to his swing as well as doing some bio-mechanics and a bit of gym work, too, Gallacher is hoping his career can start to head in an upward direction again before too long.
"I've been doing a lot of reminiscing and trying to see what boxes I ticked at certain times in my career and figure of what I need to do for that to happen again," he said. "I've been very inconsistent over the past couple of years, playing well one day but badly the next.
"I stripped it back down to the mechanics of my golf swing. I looked at how to try and get a swing that can repeat itself more. It seems to be working as I was fighting with a pull hook for a while but am now hitting shots a lot straighter."
During his lay-off, the former Walker Cup player has been in regular contact with Jamie Spence, the former player who is now the European Tour's player relations' director, and David Garland, the circuit's director of operations.
"Both of them have been fantastic," he said. "I first spoke to them at Loch Lomond and I now know that I played that week for the wrong reasons. I was struggling even to practise then but I didn't want to let my friends and family down by not playing in one of the biggest events of the year in Scotland.
"I spoke to them again during the Dunhill Links Championship and, as well as confirming that I will get ten starts in 2010 – I need to make £200,000 in those to secure my card – they said that, if I was fit enough, the best option would be to go to the Tour School.
"If I can get a Tour card in Spain, I'll have an advantage on all the other guys who graduate from there as I'll also have the 10 guaranteed starts. I'll definitely get into the Dunhill Links and will have a good chance of getting Loch Lomond (Barclays Scottish Open] and Gleneagles (Johnnie Walker Championship] as well, so there's 13 starts straight away. I just want to get back playing."
Gallacher was last at the Tour School in 1996 – the year after he turned pro – and, like then, he'll have his good friend Aiden O'Reilly caddying for him.

Eyes down in Spain for six rounds that

will take 30 & ties to European Tour

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
One hundred and fifty six hopefuls will be whittled down to just 30 and ties at PGA Golf de Catalunya in Girona, near Barcelona as the European Tour Qualifying School – Final Stage returns to Spain for what promises to be another fascinating – and nail-biting – week.
In all 913 players entered the 2009 Qualifying School, all with the same aim: to reach the promised land of the European Tour. Many have fallen by the wayside either at the First or Second Stages, which were played at various venues across Europe earlier in the season.
Only 186 of the 715 players who competed at the First Stage survived the cull, whilst just 77 were still standing after last week’s Second Stage.
Those 77 will now join the 79 exempt players at the Final Stage, where a minimum of 30 golden tickets for The 2010 Race to Dubai are up for grabs.
The gold rush starts this Saturday, and after four rounds – two each at the Stadium and Tour courses – that number will again be cut to 70 and ties, who will play a further two rounds over the Stadium course to determine the final 30.
Those hoping to emerge triumphant include England’s Philip Archer, who as recently as 2007 finished inside the top 30 on The European Tour money list.
A raft of European Tour champions are also in the field, including big-hitting Italian Emanuele Canonica, Ryder Cup player Joakim Haegmann of Sweden and veteran Spaniard Santiago Luna.
Luna’s compatriot Jesus Maria Arruti will be making a record 15th visit to the Final Stage, whilst others with previous experience of the unique demands of a trip to the Final include Brazilian Alexandre Rocha, who was the joint winner in 2006.
That same year England’s Oliver Fisher also earned his card through the Qualifying School and managed to keep it quite comfortably for the next two seasons, finishing 51st on the money list in 2008.
But a subsequent season of struggle this year has consigned him to a return to the Final Stage along with Scotland’s former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart, who like Fisher also finished just outside the top 120 players in The Race to Dubai, all of whom kept their cards.
Players at the other end of the experience spectrum include Germany’s Stephan Gross junior, winner of the 2008 European Amateur Championship, and England’s Sam Hutsby, the 2009 Amateur Championship finalist.
Hutsby, who turned professional after competing in this year’s Walker Cup, will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his close friend and compatriot Chris Wood, the winner of the 2009 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award. Wood enjoyed an exceptional season on The European Tour after graduating from the Qualifying School last year, as did Scotland’s David Drysdale and England’s Danny Willet, both of whom also recently qualified for the season-ending Dubai World Championship presented by: DP World.
Other Qualifying School graduates who thrived on the top tier last season include Sweden’s Oskar Henningsson, who won the Final Stage in 2008, and Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey.
Both men entered the European Tour winner’s enclosure for the first time this year, with Henningsson capturing the Moravia Silesia Open presented by ALO Diamonds title, and Hoey holding off Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño in a play-off to win the Estoril Open de Portugal.
Other notable names in this year’s field include France’s Michael Lorenzo-Vera and Dutchman Joost Luiten, both of whom graduated onto the European Tour in 2008 after exceptional seasons on the Challenge Tour in 2007, with Lorenzo-Vera topping the final Rankings.
His fellow Frenchman Julien Guerrier is also heading to Girona, along with the man he beat to the 2006 Amateur Championship title, England’s Adam Gee.
The Stadium course at PGA Golf de Catalunya, which was co-designed by European Tour champions Neil Coles of England and Spain’s Angel Gallardo, opened in 1999 and hosted this year’s Open de España.
A European Golf Design course, it is notable for its tree-lined fairways, elevated tees and spectacular views of the Pyrenees mountain range. Enjoying the scenery will be the last thing on the minds of the competitors.

Fairways Target Golf Leagues Week 7 report

By NEIL HAMPTON

MONDAY LEAGUE SUMMARY
In the first games after the split on Monday night the form book was well in evidence as no upsets were to be found. League leaders BM Trucks had their full team on display and safely got past the dangerous Orion four but still required their second highest score of the season.
This result now means that while Orion can still reach the play-offs their shot at the league title has gone. But the title is going to be a close-run affair as the Loch Ness Juniors beat the Parahandies in a one-sided game and leapfrogged them into second place, just two points behind BM Trucks. With the Juniors facing up to the Trucks next week in the penultimate league match, the run-in could be very exciting.
At the other end of the table, Three Men and a Caddy have grabbed the wooden spoon with two games still to play. Their loss to the Sainties, coupled with the Neverwillbees having the bye, means that "Three Men" are now five points behind with just two games left. A baptism of fire in their first target golf season but for them the only way is up!
Week 7 results:
Loch Ness Juniors 82 – 36 Parahandies.
The Neverwillbees 65 – 42 The Sainties.
BM Trucks 72 – 56 Orion.
Three Men and a Caddy (Bye) 30.

TUESDAY LEAGUE REPORT
The Tuesday table has got a familiar look at the top, and at the bottom! League leaders Fairways poor form continued and they suffered their second consecutive defeat – a result which sees them fall off the top of the table.
The No 1 spot is now occupied by the Luckless Leadbetters who saw off King Kenyon’s Klan in what was a potential banana skin for the Leadbetters, given the Klan’s recent form.
It was the Muirton Marvels who beat Fairways and they, along with the Klan are just one point behind Fairways, who themselves are now two points adrift of the Leadbetters.
With just two games left and Fairways taking on the Klan nest week the Leadbetters could tie up the league with a game to spare. At the bottom there was also some movement as Fairhurst scored their first points of the season (and revenge over the Mad Drivers), and with their better shots scored record, have leapfrogged the Coastguards who now occupy the bottom spot after losing to the Senior Moments.

Week 7 results:
King Kenyon’s Klan 41 – 55 Luckless Leadbetters.
Fairhurst Fore 29 – 26 Mad Drivers.
Muirton Marvels 36 – 18 Fairways.
Senior Moments 36 – 23 Coastguards.


HOW THEY STAND
Monday League
1 BM Trucks 14pt
2 Loch Ness Juniors 12pt
3 Parahandies 11pt
4 Orion 8pt
5 The Sainties 8pt
6 Neverwillbees 8pt
7 Three Men and a Caddy 3pt

Tuesday League
1 Luckless Leadbetters 13pt
2 Fairways 11pt
3 Muirton Marvels 10pt
4 King Kenyon's Klan 10pt
5 Senior Moments 8pt
6 Mad Drivers 8pt
7 Fairhurst Fore 2pt
8 Coastguards 2pt

Midland Alliance date and venue switch next week

The Midland Golfers' Alliance's Dennis Redford (Powakaddy) team competition on Tuesday, December 1 has been moved from Murrayshall Golf Course to Thursday, December 3 at Muckhart Golf Club. Tee reserved from 9am to 12 noon.

WORLD CUP FIREWORKS... but not from Scotland

Irish eyes are smiling as McDowell and McIlroy

return a better-ball score of 14-under-par 58

By MICHAEL GIBBONS, Deputy chief European Tour Press Officer
Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy fully justified their pre-tournament favourite status on the opening day of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup with a sensational better-ball score of 14 under par 58 over the Olazábal Course at Mission Hills Golf Club in China.
That remarkable effort, including an eagle and 12 birdies, saw Team Ireland soar into a three-stroke lead over Argentina, with Japan a further stroke back on ten under par in third position.
Italy, Canada, Korea and defending champions Sweden share fourth place after opening scores of eight under 64, while host nation China produced a seven under 65 to share eighth place with South Africa.
But day one of the 55th World Cup belonged to Ireland, who made a near-perfect start to their bid to be crowned World Champions.
“I think 58 is the best score I've ever had,” smiled McIlroy, with McDowell in instant agreement.
McIlroy continued: “We got off to a great start today and we birdied the holes that we knew we had to on the front nine. We had a chance of two birdies most holes and most of the time we took one of them. It was great team play today, and we never really put each other under pressure. I think that showed in the way the scores went.”
McDowell was quick to point out that Ireland will not get carried away with their sensational start, with Friday’s alternate-shot foursome format bringing a totally different challenge.
“Today is a good start but that's all it is and we are very aware of that. Obviously foursomes is a tougher format and we have to get our strategy right.”
The Argentinean duo of Rafa Echenique and Tano Goya were delighted with their opening round of 61 that saw them occupy second place.
“I feel very confident today playing with Rafa,” said Goya. “He putted really good at the end of the round and we were pretty solid today. The times he was in trouble, I was there and the times I was in trouble, he was there. That's the good thing about the fourball – but it's important for one to make a really good hole. I think tomorrow is a different spirit in foursomes. It will be my first time playing with Rafa in foursomes so I'm going to enjoy it as much as I can.”
The Molinari brothers continued their fine form, to move Italy into third place behind Japan.
“I think he probably played better than me today,” admitted Francesco. “He holed more putts but it's a long tournament and we both need to be at our best to try and compete. But it's the first time that we are in a good position after the first round, so it's a nice change compared to the last couple of years.
“Playing with your brother is definitely an advantage because obviously we know each other really well, and we know each other's game really well. So we know what to expect and we know the strength and weaknesses of each other. Maybe even, you know, with your brother, you have much more confidence than with anybody else, so it makes it a bit easier.”
SCOTSWATCH: It was not a good start by the Scotland pair. David Drysdale, making his debut in the event, and Alastair Forsyth, flying the World Cup flag for Scotland for the fifth time, will start the second day in joint-25th place alongside Chile, Pakistan and, most surprisingly of all, the talented Spanish pair, Sergio Garcia and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño.
The Scots reached the turn in two-under-par 34, before picking up birdies at the 10th and 11th to move to four under the card. That could have been the platform for a "decent" better-ball score ... but it wasn't.
Drysdale and Forsyth covered the last six holes in one over par, dreadful scoring for better-ball golf at this level. They were not able to get a single birdie down the home straight and the best they could do at the last was a better-ball bogey at the last.

FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD (better ball)

Par 72

58 Ireland (Graeme McDowell & Rory McIlroy).

61 Argentina (Tanyo Goya & Rafael Echenique).

62 Japan (Hiroyuki Fujita & Ryuji Imada).

64 Canada (Graham Delaet & Stuart Anderson), Italy (Edoardo & Francesco Molinari), South Korea (Charlie Wi & Yang Yong-eun), Sweden (Robert Karlsson & Henrik Stenson)

65 China (Zhang Lian-wei & Liang Wen-chong), South Africa (Rory Sabbatini & Richard Sterne).

66 Denmark (Soren Kjeldsen & Soren Hansen), England (Ian Poulter & Ross Fisher), Germany (Alex Cejka & Martin Kaymer), Singapore (Lam Chi Bing & Mardan Mamat), Wales (Stephen Dodd & Jamie Donaldson).

67 Chinese Taipei (Lin Wen-tang & Lu Wei-chih), France (Christian Cevaer & Thomas Levet), India (Kupto Randjawa & Jeev Milkha Singh), New Zealand (Danny Lee & David Smail), Thailand, United States (Nick Watney & John Merrick), Venezuela (Alfredo Adrian & Jhonattan Vegas)

68 Australia (Stuart Appleby & Robert Allenby), Brazil (Rafael Barcellos & Ronaldo Francisco), Philippines (Mars Pucay & Angelo Que).

69 Pakistan (Muhammad Munir & Muhammad Shabbir), Spain (Gonzala Fernandez-Castano), Scotland (David Drysdale & Alastair Forsyth), Chile (Hugh Leon & Martin Ureta).