Gallacher sticks with game plan despite pressures

STEPHEN GALLACHER enters his national open as his country’s No 1 player, straining for the win he needs to push for a Ryder Cup place, and to maintain his top 50 ranking and Race to Dubai chances.

“It’s a nightmare,” he joked.

“I always enjoy my golf,” he quickly added. “The hardest thing is to not to focus on things that are out of my hands anyway, all that stuff.

“The thing I’ve worked on is trying to focus on the task at hand. The thing that’s going to get me up the rankings, Ryder Cup or anything else, anything, is by playing well, week-in, week-out.

“You’ve got to put the numbers on the board, concentrate on your own game and get your routine right, get your game plan sorted and then just stick with that.

“Then everything else, all the outside agencies are gone, and I find you enjoy the game more.”

Gallacher is a links purist, and he thinks this is the first time the Scottish Open has been at a proper links since Carnoustie in 1996.

“It’s great just to be playing your national open on links golf, we very rarely get a chance to play it these days,” he said.

“So to play a course that’s superbly set up, a little bit of wind here and there and a little bit of variability, is great.

“I’ve seen three different winds already, so that’s normal links. It could be beautiful tomorrow.”

Stevie last played Royal Aberdeen in the ’90s, but he remembers the front nine especially.

“We are sort of blessed with plenty of links golf courses up here. You don’t get the Seniors Open, the Walker Cup unless it’s a special golf course, and it’s a great old-fashioned links course.

“When it’s across the course, it’s a tough test but great fun. It’s great practice for Hoylake, as well.”

He feels his game is close to being ready to win, although he failed to follow up his outstanding start in France last week.

“I was 10th in driving accuracy, fourth in distance, second in greens last week,” he pointed out. “I just lost my rhythm in putting midway through the second round and just lost a wee bit of confidence from then on in.

“But I’m still finishing top 18th. I’ve just got to take the same level of hitting and driving this week and hopefully hole my share of putts.”

There are 17 Scots in the field, including national amateur champion Alexander Culverwell. Richie Ramsay has delayed a decision on his injured shoulder until just before his 9.20 am tee-time today but the signs are the local man will play.

Getty. Catriona Matthew: playing well this year.