Stephen Gallacher prepares for Q-school “battle”

Stephen Gallacher is targeting a 27th consecutive season on the DP World Tour – but he will have to do it the hard way.

The former Ryder Cup star is back at Q-school for a fourth time after failing to finish in the top 117 of the tour rankings this year.

Boasting a perfect record when it comes to sealing his card through the end-of-season showdown, the Scot is nevertheless aware of the task at hand.

“You’re here for a reason and you’ve just got to handle it like any other event,” Gallacher said.

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“You want to finish in the top 25, you want to win it and work your way around it. It’s six rounds and it’s a big mental battle more than anything, physically too. But I’ve done it three times and I’ve got my card three times so hopefully that trend continues.

“It’s been a whirlwind since 2009, I’ve reached my career goal with the Ryder Cup, I’ve had three wins, one of them with my son, and I’ve had my lows as well. But that’s golf.

“I got my card for the first time at Qualifying School in 2005, so it’s 27 years. You’re going to have your ups and downs, so I wouldn’t change anything.

“It’s a different chapter and you never know; you win here, and you could win again next year – it could be the catalyst to work harder or figure out something.”

For the first time in three years Q-school is back at Infinitum in Spain, held over the Hills and Lakes courses at the Tarragona venue.

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“The Lakes is a great track and they’ve obviously reseeded it, changed it aesthetically as well, it looks really good and the greens are fantastic on both courses,” Gallacher added.

“At the Hills, you’ve got to plot your way around, hit it in certain positions and it’s a lot tighter with more trees, whereas the Lakes is windier and dead flat.

“They pose very different challenges and you’ve got to adapt to both of them really, I quite like that, you’ve got to think all the time. They’re both challenging golf courses and you have to use your head.