Gallacher's top of the Scots
WEST Lothian golf star Stephen Gallacher was celebrating this week after the latest in a line of notable achievements – a place back in the top 100 of the world rankings.
Gallacher's tie for 23rd in last week's Open at St Andrews was the best finish by a Scot in the world's oldest major since Colin Montgomerie finished runner-up to Tiger Woods at the same course in 2005.
The 35-year-old wasn't even in the top 400 at the start of the season after his enforced five-and-a-half month absence from the European Tour last year.
But he was up to 108th going into The Open at St Andrews and a tie for 23rd there behind South African Louis Oosthuizen moved him up to 96th on Monday, one ahead of former Open Champion Ben Curtis.
Gallacher is hoping this will confirm he's on his way to securing a place in the last major of the season at next month's USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
Players in the top 100 get spots in that and, though the Linlithgow-based player missed out on this week's Scandinavian Masters in Sweden, next week's Irish Open will give him another chance to continue his incredible run in the United States.
Gallacher was inside the top 50 in the world after his win in the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews six years ago.
But his rise back up the standings has been spectacular over the last few weeks and he jumped above Martin Laird as the top Scot after tying for fourth at Loch Lomomd in the Scottish Open.
Gallacher has been in sparkling form since he tied for fourth in the BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour's flagship event, at Wentworth at the end of May. He chalked up three more top-ten finishes – in the Madrid Masters, Celtic Manor Wales Open and the Scottish Open – before making the cut in a major for the first time at St Andrews.
He achieved that feat despite only four hours' sleep last Friday night after coming off the course at 10pm, driving home to Linlithgow then being back on the Old Course at 6.30am on Saturday.
After getting some sleep he was back out on the course later in the day and shot a two-under-par 70 in the third round.
That put him two-under-par with a round to go and Gallacher was paired with Masters champion Phil Mickelson for that final circuit on Sunday. Unfazed, the former Walker Cup player shot a 71 to outscore the world No?2 by four shots.
This week Gallacher's off to Spain to attend the wedding of his cousin, TV presenter Kirsty. "I will probably take a half set (of clubs]," he smiled.
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Weather for Bathgate
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 0 C to 3 C
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