Sporting values were reasserted in Dubai yesterday with the victory of Scottish golfer Stephen Gallacher on a barnstorming final afternoon when eight players either led or had a share of the Dubai Desert Classic lead. One of those was Rory McIlroy, whose platinum name the hosts would have wanted etchedon the trophy, but who fell away alarmingly on the run for home.
This was the 25th anniversary of a tournament launched in 1989 to help put Dubai on the geo-political map. To celebrate the landmark the tournament organisers offered an eye-watering US$2.5 million ($3 million) jackpot for an ace at the 17th hole, another brazen marketing device to associate the Gulf state with wealth and prestige.
Tiger Woods and McIlroy were brought over at great expense to add lustre and draw attention to a city state on the move again.
Gallacher cut across that marketing adventure and in so doing did the event a favour by making the week about golf not glitz.
There was a heart-stopping moment at the last when his stiffed approach spun back violently down the slope towards the water, but he was down in two for a round of 72 and is 250,000 ($506,000) better off as a result.
The real value lies in the major doors this victory opens.
Gallacher is a genuine European Tour foot soldier. He turns 40 in November. This is only his third career win, and with it he becomes the first to retain the trophy and only the third behind Ernie Els and Tiger Woods to win it twice.
There were some kind words of consolation for McIlroy, who had drawn level after only two holes courtesy of Gallacher's bogey-bogey start. Had he taken the chances he created over the opening holes McIlroy might have been a couple clear and in a different mental space.
"His first round was unbelievable," Gallacher said.
"Even Tiger was saying for such a slight guy he hits it so far. His ball flight is just phenomenal. I've never played with anyone who flights it as good as him, so high and penetrating. He'll be contending with Tiger for the world No1 spot. He's a class player."
