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JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC

March 1, 2007

Stephen Gallacher

PHUKET, THAILAND

GORDON SIMPSON: Well played today, joint second place at the moment with a round of 66. You were saying conditions were slightly different from last week in Scotland. Tell the guys what you were up to last week.
STEPHEN GALLACHER: Six of my friends, and went from Dunkeld to Bridge of Caley and equally soaked so the bone, in seven degrees and 18 miles in driving rain. So that's the preparation, I think the fitness has helped me right now.
GORDON SIMPSON: What sort of terrain were you going over?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: Proper heather, with 20 miles the next day from Bridge of Caley to Garelochhead. It was really enjoyable. It was good.
GORDON SIMPSON: For how many miles total?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: 40 miles in two days.
GORDON SIMPSON: So a bit like an Army Yomp, was it?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: We had the official weigh in and I was 17 stone with my back pack on before I went, so it was pretty much -- it was a battle of the wills at the end, I'll tell you that.
GORDON SIMPSON: When you get such difficult conditions like this, you need to be strong, physically, do you, to help you mentally?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: I lost a bit of weight at the start of the year purely because I changed my schedule to play here. I've never been to Thailand and never played in Malaysia. You've got to be fit to play here. Soaked to the bone but hydrated, had about eight litres of water. You've just got to get on with it. The guys from Scotland, we're not used to this. You never get humidity like this.
GORDON SIMPSON: What were the keys to 6-under?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: I got off to a slow start. I didn't feel very well this morning. I had a sore throat and missed the first three greens with short irons and got up-and-down. I played really well through the turn and then I birdied the par-5 9th and I just got hold of the back nine.

Q. Why did you go home to Scotland after Malaysia?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: Two young kids, you try and get home as often as you can. I missed his birthday, my wee boy was six on Saturday. I missed my son's and I miss my daughter as at the end of the month. Just a thing you've got to get on with.
GORDON SIMPSON: What about the season to date?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: I've played three times, and with the humidity and stuff, but I finished 27th in Malaysia and I think I finished 40th, 44th or something like that. I've been playing good since the end of last year. I've been working -- went down and see Paul Hurrion, the guy who works with Harrington. Another reason I had to go home as well because I was starting with the putter terribly especially on grainy greens. Did a couple of days with him and been practising in the room and stuff.
GORDON SIMPSON: He's got the putting caboratory?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: Yeah, he's got the biomechanic, all the high-speed cameras and all that. Very technical but at the end it's just a basic setup for me. That's probably the best I've putted for years today.

Q. What about your sort of fitness level and that sort of thing?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: Yeah, good.

Q. Just in terms of injury?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: I've not had anything, not a thing. 20 miles with a backpack, just some knots and things.

Q. How heavy was the pack?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: About 21/2 stones (35 pounds). I've not been -- I didn't have a great year last year but I definitely want to try to get back up into the mix again, try to compete for tournaments, that's my initial goal, and hopefully get a bit more consistent and keep doing it every week.

Q. When you try to do that, how often do you kind of sort of draw back on St. Andrews and the win there, or is that not the case?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: Well, the only thing with St. Andrews is it's good that under pressure, you try to remember you've done it then so you can do it again. That's all you basically use that for.
No, it's just about -- I've got stuff to do with my putting and it's just a case of staying fit now and fresh out here, anyway.

Q. Did you set a goal before you came here this week and from what you're seeing today are you on course to meet it or exceed it?
STEPHEN GALLACHER: I came here, just normal stuff. You know, on Tuesday, you get your game plan on Tuesday and you try to stick with it and hope you prepared well enough.
Unfortunately you can't prepare for the heat. My goal for this week is just to stay as rehydrated and eat as much as I can type thing so you don't get fatigued, because it's the fatigue out here that kills you, certainly the last few holes. But today, I felt quite strong the last few, so I felt good with that.
GORDON SIMPSON: Great start and let's see if you can keep it going tomorrow. Well played.

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