Stephen Gallacher’s hot-form continues with sterling USPGA showing

Aug 19 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

STEPHEN GALLACHER is continuing to soar up the world rankings and rack up the air miles after another globe-trotting week.

After he finished his round at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin on Sunday night at 10.30pm our time and was back home in West Lothian by 2pm Monday via Chicago and Heathrow.

And by Tuesday he was off to the Czech Republic on the next chapter that has been the 2010 European Tour adventure.

Last week was another wonderful performance to add to his growing reputation.

It was all the more impressive that it was at the very hub of the game worldwide, taking on the cream of the PGA Tour in their own back yard.

This was new ground for Stephen — at least his result was.

Making the cut for the first time on American soil was the objective for the week and this was achieved and a finish of tied 18th was even better than many might have guessed.

It was another of those weeks of interruption by the elements: this time it was fog and after the first day with a more than two hour delay there was a three hour wait for the second round and nine holes to be completed on the third morning for our man.

The first round was a good and a well constructed one under the card 71 despite an early double bogey.

The second and third rounds were not nearly as good striking-wise but his short game was razor sharp and, in particular, there was pugnacity shown with the early rise to play nine holes in three under par to make the cut comfortably.

He was out in the third round with eventual winner Martin Kaymer and the German was in form and pulled steadily away from a slightly out of touch Gallacher.

For the last round the wind had risen and, accompanied by local favourite Steve Stricker, Stephen was back to something like his best.

He left the World number four thirty yards behind off most tees but in the end the pair finished level on 284 total and seven shots adrift of the tie at the top along with such luminaries as Els and Cink.

Not his very best but this is still progress and a continuation of the wonderful summer.