STEPHEN Gallacher's score in his Ryder Cup singles match would have been good enough to earn him a point against the majority of the United States team.
The only Scot in the European side was four under par as he stood on the 17th tee of his tie at the PGA Centenary course yesterday afternoon.
If he had faced Keegan Bradley, Ricky Fowler, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson, Webb Simpson, Jordan Spieth or Bubba Watson, he would have triumphed. Furthermore, his fine display would have seen him force Patrick Reed, who finished his debut undefeated, to the very last hole.
Yet, as anybody who has swung a club in anger will testify, you need a little slice of luck in the game of golf. And it was Gallacher's considerable misfortune to come up against a smarting Phil Mickelson with a point to prove in only his second outing in this year's competition.
The five-time major winner highlighted the absurdity of Tom Watson's inexplicable decision to leave him out of both the fourball and foursomes matches on Saturday with an inspired individual performance. The left-hander covered the Jack Nicklaus-designed course in six under par, carding six birdies and not dropping a single shot, to win 3&1.
Having been on the receiving end of a heavy defeat alongside an underperforming Ian Poulter in the morning fourball matches on the Friday, it capped a deeply disappointing week for Gallacher. After battling hard all season to qualify for Paul McGinley's 12-man team and deservedly been handed a wild card, losing both of his matches was not what he had hoped for.
However, the 39-year-old from Bathgate can still take enormous pride in how he acquitted himself in front of his home galleries at Gleneagles yesterday under considerable pressure. "It was a good match," he said. "I hit back after falling a couple behind and got it back to level again. But when Phil birdied the 15th and 16th holes it was always going to be difficult for me."
Still, the bittersweet experience has not deterred the three-time European Tour winner. Far from it, in fact. He has already targeted a place in the European team at Hazeltine in 2016. "There's another one of these things in two years' time isn't there?" he asked. "Hopefully I'll be back at that one. I will definitely be up for that one."
As the sole home competitor, Gallacher has been clapped and cheered as he has walked on to every tee and green this week and chants of "Stevie G! Stevie G! Stevie Stevie G!" have rung out across the fairways. "I'll remember the reception I received on the first hole as long as I live," he said. "The fans have been great all week. It has been an awesome experience and I will cherish it forever."
He also felt no ill will towards McGinley - despite his skipper admitting he had made a mistake by pairing the rookie with an out-of-form partner like Poulter before dropping him. "Paul has been absolutely exceptional."
A missed four-foot birdie putt at the first hole, after his feted rival had missed from twice that distance, was the worst possible start to his singles match for Gallacher. He made amends for that with a birdie at the par-five second, where he holed a birdie putt from 10 feet, to edge a hole ahead. However, his lead was to prove short-lived. Mickelson birdied the fifth, sixth and eighth holes to edge two in front and the former Open, US Masters, and USPGA champion looked poised to extend his lead at the long ninth.
Gallacher hooked his approach shot and then overcooked his chip shot. With Mickelson safely on the green in regulation and facing a makeable birdie putt it did not look good for the Scot. The arrival of his cousin, the Sky Sports News television presenter Kirsty, behind the green to cheer him on appeared to raise his spirits. He got up and down brilliantly for a half.
He then won the next two holes with birdies, drilling in a putt from fully 30 feet at the short ninth and then firing his approach to just a couple of feet at the 10th. But the margins between success and failure at this high level are small - as he found to his cost at the 15th and 16th holes. He pushed his drives and could only make pars. His adversary made birdies and closed out the match.
Gallacher was not the only player to finish pointless. Reigning US Masters champion Bubba Watson lost all three of his games. Nevertheless, what should have been one of the greatest weeks of Gallacher's life was tinged with sadness.
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