Stephen Gallacher wins Dubai Desert Classic

Scotland's Stephen Gallacher eagled the par-4 16th en-route to a three-stroke victory over Richard Sterne of South Africa in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Stephen Gallacher wins Dubai Desert Classic (Getty Images)

Scotland's Stephen Gallacher eagled the par-4 16th en-route to a three-stroke victory over Richard Sterne of South Africa in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

The Scot, who hadn't won on the European Tour for nine years, began the final round three shots clear of the South African. But his advantage was eliminated almost immediately as he opened with two straight bogeys and Sterne with a par and a birdie.

"I'm obviously delighted," he said. "It's taken a long time but hopefully I'm maturing with age! I've holed four shots this week, but you've got to do that these days to win."

"It's the only Major I've never played," he said. "It would be a dream to play there, I sit and watch it in the house with the kids every year."

Chile's Felipe Aguilar played a solid final round of 69 to finish the week in a tie for third with the, on-form, Dane Thorbjorn Olesen.

Omega Dubai Desert Classic Emirates Golf Club, Dubai Jan 31 - Feb 3, purse €1,850,000 par 72

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?