SCOTLAND’S Stephen Gallacher was named as the European Tour Golfer of the Month for October yesterday following his dramatic maiden Tour victory at the Dunhill Links championship.
The 30-year-old’s excellent performance at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns earned him 645,162 when he defeated Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off at the Old Course after both players had posted 72 ho
le totals of 19 under par.
Prior to his victory at the home of golf (with rounds of 70, 66, 66, 67), Gallacher had displayed evidence that he had already taken his game to a higher level in 2004. With five top-ten finishes this year - including a second-place finish at the Seville Open, the Scotsman was en route for his best ever season as a professional before his superb victory on home soil.
Gallacher finished in a career-best 15th place on the final Order of Merit with earnings of 1,144,157.
The award is presented each month from January to November for performances on the European Tour and in worldwide competition. Previous winners this year have been Miguel Angel Jiménez (January), Ernie Els (February), Adam Scott (March), Vijay Singh (April and August), Scott Drummond (May), Retief Goosen (June), Thomas Levet (July) and Bernhard Langer (September). At the end of the year, the panel will select the European Tour Golfer of the Year.
Veteran Jay Haas edged closer to his first PGA Tour win for more than ten years last night with a four-under-par 66 for the halfway lead on 133 at the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
The 50-year-old, the oldest player in the field at the East Lake Golf Club, moved to seven under for the tournament with three birdies and a chip-in eagle on the par-5 ninth. Canadian Stephen Ames is alone in second place at five under after a four-under-par 66 while Tiger Woods lurked a further shot back after a superb six-under-par 64 - his best round since February at the Nissan Open. Level with Woods is Retief Goosen who shot a 66. Canadian Mike Weir and first round co-leader Jerry Kelly are tied for fifth at two under, four shots off the lead.
World No1 Vijay Singh, attempting to win ten events in a single season, struggled to a three-over-par 73 which included six bogeys and he finds himself eight shots back. Britain’s Darren Clarke couldn’t repeat his fine opening 67 and also slumped to a 73.
