Gallacher aims to overcome back problem

Stephen Gallacher starts the defence of his one and only European Tour title today rating himself “about 80% fit”. And happy he is able to put it that highly.

When the 30-year-old Scot won the Dunhill Links championship at St Andrews last October there were many people who thought it could lead on to bigger and better things.

That has not happened yet, but the nephew of former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher is optimistic it still can once he sorts out a long-standing back problem.

“This is the best it’s been for two or three months, so I can start to practise a bit harder,” he said.

“I’ve basically not been practising, just playing, and if you can’t prepare properly you can’t expect too much.

“It’s getting better and I’m going to see a guy who says the big muscles are not working any more and I need to try and re-train them in my trunk area.

“I’ve been trying to turn a bit more through the ball and I can’t because physically my body won’t let me do it.

“The more I’m able to get it moving the more I’ll be able to get back playing. There’s going to be a new training and stretching regime over the winter.

“I’ve started it now and I’m looking forward to next year already. I want to be playing in my 40s and 50s, not struggling at 30 because of back pain.

“I know what I think I’m capable of and when I’m back at 100% I’ll be back in contention to win.

“I’ve had only one top three (the Deutsche Bank Open in July) and the only reason I finished well was that the first day was cancelled and it was a three-day event, which is perfect for me.

“Obviously I’d love to play the Ryder Cup. It’s in my family and probably my biggest goal. But first you’ve got to be in the top 50 to have a good chance.”

Gallacher means the world’s top 50 so that he qualifies for all the majors and big championships, but the short-term goal is to climb from 64th on the European Order of Merit into the top 60 to qualify for the season-ending Volvo Masters.

His world ranking currently stands at 112th but that still makes him the second highest Scot behind 23rd-placed Colin Montgomerie.

And that means he still has the World Cup in Portugal in November to turn the year into a success – not with Montgomerie, who has rejected the event like so many other top players, but with Scott Drummond.

This week’s tournament has a pro-am format and, to bring back more memories of last year’s victory, Gallacher is again partnering Sir Martyn Arbib, a retired businessman whose horse Snurge won the 1990 St Leger.