Sunday, February 3, 2013

Steven Gallacher wins 2013 Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Steven Gallacher claimed his 2nd career European Tour victory this weekend at the Dubai Desert Classic.  The 38 year old Scot eagled the 16th hole to take control of the tournament and finished three strokes ahead of Richard Sterne of South Africa.

Sterne started out strong on Sunday, erasing Gallacher's lead within the first two holes of the final round.  Gallacher three-putted the first hole before bogeying number two as well.  Sterne, however, birdied number two to move into a tie for the lead.  Sterne had held the lead after 18 and 36 holes.  The pair shared the lead and traded the lead back and forth throughout most of the final round.

Approaching the 16th hole, Sterne had come off a three-putt which gave Gallacher a one-stroke lead.  Gallacher hit his approach first and holed out from the fairway for eagle.  A little flustered, Sterne three-putted again and pretty much wrapped the tournament for Gallacher.  The eagle was the fifth of the week for Gallacher.

The win for Gallacher is his first since the 2004 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.  He moves into 6th place in the Race to Dubai.  The win also gains him exemptions into the WGC Bridgestone Invitational, WGC HSBC Champions and the 2014 Volvo Golf Champions.  He also will move into the top-60 in the Official World Golf Ranking, closing in on a Masters and WGC Accenture Matchplay birth.

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