STEPHEN GALLACHR LEADS DUBAI CLASSIC BY THREE SHOTS

                            STEPHEN GALLACHER IN ACTION IN DUBAI TODAY
                                       Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Stephen Gallacher holed an audacious bunker shot for eagle on the last hole of the third round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic to seal a superb 10-under-par 62 and take a three-shot lead into the final day.

The Linlithgow-based 38-year-old 1995 Walker Cup player from Bathgate - Scottish amateur champion in 1992 - had just 20 putts as he racked up six birdies and two eagles on an uncharacteristically wet day at Emirates Golf Club to leapfrog South African Richard Sterne at the top of the leaderboard.

Gallacher's  21 under par 54-hole total of 195 (63-70-62) is the lowest in the event’s history, beating by one the record set by Tiger Woods in 2001. 
He has only one European Tour victory to his credit - the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews in 2004.

Sterne was no slouch either, birdieing the last for a six under par 66, while young Dane Thorbjørn Olesen had a 67 to lie third, another two shots back on 16 under, and Englishman Lee Westwood signed for a 66 to move to 12 under.

Gallacher, 6ft 2in and a nephew of former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher, said of his stunning finish: “With my second shot I was right on the limit for a rescue club, so I decided to hit a three wood into the trap behind the green. When I hit the bunker shot I knew it was either stiff or in. It was a brilliant way to finish.

“I putted really well today and drove the ball very well. My driver cracked last week so I’ve been working really hard with the new one and it’s paying off. I’m hitting more fairways, and you’ve got to play these courses from the fairways.

“I was just trying to get as many birdies as I could. I’m very familiar with the course as I come here on holiday a lot with the family. I know where to hit it and how to read the lines.”

Sterne, who also had a 62 in the opening round, said: “I’ve shot 66 and I’m three behind, which unfortunately can happen in this game. I've given myself a chance going into tomorrow, and hopefully it will be a lot of fun and I can put some good scores in to put some pressure on Stephen.

“As Stephen showed today, a low score is out there.”

 THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 216 (3x72)

195 S Gallacher (Sco) 63 70 62,

198 R Sterne  (RSA) 62 70 66,

201 T Olesen (Den) 67 66 67,

202 T Fleetwood  (Eng) 65 68 69, F Aguilar (Chi) 68 68 66, J Singh (Ind) 68 67 67,

203 S Webster (Eng) 69 69 65, M Kieffer (Ger) 66 68 69,

204 L Westwood (Eng) 67 71 66,

205 S Noh (SKor) 66 72 67, R Rock (Eng) 70 68 67, A Hartø  (Den) 67 67 71, C Doak (Sco) 65 69 71, G Maybin (Nir) 69 67 69, J Walters (RSA) 68 70 67, J Kruger (RSA) 70 66 69, M Fraser (Aus) 67 69 69, A Sullivan (Eng) 69 67 69,

206 S Garcia  (Esp) 68 67 71, R Santos  (Por) 66 71 69, F Andersson Hed (Swe) 67 71 68, A Noren  (Swe) 68 71 67, R Wattel  (Fra) 68 67 71, R Jacquelin (Fra) 70 68 68,

207 I Garrido (Esp) 69 68 70, G Mulroy (RSA) 71 70 66, R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 69 69 69, M Manassero (Ita) 66 71 70, P Lawrie (Irl) 66 70 71, S Jamieson  (Sco) 65 72 70,

208 M Siem  (Ger) 68 72 68, J Donaldson (Wal) 67 73 68, T Hamilton (USA) 70 68 70, J Olazábal (Esp) 70 67 71, A Wall (Eng) 68 72 68, D Drysdale (Sco) 69 70 69, L Gagli  (Ita) 68 71 69,

209 G Bourdy (Fra) 67 71 71, T Jaidee (Tha) 68 68 73, L Slattery (Eng) 69 70 70, J Campillo (Esp) 69 71 69, P Casey  (Eng) 66 70 73, G Lockerbie  (Eng) 68 70 71, H Stenson (Swe) 69 69 71, G Havret  (Fra) 70 67 72, R Derksen (Ned) 68 72 69,

210 C Lee (Sco) 69 70 71, M Ilonen  (Fin) 71 70 69, M Warren (Sco) 67 72 71, R Gonzalez (Arg) 71 70 69, C Wood  (Eng) 68 68 74, D Howell (Eng) 70 68 72, E Pepperell (Eng) 68 70 72,

211 R Coles (Eng) 73 68 70, D Horsey (Eng) 75 66 70, S Khan (Eng) 68 73 70, M Lafeber (Ned) 69 71 71, M Nixon (Eng) 69 69 73,

212 M O'Meara (USA) 67 74 71, A Tadini (Ita) 70 71 71, P Larrazábal (Esp) 71 70 71, B Wiesberger  (Aut) 71 68 73,

213 D McGrane (Irl) 68 72 73, S Chowrasia (Ind) 69 70 74, J Van Zyl (RSA) 69 71 73, J Gonnet  (Fra) 72 68 73, K Horne (RSA) 68 71 74,

214 O Fisher  (Eng) 69 72 73, S Dyson  (Eng) 70 71 73,

215 T Lewis (Eng) 69 72 74, T Levet (Fra) 68 70 77,