Young Scot takes Dunhill title

The Home of Golf hailed a new Scottish hero when Stephen Gallacher was crowned Dunhill Links Champion at the Old Course.

Gallacher beat Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell at the first extra hole after both had finished the tournament tied on 19 under par. The final leader board was brimful of young British talent, and Ryder Cup winners Ian Poulter and Luke Donald finished a stroke further back in a field that included the top two players in the world.

For 29-year-old Gallacher, this was a first Tour victory in 188 attempts. 'This is a dream come true,' he said. 'If I was going to get my first win what better place to do it.'

After an opening 70 at Carnoustie, Gallacher returned a 66 at Kingsbarns before firing two rounds of 66 and 67 over the weekend on the Old Course.

Gallacher is no stranger to the Old Course, but like so many others it has taken him years to master it. 'I must have played here over 30 times,' he recalled. 'My past performances here haven't been all that great. I can't remember doing any good round here. Even in my amateur days, in things like the Links Trophy, I was never in contention.'

Starting his final round three shots behind Luke Donald, Gallacher birdied six of the ten holes between the 4th and the 13th. This brought him into a three-way tie for the lead at 20 under, with Donald and McDowell. Donald, however, bogied the 13th and could not recover the lost shot on the closing stretch dominated, as usual, by the Road Hole which claimed the scalps of all three leaders.

At the play-off hole, both Gallacher and McDowell drove to around 100 yards of the pin, positioned close to the front edge. Gallacher struck his lob wedge to within three feet for a certain birdie. McDowell misjudged his approach and landed in the Swilcan Burn. 'When Steve hit his shot so close,' said McDowell, 'it forced me to try to get too cute and it went into the water. Steve played great golf today, fair play to him. It's a great victory.'

McDowell left St Andrews Links as the third holder of the Old Course record of 62. He joins Brian Davis and amateur Kevin McAlpine in having achieved the ten under par total on the present championship course.

Gallacher's win earned £445,000 and catapulted him inside Europe's top 15 players. His fellow St Andrews Golf Club members cheered him up the 18th fairway, and there were Scottish flags draped in celebration from buildings lining the Links.

Popular US pro Fred Couples and Australian television executive Craig Heatley, who finished on 37 under par, took the team title.

A crowd of more than 15,000 attended the final day's play and the occasion certainly impressed many of the high-profile amateurs taking part in the event. 'The whole week has been a highlight,' said actor Dennis Hopper. 'I loved coming up the 18th with all the crowds. It was unforgettable.' Fellow celluloid hard-man, Samuel L Jackson agreed: 'Today I experienced coming up the 18th at St Andrews in the last group - there's nothing better than that.'