Stephen Gallacher is taking inspiration from Pádraig Harrington as he takes on the challenge of DP World Tour Qualifying School Final Stage a week after his 50th birthday.
With a foundation to run and Junior Ryder Cup captaincy to navigate, the Scotsman could be forgiven for taking a more relaxed approach to his own game but the competitive fire still clearly burns brightly for the four-time DP World Tour winner.
At 53, Harrington is still active on the DP World Tour as well as playing Champions and Legends Tour events, a bluerprint which Gallacher is keen to follow, although the 2014 Ryder Cup star would love to be able to keep his focus on the DP World Tour.
"I love the game, to be honest," he said. "I love competing.
"I've been 20 years on the DP World Tour and I feel as if my game is still pretty good enough to compete out there.
"You still see Pádraig Harrington, a guy I played Walker Cup with, he plays on the PGA TOUR, the DP World Tour, the Champions Tour... I spoke to him and he says it keeps him really sharp.
"I would like to do that and then I can play a few of the senior Majors and sort of ease my way in, that's my goal.
"Number one is to try and get back on Tour. My focus is totally on this, I'm not even thinking about anything else."
The last of Gallacher's four wins came in 2019 and, while he has not registered a top ten since, he does have experience of INFINITUM having played Final Stage in 2022.
And he believes that using his experience, and getting the putts to drop, will be key if he is to secure a return to the DP World Tour.
"I feel as if I've been playing pretty good, I've just not been putting that well so I've been working hard and hopefully the putts fall over the six rounds and I'll be in with a chance on Wednesday," he said.
"I've been here before, I kind of know what you need to do and if you're playing good golf, don't try too hard and don't try and force it. Just play golf, play the game.
"It's six rounds. I played nine holes on both courses, walked the other nine. I've got the compression legs, I'm taking supplements, I'm going into the physio in the morning and stretching after it.
"It's what you do at every event really, it's just this one has got another two rounds on to it. You're just hoping if it comes down to the last two your adrenaline and your mental strength will get you through."
