Stephen Gallacher insists he is not feeling any extra pressure as he attempts to join a pantheon of greats by winning the same event three times in a row at this week’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
The 40 year old Scot returns to defend his title at Emirates Golf Club for the second time after sealing back-to-back victories in the final event of the Desert Swing last year with a one shot win over Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo.
Only five players in European Tour history have lifted the same title on three successive occasions - Ian Woosnam (1990-92 Monte Carlo Open), Sir Nick Faldo (1991-93 Irish Open), Colin Montgomerie (1998-2000 PGA Championship), Tiger Woods (1999-01, 2005-07 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational and 2005-07 WGC – Cadillac Championship) and Ernie Els (2002-04 Heineken Classic).
But Gallacher is not approaching this week any differently from other events, even if he does find the Majlis Course very much to his liking every time he returns.
“I'm going to approach it the same as last year, not try to put too much pressure on myself and just go ahead and enjoy it,” said the Bathgate player, who was also runner-up in this event in 2012. “Hopefully come Sunday, I'm in position to give it a good go.
“My plan is to try not to put myself under any pressure. I mean, I'd love to make it three in a row, don't get me wrong. To win last year on the 25th anniversary was special, with the field and with the history behind it.
“I took a lot of confidence from that and it set up the best year of my career in many ways. I'm hoping to just keep building on it. It's a course I play well, so I'm hoping to just not think too much about it and just get on and play golf.
“You get certain places where everything seems to click for you, and I certainly feel good coming here and I really enjoy playing the course and I love coming to Dubai.”
The three-time European Tour winner is more confident than ever after a superb 2014 season which included a Ryder Cup debut in his home country, and he is hoping to push on up the Official World Golf Ranking from his current 34th spot.
Now he has earned his place among some of the greatest names in the game, he is feeling good about his chances of becoming the sixth player in history to earn a hat-trick of consecutive titles.
“It is hard to do,” he said. “I've got a chance to do it. I've got expectations of what I want this week but I'm not going to put myself under any more pressure.
“If it happens, brilliant. If it doesn't, as long as I give my best shot at start of the week and 100 per cent at everything, that's all I can do.
“It's great to be associated with them, isn't it? I've earned my place to be associated with them, so I cannot change it now. It's there. The only thing I can do is add it and I would love to.”
