Stephen Gallacher
FullnameStephen James Gallacher
Birth date1 November 1974 (age 51)
Birth placeDechmont, Scotland
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight87 kg (192 lb; 13.7 st)
ResidenceBathgate, Scotland
SpouseHelen (m. 1999)
Yearpro1995
ExtourEuropean Tour
Prowins5
Eurowins4
Asiawins1
Chalwins1
MastersT34: 2014
UsopenCUT: 2005, 2011, 2014, 2015
OpenT15: 2014
PgaT18: 2010

Stephen James Gallacher (born 1 November 1974) is a Scottish professional golfer who played on the European Tour.

Early life and amateur career

In 1974, Gallacher was born in Dechmont, West Lothian. He is the nephew of former European Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher and cousin of Sky Sports news presenter Kirsty Gallacher.

Gallacher won the 1994 European Amateur and a couple of important amateur tournaments in Britain. He played in a victorious Walker Cup side in 1995 and turned professional later that year.

Professional career

In 1995, Gallacher turned professional. He first played on the European Tour in 1996 but struggled to begin with. In 2000, however, he reached the top hundred on the Order of Merit for the first time, placing 56th. In 2004, he recorded his first win on the tour at the Dunhill Links Championship, which is one of the richest golf tournaments in Europe, and finished the year ranked 15th on the Order of Merit.

In February 2013, Gallacher ended a 201-tournament wait for his second victory on the European Tour, when he won the Omega Dubai Desert Classic by three strokes. He held the lead going into the final round after he shot his best career round of 62 on the European Tour in the third round. Despite two bogeys in his first two holes, Gallacher clinched victory with an eagle on the 16th hole.[1] The win moved Gallacher back into the world's top 100.

The following year, Gallacher defended his title with a one stroke victory at the 2014 Omega Dubai Desert Classic for his third European Tour victory.[2] He is the first golfer to ever successfully defend the title. Five years after his title defense in Dubai, he won again on the European Tour by claiming the 2019 Hero Indian Open, India's premier event, with a birdie on the 18th at the Gary Player course at the DLF Golf and Country Club near Delhi, India, despite a quadruple-bogey on the 7th. His son Jack caddied for him during his win in India.[3][4]

Gallacher was one of the three captain's picks by Paul McGinley for the 2014 Ryder Cup.[5]

In December 2022 Gallacher was announced by Ryder Cup Europe as captain of the 2023 European Junior Ryder Cup team, for the match against United States in Rome, Italy ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup match.[6]

Amateur wins

Professional wins (5)

European Tour wins (4)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
110 Oct 2004Dunhill Links Championship−19 (70-66-66-67=269)PlayoffGraeme McDowell
23 Feb 2013Omega Dubai Desert Classic−22 (63-70-62-71=266)3 strokesRichard Sterne
32 Feb 2014Omega Dubai Desert Classic (2)−16 (66-71-63-72=272)1 strokeEmiliano Grillo
431 Mar 2019Hero Indian Open1−9 (67-74-67-71=279)1 strokeMasahiro Kawamura

1Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour

European Tour playoff record (1–2)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
12004Dunhill Links ChampionshipGraeme McDowellWon with birdie on first extra hole
22013Johnnie Walker Championship at GleneaglesTommy Fleetwood, Ricardo GonzálezFleetwood won with birdie on first extra hole
32014Nordea MastersVictor Dubuisson, Thongchai JaideeJaidee won with birdie on first extra hole

Challenge Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
17 Jun 1998KB Golf Challenge−14 (63-71-69-67=270)2 strokesErol Şimşek

Challenge Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11998Audi Quattro TrophyMarcello SantiLost to birdie on fourth extra hole

Results in major championships

Tournament19951996199719981999
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open ChampionshipCUTCUT
PGA Championship
Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
Masters Tournament
U.S. OpenCUT
The Open ChampionshipCUT
PGA ChampionshipCUT
Tournament201020112012201320142015
Masters TournamentT34CUT
U.S. OpenCUTCUTCUT
The Open ChampionshipT23T57T21T15CUT
PGA ChampionshipT18CUTT61CUTCUT

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament00000021
U.S. Open00000040
The Open Championship00000384
PGA Championship00000162
Totals000004207
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 3 (2013 Open Championship – 2014 Masters)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 0

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament20142015
The Players ChampionshipCUTT38

CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Results in World Golf Championships

Results not in chronological order before 2015.

Tournament20052006200720082009201020112012201320142015
ChampionshipT53T6T66
Match PlayR64R64T52
InvitationalT58T44T4756
ChampionsT63T24

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

See also

References

  1. ^ "Gallacher seals victory in Dubai". BBC Sport
  2. ^ "Stephen Gallacher defends Dubai title". ESPN. Associated Press. 2 February 2014.
  3. ^ "Indian Open: Stephen Gallacher wins despite final-round quadruple bogey". BBC News. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Scot earns first tour win in five years at Hero Indian Open". The Herald. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  5. ^ Murray, Ewan (2 September 2014). "Ryder Cup 2014: Poulter, Gallacher and Westwood are wild-card picks". The Guardian
  6. ^ "Gallacher announced as captain and qualification process for 2023 Junior Ryder Cup confirmed". rydercup.com. Ryder Cup Europe. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  7. ^ "European Boys' Team Championship – European Golf Association". Retrieved 22 January 2023.