After organising a first Augusta practice round with fellow Scot Sandy Lyle, Stephen Gallacher is to book another with double Augusta winning Jose Maria Olazabal.
Gallacher finally confirmed his place in the season’s first major with his best-ever Stateside finish of joint sixth in the WGC-Cadillac championship.
The Scot went to Miami lying 39th in the world rankings and arrived home to Bathgate having jumped two places to 37th. With that came the assurance of a first Augusta appearance.
Gallacher has now moved to eighth overall on the Ryder Cup points table and inside the nine which will automatically qualify for Gleneagles.
Gallacher will have to wait until the Sunday before the Masters for formal confirmation of his place, but Gallacher’s Bounce Management team has already booked Augusta residences.
It will be Gallacher’s 13th start in a major since making his debut at the game’s highest level as a then amateur in the 1995 Open championship at St Andrews.
Gallacher will also now complete a career goal of playing in all four majors by joining Lyle, winner of the 1988 Masters, in the season’s first major.
“I was speaking with Sandy at the recent Scottish Golf Awards dinner and we’ve since been in contact, so I’ll head out to Augusta on the Friday and play a round with Sandy on the Saturday,” said Gallacher.
“I watched on TV when Sandy won in 1988 and while he’s remembered for that great shot from the bunker at 18, I can virtually recall every shot he played that last day.
“It’s going to be great playing my first practice round alongside Sandy.
“I am also trying to get in contact with Jose Maria and play a practice round with him. There can be no better introduction to Augusta than to play alongside past champions, so I’m really looking forward to that.”
Gallacher will not be prompted to play more in the States.
“These three events, the two WGCs and last week’s Honda Classic has been great experience,” he said.
“I played on three tough golf courses and liked it. The Honda Classic was my first PGA Tour event and it was only my second time playing both the match play and the Cadillac.
“It’s been great experience, but in saying that I don’t want to play in the States full time.
“My two kids, Jack and Ellie, are very much still in school and I would not want to be away from them for long periods.”
Gallacher’s strong showing in Florida came days after fellow Scot Sam Torrance was named as one of Paul McGinley’s two Gleneagles vice-captains.
But while Torrance’s appointment has been widely praised Gallacher confessed he does not find it any added incentive to make McGinley’s team.
“Sam and Des Smyth are really good friends of Paul and they both are going to be brilliant for the team,” he said. “But I don’t think Sam’s appointment is any sort of inspiration for the Scottish players trying to qualify for the team, as it’s a simple case of he’s the best man for the job. So no, it doesn’t give me any extra incentive.”