Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher produced another stunning back-nine surge to recover from a stumbling start to become the first player to successfully defend the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in its 25 year history.
The 39-year-old from Bathgate, started the day with a two shot lead over Rory McIlroy, after astonishingly playing his final 10 holes in 10-under on Saturday. Last year’s champion would require a similar effort on Sunday, after dropping four shots on his front-nine.
At this stage, Gallacher had fallen two shots behind, but produced another surge on the second nine with birdies at the 11th, 13th, 16 and 17th as he came home in 33 to complete an even-par final round of 72, which was enough to claim the title for a second time by one shot from Argentinian Emiliano Grillo, who had surged through the field courtesy of a final round 66.
Today’s effort didn’t quite match the brilliance of yesterday’s stunning burst of seven birdies and an eagle that saw him complete the back-nine in an incredible 28 shots, but it was a winning performance of guts and perseverance that saw him recover from a potentially devastating start.
“I never do anything easy I'm afraid,” said Gallacher, who will now move inside the Top 40 of the Official World Golf Rankings. “What a day – my emotions are gone.
“I never really played the front nine that well all week. I don't know, it was a carbon copy of yesterday apart from I holed a couple of putts for par and got a bit lucky yesterday but today I was in bushes and trees and stuff.
“I just kept saying to myself, ‘stay patient’. I played the back nine well and no one was really running away with it at the time.
“To win it on the 25th anniversary, it was a good field with all the champions playing, makes it even more special.”
Gallacher has now secured a debut at the upcoming 78th Masters Tournament at Augusta National, and a place in the WGC Accenture Matchplay later this month. Having moved to the highest ranking in his career, the likeable Scot has already accomplished one of his goals for this year.
“That (world's top 50) was my goal at the start of the year," Gallacher added. "I knew I was only a win away from getting into all the events like the WGC Match Play and the US Open and if you have aspirations of getting into the Ryder Cup you have got to be in them, so I am delighted with that."
A place at Gleneagles is now a very real possibility for Stephen, who is the nephew of Ryder Cup legend Bernard Gallacher. Qualifying for the major championships and WGC’s is an almost-essential requirement for a player hoping to break into the European side, with qualification points significantly higher.
"You don't want to leave it too late so hopefully I can build on it," added Gallacher, who lives just 35 miles from Gleneagles. "I'm playing in all the events now and hopefully the Masters so that will be brilliant."
Delight for Gallacher, but disappointment for Rory McIlroy, whose challenge fell away on Sunday. Having taken the lead after the Scot’s poor start, the two-time major champion, who led after 36-holes this week, would hit his tee-shot into the water on the seventh, signalling a frustrating few hours ahead.
He would recover to make bogey on the par three, before further dropped shots at the 10th, 12th and 13th saw the former world number one settle for a frustrating final round of 74, and a tie for ninth, after opening with a scintillating 63 on Thursday.
Talented Frenchman Romain Wattel had claimed the clubhouse lead after a fine 66, but was overtaken by Grillo, who would make the most of a fortunate break on the 18th. The Argentinian’s second shot on the par five would hit the hospitality tents behind the green, before rebounding back onto the surface leaving him 65-feet for eagle. Astonishingly, the world number 268 would hole the putt for eagle that would ultimately see him finish in sole-possession of second.
“Apart from the second shot to 18 everything was quite good," Grillo said. "The second shot went a little bit further than I wanted and got lucky, then I got lucky with the big putt.
"I am quite happy with how it went today, it was a good round overall. I left some putts out there but the one on the last gave me the ones I missed."
Wattel and powerful American Brooks Koepka finished in a tie for third, with Tiger Woods completing a battling week at six-under in a tie for 41st. Much work remains for the world number one, if he is to claim his first major in six years at the Masters in two months.
One man that will be making that drive down Magnolia Lane is Stephen Gallacher, who once again reigns supreme in Dubai.