Gallacher is ready and able, promises Garcia

Ryder Cup rookie Stephen Gallacher may be battling to contain his excitement but European team-mate Sergio Garcia is convinced the Scot is ready for action.
Europe's Stephen Gallagher during a practice session at GleneaglesEurope's Stephen Gallagher during a practice session at Gleneagles
Europe's Stephen Gallagher during a practice session at Gleneagles

Gallacher, 39, will fulfil a “lifetime ambition” to play in the competition when he tees off against the Americans at Gleneagles – if selected – tomorrow.

With the match taking place just 35 miles from his home in Linlithgow, Gallacher has plenty of extra reason for nerves but the experienced Garcia expects him to cope.

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Garcia, who is playing in his seventh Ryder Cup, said: “Stephen has been great. He’s obviously very excited about it, not only because he’s Scottish, but it’s his first Ryder Cup.

“He’s played really, really hard this year to be a part of this team, and you can see it in his eyes that he’s willing and he’s ready.”

In-form Gallacher was named as one of captain Paul McGinley’s three wildcard picks, having narrowly missed out on automatic selection.

He admits there was a time when he thought the Ryder Cup might pass him by but watching the 2012 contest at Medinah unfold inspired him to redouble his efforts.

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Gallacher said: “I definitely thought it had (gone), but I made a conscious effort a couple of years ago to get in this one. Especially for my generation, it’s never going to be here again. It’s a course I like in your home country.

“It’s the one that hopefully I can kick on from. As I’ve been here now, you get a taste for it and you want to play more.

“I just improved every single part of my game, whether it be mental, whether it be nutrition, injury prevention, down to my equipment, swing tinkering, the way I go about things, routines, absolutely everything.

“You get a little bit better in every aspect and the big picture gets better through that.

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“After watching Medinah and speaking to Paul Lawrie quite a bit – he was on a massive high coming off Medinah – I thought, let’s try.

“I knew I had to have the best year of my life to get in, and I’ve had the best year of my life so far.”

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