Stephen Gallacher pays warm tribute to ‘No 1 fan and also biggest critic’

Stephen Gallacher has paid a warm tribute to his dad Jim, who passed away suddenly earlier this week at the age of 67.

A former Bathgate club champion on the course and a real larger than life character off it, Jim introduced Stephen to golf and took immense pride in his long list of achievements in the game.

He loved seeing him create history in the amateur ranks by becoming the first player to win Scottish titles at boys, youths and men’s level.

Stephen also won the Lytham Trophy and played in the same Walker Cup as Tiger Woods at Royal Porthcawl in 1995, where he helped GB&I defeat the United States.

It was another proud moment for Jim when Stephen then landed his breakthrough win on the European Tour, beating Graeme McDowell in a play-off to claim the Dunhill Links title in 2004.

He was also there to share Stephen’s record-breaking back-to-back Omega Dubai Desert Classic wins in 2013 and 2014, the latter helping secure a Ryder Cup appearance that year at Gleneagles.

“He has been a huge part of my life – my No 1 one fan as well as my biggest critic,” said Stephen, writing in his weekly column in the Press & Journal.

“He was hard on me when needed and always there with the right thing to say when I needed a boost. We were very close so it is going to be a tough one to take as I always turned to him for advice.

“It was actually his idea for my son Jack to start caddying for me and that probably gave me my happiest moment as a golfer when I won the Hero Indian Open with Jack on the bag last year.”

While Stephen has followed in his uncle Bernard’s footsteps by carving out a career in golf, it was Jim who stirred his interest in the sport intially.

“My father was very keen to get me interested in golf from an early age,” he added. “When I was born, my dad went to the golf club that night to have a few beers to celebrate and he joined me there and then as a member.

“I was only an hour old and already a signed-up member at Bathgate Golf Club. I think I was predestined to be a golfer, and he was always there to support me as I progressed.

“He was a very good golfer, too. When I was 10, he was club champion at Bathgate.

“He played a big part throughout my amateur career, but I know being there when I won my first event on the European Tour, the Dunhill Links in 2004, was a proud day for him.

“He was also there when I won in Dubai, and I know he was chuffed to see me play for Europe in the Ryder Cup.

“But I think watching Jack and I winning in India together would have given him the most happiness as they had a very close bond..

“He was a great man, who loved seeing Scottish golfers doing well. I’m going to miss my chats with him about golf as well as other things.

“It is going to leave a big hole in my life, but he also leaves some great memories. It has given me the drive 
to do well when I’m back competing to make him proud again.”