Tuesday 27 January 2015 13:47, UK
Stephen Gallacher is attempting to join an elite hat-trick club this week as he defends his Omega Dubai Desert Classic title.
The Ryder Cup star became the first player to mount a successful defence of the Desert Swing showpiece at The Emirates last season, and he is now bidding to etch his name in history as only the sixth man to win the same European Tour event three times in a row.
Only Ian Woosnam, Sir Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Tiger Woods and Ernie Els have achieved the feat before, so Gallacher would be in illustrious company if he can outshine a high-quality field once again this week.
But Gallacher is determined to avoid putting any extra pressure on himself as he looks to build on a superb 2014 campaign which culminated in his Ryder Cup debut on home soil at Gleneagles.
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 really
“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,” the Scot told the European Tour website. “Hopefully come Sunday, I'm in position to give it a good go.
“My plan is to try and not 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.
Confidence
“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 really.
“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."
Gallacher admits the odds will not be in his favour when he tees up at the Majlis Course on Thursday, especially with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson and Martin Kaymer also in the field.
“It is hard to do," he added. "I've got a chance to do it and 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."
