Stephen Gallacher got a bit of a fright in his moment of triumph when the European Tour’s elder statesman Miguel Angel Jimenez strode into the scorer’s hut in Dubai last month.
“I’m finishing signing my card,” recalled the Scot, who had just holed out to retain the prestigious Dubai Desert Classic title from a field including Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy: “and Miguel comes into recorder’s and shuts the door behind him.
“I’m thinking, ‘What have I done? Did I touch the sand or something?’”
Instead, it was another example of how Gallacher has joined the Tour’s elite as the veteran Spaniard had with him an invitation to play in this week’s EurAsia Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
It looks like being the start of a worldwide round-trip for the 39-year-old from Bathgate, who is set to move on to the Masters at Augusta in two weeks and then fly back to the Far East for the Malaysian and Chinese Opens the fortnight after that.
In May he’ll be at the TPC at Sawgrass before finally hitting home soil for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
All big money, high profile events that should continue his path towards a place at the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, but even being part of the dry run this week in Malaysia won’t get the Scot considering that for a moment.
“These team events are great in themselves,” he said. “You don’t play a lot of them. It’s always a good laugh and they bring back a lot of good memories from the amateur days.
“I don’t think it’s anything to do with the Ryder Cup. It’s Malaysia for a start and you can’t get much different than that.
“Yes, Paul McGinley has put Miguel in charge and (Gleneagles vice-captain) Des Smyth is there too, so obviously he has got an eye on it.
“Any chance he’s got to see people playing is good, and there are two or three guys who are nearly in the team already.
“But I’m not even thinking about the Ryder Cup team. That will only become relevant well after the Open and the US PGA.”
He added: “You’ve just got to focus on the day-to-day stuff, and hopefully it will all take care of itself.”
However Gallacher’s retention of the title in Dubai followed by a strong performance his best on American soil in the WGC Cadillac Championship at Doral is bound to increase expectation.
“I got a lot of confidence from Doral,” he continued.
“The course was so tough, and in unbelievable nick, and they are the best fields you play against outside the majors. So to finish top 10 was brilliant.
“It’s a learning curve, you play in these events at first it’s like being a new school kid, but the more you play them the more you get to know the boys and you feel more part of it and settle down.
“I’ve never felt out of my depth, but you just don’t know what to expect. It’s all different, all new, but it’s good. I feel I belong there now.”
Gallacher’s partner in the Seve Trophy and last year’s Royal Trophy, his close friend Paul Lawrie, isn’t in Malaysia, but he expects to be partnered with another friend and sparring partner from their amateur days as they take on the Asian Tour’s best.
“I spoke to Miguel at Doral and he just asked me who I would like to play with. I’m friendly with Jamie Donaldson, but I said to Miguel I’d be happy to play with anyone. It doesn’t bother me.
“Jamie played with Marc (Warren) in the Seve Trophy in France late last year, and he’s a good friend of mine, but I don’t know what Miguel’s going to do.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if he puts somebody like (Graeme) McDowell with (Victor) Dubuisson or somebody like that.
“It’s a good format, you play just once a day, fourballs, foursomes and then singles. It will be a hard job out there to beat them, they’re more used to the humid weather, and it’s only a three rounder.”