Stephen Gallacher continues rich streak of form in Dubai

Feb 3 2011 West Lothian Courier

THIS golf thing must seem very easy for Stephen Gallacher at the moment.

Two weeks, two events and already up to number 14 in the Race to Dubai with 100k Euros banked.

All very nice but it hides the blood, sweat and tears to get to this level and stay there.

Bahrain was a new venue for the Tour and there were those in the field who should have known better than to bleat about the course, but they did.

It seemed to suit our man just fine. A modest day on the greens gave him an opening two under 70 which he followed with a then course record equalling 64.

Saturday was a bit cooler on the scoring front for a 69 but he was in there at the finish with a grand 67 which left him two behind winner Paul Casey in sole fourth spot.

You can look at the stats all day and see where these two shots might have been made up. Stephen had a fabulous week hitting greens in the right number, though, on paper, his driving looked less impressive as he missed a lot of fairways. Casey's driving stats were not wonderful either, however.

In the putting there was a discrepancy though – Stephen needed 11 more than the eventual winner but perversely one fewer than joint runner up Jiminez whom he will outdrive by 25 yards.

So that is misleading. If you hit loads of greens as Stephen did it is likely you will have more putts as you are putting quite often from a long distance away.

So do statistics tell us nothing?

One stat I noticed was that at the par five holes Casey was seven shots better overall than Stephen.

These are the holes that traditionally the pros plunder – they get on in two to make birdie or they are very close and get up and down for a sub-par score.

Stephen lost out here but who am I to say that this was what cost him the winners cheque? Stats might show something quite different next week.

Anyway I'm sure he is off to Qatar in good heart and raring to go.

Meanwhile back home one of Stephen's erstwhile colleagues on the Tour trail, Andy Oldcorn of King's Acre has won the Berwickshire Trophy in the Alliance's latest outing at the Glen in North Berwick.

It was chilly and playing quite long so Andy's 69, one under the card, was a good score in the circumstances and three better than runner-up Jamie Morris from Peebles.

Sharing joint third were Andy Marshall of Houstoun Driving Range and Bo'ness pro Alan Reid on the 73 mark.

Top handicap award went to Lothianburn five handicapper, Alex McKenzie for his 70 net, one better than former Deer Park member Justin White (4) now out of Harrison, in runners up place.

There was a joint fourth for former Linlithgowshire Champion Mark Chaplin of Deer Park on the 74 mark along with another man with county connections Ian Taylor, a past Champion at West Lothian but now at Royal Burgess.

In the scratch Order of Merit Greenburn pro, Scott Catlin is still hanging in, only a single point behind leader Chris Morris of Kingsknowe.

Andy Marshall is not far behind either in third place.