Stephen Gallacher wins Dubai Desert Classic

Scotland's Stephen Gallacher eagled the par-4 16th en-route to a three-stroke victory over Richard Sterne of South Africa in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

The Scot, who hadn't won on the European Tour for nine years, began the final round three shots clear of the South African. But his advantage was eliminated almost immediately as he opened with two straight bogeys and Sterne with a par and a birdie.

The pair traded the lead for the majority of the round until Gallacher struck the telling blow at the par-4 16th. Having watched his playing partner three-putt for bogey on the previous hole, the 38-year-old Scot holed his wedge shot from the rough for an eagle two - his fifth eagle of the week.

The two gave him a four-stroke lead and, although Sterne reduced the deficit to three with a birdie at the 17th, Gallacher was able to hold on for his first European Tour victory since the 2004 Dunhill Links Championship.

"I'm obviously delighted," he said. "It's taken a long time but hopefully I'm maturing with age! I've holed four shots this week, but you've got to do that these days to win."

The victory should push Gallacher into the top-60 on the Official World Golf Ranking and give him a place in the WGC-Accenture Matchplay. It also greatly improves his chances of moving further up, into the top-50 and securing a start at the 2013 Masters.

"It's the only Major I've never played," he said. "It would be a dream to play there, I sit and watch it in the house with the kids every year."

Chile's Felipe Aguilar played a solid final round of 69 to finish the week in a tie for third with the, on-form, Dane Thorbjorn Olesen.

England's Lee Westwood moved up to a tie for fifth with Marcus Fraser of Australia as the pair closed with rounds of 68 and 67 respectively.

Omega Dubai Desert Classic Emirates Golf Club, Dubai Jan 31 - Feb 3, purse €1,850,000 par 72

1   Stephen Gallacher (Sco) 63   70   62   71   266   €309,233 2   Richard Sterne (RSA)   62   70   66   71   269   €206,153 T3   Felipe Aguilar (Chi)   68   68   66   69   271   €104,460 T3   Thorbjorn Olesen (Den)   67   66   67   71   271   €104,460 T5   Marcus Fraser (Aus)   67   69   69   67   272   €71,805 T5   Lee Westwood (Eng)   67   71   66   68   272   €71,805 T7   Robert Rock (Eng)   70   68   67   68   273   €47,870 T7   Ricardo Santos (Por)   66   71   69   67   273   €47,870 T7   Steve Webster (Eng)   69   69   65   70   273   €47,870 T10   Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) 65   68   69   72   274   €35,624 T10   Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind)   68   67   67   72   274   €35,624

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage Where next? PGA Tour - Phil Mickelson wins Waste Management Phoenix Open