John Gallagher (golfer)

John Gallagher, Scottish Golf Union (born April 17, 1981) is a Scottish international amateur golfer. His most prolific victory came at the 2007 Scottish Amateur Championship which was played at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire. The final match was a resounding 4&3 win over Keir McNicoll. He also finished 2nd in the 2005 British Amateur Championship, defeating 19 year-old sensation Lloyd Saltman in the semi-final. Saltman was the 2005 Silver Medalist at the British Open Championship.

Gallagher has reached as high as 14th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. His success is largely due to consistently accurate play from tee to green. John is a self-taught right-handed golfer with a "cack-handed" or "cross-handed" grip. He grips every club with his left hand below his right.

Biography

Born to an Irish father and Scottish mother, he was raised and educated in Edinburgh, Scotland, where his father John was and is greenskeeper at Swanston New Golf Club. Gallagher grew up playing at [http://www.swanstongolf.co.uk/index.htm Swanston New] golf club and taught himself the game without the benefit of even one lesson.

He has won three important Scottish amateur tournaments — the 2005 Craigmillar Park Open, the 2006 Tennant Cup, and the 2007 Scottish Amateur Championship. He also played for Scotland in its back-to-back victories at the Home Internationals in 2005 and 2006 and at the [http://archives.thespiritgolf.com/profile/team_scotland.html Spirit International] in Trinity, Texas in 2005. He has competed in several national amateur championships and in numerous elite amateur tournaments across four continents.

Career outline

John Gallagher burst into the international spotlight with his runner-up finish in the 2005 [http://www.randa.org/index.cfm?action=championship.view&id=7 British Amateur Championship] at [http://www.royalbirkdale.com/ Royal Birkdale] His semi-final victory over heavily favored Lloyd Saltman on top of his impressive run through one of the strongest fields in amateur golf put him on the international map of elite amateur golf. The cack-handed, relatively unknown golfer playing out of the modest Swanston New course was suddenly one match away from claiming one of the top two amateur titles in the world and earning coveted invitations to the [http://www.masters.com Masters tournament] and [http://www.opengolf.com/ChampionshipGolf/TheOpenChampionship.aspx The Open Championship] . Irishman Brian McElhinny, however, got ahead early in their final match and Gallagher could never mount a serious charge in the blustery conditions. At this point Gallagher was ranked 14th in the world among amateur golfers. Participating in Scotland's victory at the Home Internationals over Ireland, Wales, and a very strong English contingent capped off his breakthrough 2005 season.

Several strong finishes in 2006 including victory in the Tennant Cup saw Gallagher again briefly break into the top 50 of the worldwide amateur golf ranking. He began to experience pain in his wrist which affected his play somewhat as the 2007 season wore on. Told that he would not likely make things worse by playing in this pain, he entered the [http://www.scottishgolfunion.org/Index.cfm?action=eventHome&instanceid=394 Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship] and won, earning an invitation to the prestigious Scottish Open of the European PGA tour. Gallagher underwent surgery on his wrist after the 2007 season.

The 2008 season began with residual pain in the wrist and uneven results in competition for Gallagher. He rounded into form in time to begin the [http://www.barclaysscottishopen.co.uk/ Scottish Open] with a three under par 68. On the second day he was again three under par through 16 holes at the demanding Loch Lomond course and appeared atop the second page of the leader board. His heartbreaking double-bogey triple-bogey finish cost him the chance to play on the weekend. This outstanding performance (save the last two holes), solidified his confidence in his ability to compete in the professional ranks.

Gallagher is expected to turn professional in March of 2009.

Home Internationals and other team golf

Gallagher has represented Scotland at three consecutive Home Internationals competitions and was on the winning side each of his first two years. By September, 2007 his wrist pain was acute, and it limited his effectiveness in his third campaign. His career record at the Home Internationals is 6-7-2, scoring 7 points.

Personal life

John lives in the Edinburgh Oxgangs neighborhood where he grew up. He still plays out of Swanston New, the course on which he learned and whose championships he came to dominate. He holds the course record of 58. He has scored three aces in medal play. His dad caddies for him whenever he can.

Golfing record

Amateur wins (3)

*2005 Craigmillar Park Open
*2006 Tennant Cup
*2007 Scottish Amateur Championship

International Team wins (2)

*2005 (1) Home Internationals
*2006 (1) Home Internationals

Noteworthy Course Records (5)

*58 (-8) - Swanston New
*63 (-6) - Baberton
*63 (-6) - WestLinton
*64 (-7) - Silverknowes
*64 (-5) - Loch End

Results in major championships

DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
DQ = disqualified
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.

Team appearances

Amateur
*Home Internationals: (representing Scotland) 2005, 2006, 2007
* [http://archives.thespiritgolf.com/profile/team_scotland.html The Spirit International Amateur Championship] : (representing Scotland) 2005

Professional

Notes and references

* [http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/Scottish-Open-Lawrie-leads-charge.4278718.jp The Scotsman mentions John Gallagher's first round at Loch Lomond]
* [http://www.golfbox.dk/livescoring/leaderboardMatchPlay.asp?tour={0BA4B36C-0A13-4956-8F45-E8DF113B8DC3}&grp=1&round=7&clubOnly=1&color=1&lang=1033The bracket showing that John Gallagher is the winner of the 2007 Scottish Amateur Championship]
* [http://www.iseekgolf.com/news/3828-brian-mcelhinney-wins-british-amateur "iseekgolf" describes John Gallagher's runner-up finish in the 2005 British Amateur Championship]
* [http://www.swanstongolf.co.uk/jg.htm John Gallagher news on the Swanston New golf club website]

External links

* [http://www.scottishgolfunion.org/ Official site of the Scottish Golf Union]
* [http://www.europeantour.com/publish.sps?pageid=127&pagegid=%7B20E6AA6B%2D0225%2D4C71%2DBD89%2D2ACBEE615D69%7D&playerId=36047 John Gallgher's profile on the European Tour's official site]
* [http://wagr.randa.org/default.sps?pagegid=%7B1FE6F61A%2D2206%2D4985%2DAE50%2DE0D9C28C96E2%7D&sort=week&playerid=182&sortorder=desc&search=1 Results for John Gallagher in ranking amateur tournaments for the last two years from the Official World Amateur Golf Rankings site]