Bernard Gallacher to receive Scottish golf achievement award

Former Ryder Cup captain and player Bernard Gallacher is to be honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Scottish Golf Awards annual dinner.

Gallacher recently suffered a cardiac arrest while attending a dinner in Aberdeen and spent a week in intensive care but is now at home recovering.

He will receive the award in February.

Gallacher, 64, said: "I'm delighted to be accepting a Scottish Golf Lifetime Achievement award ahead of such a special year for golf in the country."

He follows Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie, Sam Torrance and last year's recipient, Sandy Lyle, in the nation's hall of fame.

"It's an honour to follow the greatest names in Scottish golf who have received this award in the past," said Gallacher.

"It promises to be a wonderful evening in Glasgow, one I'm thoroughly looking forward to."

Gallacher played in all eight Ryder Cups between 1969 and 1983 before taking over as captain in three Ryder Cups in 1991, 1993 and 1995, when he led a winning team at Oak Hill.

He had an illustrious career on the European Tour, with 22 professional wins, finishing in the top 10 on The European Tour Order of Merit five times between 1972 and 1982.

In his amateur days, he was a Scotland international and won the 1967 Scottish Stroke Play.

However, it was association with the Ryder Cup that he is best known for and he is keenly looking ahead to next year's competition at Gleneagles.

"I played in the first Ryder Cup in Scotland in 1973 at Muirfield and, like all golf fans, I'm looking forward to it coming back for what will be a fantastic contest," he added.