Scotland’’s Stephen Gallacher has been named as The European Tour Golfer of the Month for October following his dramatic maiden European Tour victory in the dunhill links championship.
The 30 year old’’s excellent performance at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns earned him €645,162 when he defeated Northern Ireland’’s Graeme McDowell at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off at the Old Course after both players had posted 72 hole totals of 19 under par.
Prior to his victory at the Home of Golf with rounds of 70-66-66-67, Gallacher had displayed evidence that he had already taken his game to a higher level in 2004. With five top ten finishes on The 2004 European Tour International Schedule – including a second place finish at the Open de Sevilla at the Real Club de Golf de Sevilla in April – the Scotsman was en route for his best ever season as a professional before his superb victory on home soil.
That sealed a magnificent year for Gallacher, who finished in a career best 15th place on the final 2004 Volvo Order of Merit with earnings of €1,144,157.
Other players considered for the October award included Ernie Els of South Africa, who made HSBC World Match Play Championship history when he became the first player to win the event six times.
Sergio Garcia of Spain won his fifth European Tour International Schedule title in his 69th European Tour event at the Mallorca Classic, Pula Golf, Majorca. Rounds of 66-67-68-67 for a 12 under par total of 268 secured a four stroke victory over England’’s Simon Khan. Garcia’’s last European Tour win was also in Spain, the 2002 Canarias Open de España.
Richard Sterne of South Africa, meanwhile, became the 15th first time winner on The 2004 European Tour International Schedule with victory in the Open de Madrid. Going into the Club de Campo, Sterne was 122nd on the Volvo Order of Merit, but victory, worth €166,660, meant he jumped to 70th and gained a two year Tour exemption. He also became the 23rd South African to win on The European Tour.
Ireland’’s Mark McNulty also earned a special mention after finishing his rookie season on the US Champions Tour with back-to-back victories in the SBC Championship and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. McNulty started and ended his first season as a senior with a victory.
The Award is presented to a European Tour Member each month from January to November for his performance on The European Tour International Schedule and in worldwide competition. Previous winners this year have been Miguel Angel Jiménez (January), Ernie Els (February), Adam Scott (March), Vijay Singh (April and August), Scott Drummond (May), Retief Goosen (June), Thomas Levet (July) and Bernhard Langer (September). At the end of the year, the panel will select The European Tour Golfer of the Year.
