Stephen Gallacher left Dubai not only having won a new car for a hole in one, but also with renewed confidence after playing the final two rounds of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in the company of Lee Westwood and outscoring the world No.3 yesterday.
The pair could not be separated at the end of the tournament, with the Scot recording a final-day 69 compared to Westwood's 70, as they tied for second place on 17-under par.
Each British player missed birdie putts on the final green to allow Rafael Cabrera-Bello, who recorded a 68, to become the third Spaniard in succession, after Miguel Angel Jimenez and Alvaro Quiros, to win the event.
After a bogey at the first, Gallacher settled down to birdie his second and fifth holes, before dropping another shot at the seventh. He birdied the 10th and stormed right back into contention by sinking a 50-foot downhill putt for eagle at the 12th.
It was to prove the high-water mark of his challenge as Gallacher had pars on his last six holes.
"It's been a good week, but I'm also disappointed to go so close and come up one shot short of making a play-off," he said. "But, in the bigger picture, it's just good to have a chance on the last day.
"In the end, it just wasn't my day and there's nothing you can do. I felt good today and, after playing well on Saturday alongside Lee [Westwood]. I was looking forward to playing well again today with him. It's good to be with guys like Lee, who has so often closed out events with a good last round." Gallacher earned a cheque for £164,433 and climbed 96 places to 12th on the Race to Dubai.
Glasgow's Scott Jamieson jumped 27 places to 25th by finishing in a tie for fifth place with Rory McIlroy (71) on 14-under par after sinking a birdie putt on the last for a 71.
"One under is a good score and I managed to hold my position in very tough conditions," he said. "I was 12th last week in Doha and now fifth this week, so I'm heading to India pretty happy."
Paul Lawrie had a double-bogey on the last for the second time in four days, finding trees with his drive and ending up with a share of 51st place on three under par. It ended an unprecedented run of four top-10s for the Scot, capped by last week's Qatar Masters success.
"It was a difficult pill to swallow, ending with a double, but my short game was just appalling this week and I missed everything on the back nine," said Lawrie. "I only up-and-downed it once and I've never, ever done that before, and there's six shots right there."
David Drysdale finished with a 70 for a total of 281, while Richie Ramsay (72) was on 285, and Colin Montgomerie (76) on 293.
Lawrie has this week off prior to travelling to Arizona for his first appearance since 2003 in the $8.5m WGC-Accenture Matchplay Championship.
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