Stephen Gallacher signs off with scintillating 62 in Senior Open at Gleneagles

The 51-year-old, who is an ambassador for the Perthshire venue, set up his flying finish by starting with three straight birdies on the King’s Course before adding further gains at the fifth and ninth to turn in 29.

A birdie-birdie start to the back nine moved him to five under for the tournament - three off the lead after starting the day facing a ten-shot deficit in the final over-50s’ major of the year.

Gallacher then missed a short par putt at the par-4 12th before repairing that damage straight away by rolling in a monster putt from off the green at the 13th for his eighth birdie of the day.

More opportunities then went abegging at the 14th, 15th and 17th before he set up a great eagle opportunity at the last only to see it hit the side of the hole and spin away.

“Yeah, it’s not often you come off the course disappointed after shooting 62,” he admitted after signing for an eight-under closing salvo. “Just one of those days where I played really well and gave myself loads of chances. Holed a few putts and missed a few as well.

“Yeah, delighted to do it in the last round, where you need to do something like that. It (the carry) was on the limit with the driver at the last and I took it on and hit a lovely shot in.

“I think I’d have ended up just short even if I’d holed my eagle putt, but I think it is going to be two or three short anyway.”

Gallacher, making only his second appearance in the event, was proved right as he ended up in fifth place, picking up a cheque for $111,150.