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Stephen Gallacher enjoys his ‘bit of magic’

Stephen Gallacher waves to the crowd during the final round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Stephen Gallacher waves to the crowd during the final round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

When Colin Montgomerie thinks back to his victory at the Dubai Desert Classic in 1994, one memory clearly stands out his driver off the fairway over the lake and on to the green at the final hole.

But for Stephen Gallacher, the first Scot to win the title since then, picking just one shot will be an impossible task in years to come.

The 38-year-old on Sunday achieved only his second European Tour victory in 404 tournaments spanning 20 years after an incredible five eagles in the four rounds.

There was the 175-yard seven-iron he put into the sixth hole in his opening 63, then the 40-yard bunker shot that completed a third-round 62 the lowest round of his Tour career.

But his closing 71 had two more moments to savour for the nephew of former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher.

A 185-yard five-iron to two feet on the ninth would have been special if it had been struck from the middle of the fairway, but it came after he badly pushed his drive.

“I had a window (between two trees) of about four feet, had to cut it and go under the first tree and over the second. When I saw the ball two feet from the flag I couldn’t believe it. It was a one-in-a-hundred shot.”

He had gone from three in front to one behind South African Richard Sterne before that happened, but Gallacher was one in front when he stood in the left-hand rough on the 16th and from 110 yards sank it for the last of his eagles.

“I don’t really know what to say. You need that little bit of magic,” he added.

“I need to go back to church after that and say my thank-yous. I’m sure my family back home were saying a few prayers.”

From 111th in the world and from the Tour qualifying school just over three years ago as he battled with the viral infection sarcoidosis Gallacher is now set for a first-ever world championship appearance at the Accenture Match Play in Arizona later this month.

If he can climb further into the top 50 by the end of next month, he will also be heading to the US Masters at Augusta.