David Galloway

David Galloway (born 1 March 1951) Roughly a year a later, at the age of 15, his handicap was down to 5. In June 1967, at the age of 16, he shot a par round. Royal Canberra's club professional Ray Thomas noted at this time that he had "terrific potential."

Amateur career At the age of 16, Galloway started playing in elite local amateur events. In October 1967, Galloway won the Royal Canberra Golf Club's junior championship with a total of 316, defeating his nearest competitor by 11 strokes. In June 1968, he played for Royal Canberra's team in a junior pennant competition against another local club, Yowani Golf Club. Royal Canberra won easily and Galloway won his individual match, defeating Brian Wellsmore, 2 and 1. The following year, in July 1968, he and partner Rolf Hartley won a fourball event for best gross score, winning 2 up. In November 1968, Galloway played the Royal Canberra Golf Club Championship. Galloway opened with an 81 but then shot a second round 73, ultimately tying the best round in the tournament. He shot a 74 in the third round to stay in contention. In the final round, he had a chance to win but his "good shot to the 18th green" went into a bunker. He made bogey and finished one shot out of a playoff. His 305 total still won the junior championship by three shots.

Professional career As of January 1969, Galloway had turned professional. During this time he also started playing in weekly tournaments for assistant professionals. His first professional tournament was played at Royal Canberra in March 1969. Against 33 fellow assistants, Galloway finished in a tie for third with fellow Royal Canberra assistant Geoff Gorham, three back. Most of the tournaments were in Sydney, however, and traveling expenses prohibited him participating in most of them. However, according to John Hourigan of The Canberra Times, "he did play well in the few he did enter." In a December 1970 event, he finished runner-up to John Cooper, losing in a playoff. By the middle of 1971, despite still living in Canberra, he was now able to be "a regular competitor" in the weekly Sydney events for assistant professionals. He won two events late in the year.

Galloway decided to play the Australian circuit full-time in 1972 to determine if he was good enough to be a touring professional. One of his first tournaments was the Tasmanian Open. He made the cut. He then played the Forbes Open but missed the cut. Shortly thereafter, Galloway could not work as a touring professional for several months because of a "dispute between the Australian Golf Union and the Professional Golfers' Association." Around May the dispute was resolved and the circuit started again. During this era his best finish was a runner-up placing at the Queensland PGA Championship. In September, he played in the West End Tournament in Victor Harbor, South Australia. He held a one stroke lead over Randall Vines entering the final round. However, in "threatening conditions" he bogeyed the 5th and 7th holes to come back to the field. Galloway shot one-over-par on Sunday's front nine but remained a "potential winner" as his top competitors shot the same score. After he bogeyed the 12th he was two behind Hore. After a "magnificent" eagle on the 13th, however, he was within one of the lead. Galloway ruined any chances of a comeback, though, with bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes. He finished runner-up with Vines at 288 (E), one behind champion Hore. However, Galloway was not among the leaders as the tournament concluded. The following week he played the Chrysler Classic, another event with a star-studded field. On the difficult Royal Melbourne layout he finished at 296 (+12) and in a tie for sixth. He defeated past or future major championships winners Peter Thomson, Tom Kite, and Hubert Green by multiple shots.

In early 1975, at Young Golf Club outside Sydney, Galloway played well at the inaugural Australian Four-Ball Championship. He and teammate Duncan Park were six behind the team of Bob Tuohy and Frank Phillips entering the final round. Led by Park's four consecutive birdies at the start, the team shot a final round 61 (−9) to tie the third round leaders as well as the team of Noel Ratcliffe and Rodger Davis. On the second playoff hole Park holed an eight-metre birdie putt for the win. However, other than this victory he had a lengthy "drought." He did not have many top performances and was not earning much money. By the end of the 1975 season he had "virtually decided" to stop working as a touring professional and "get a steady job." His outward nine 32 (−4) included four birdies and no bogeys. He took a two-stroke lead over Englishman Guy Wolstenholme. He shot even-par for the remainder of the tournament and finish in solo seventh, four behind.

His success would continue through 1977. Early in the year he attempted to defend his South Australian title. In the final round, Galloway came from behind with a 68 (−5) to take the clubhouse lead. Noel Ratcliffe still had a chance to win outright on the final green. However, he missed a 3-metre putt putting him a playoff with Galloway. Both men finished at 287 (−5). The playoff began at the par-3 16th hole which was always was playing "into a severe crosswind." Ratcliffe's approach hooked into a pine tree but fortuitously bounced into a greenside bunker. Galloway's tee shot was short and in the rough. He pitched to six metres while Ratcliffe exploded to five metres. Galloway's par putt finished a "tantalizing three inches short." Ratcliffe then sank his par putt for the win. Shortly thereafter he won the South Australian PGA Championship, a local event held outside of Adelaide. Starting at 214 (−2) and several shots behind the lead, Galloway "came home strongly with a 68" to finish solo runner-up. He faded over the final three rounds, however, and finished in a tie for 31st.

In April 1978 he challenged for the Western Australian Open. Galloway was well behind Ross Metherell after 63 holes. However, he played excellently on the back nine, scoring six birdies over seven holes to shoot a 30 and finish with a 67. He was the clubhouse leader at 279. Metherell still had a one shot lead with three holes left. However, he dropped two shots over the 70th and 71st holes. Needing a birdie to tie Galloway at the last, he instead double-bogeyed. Galloway defeated Metherell, Mike Ferguson, and Peter Croker by three shots. Several months later, in November, Galloway played excellently at the Australian Open. He opened the event with a 71 (−1) to place himself in a tie for fifth with Ben Crenshaw and Bill Rogers. By tournament's end he was in a tie for 6th place; Graham Marsh was the only Australian to score better. The year was later described as his "best year in tournament golf."

As of November 1977, Galloway was a club professional at Thaxted Park in Adelaide. The following year he also played well during the opening round of the 1980 Australian Masters, shooting a 67 (−6), only one off Rodger Davis' lead, tying the old course record that Davis just broke. During most of his experience at Thaxted Park, however, Galloway did not achieve much media coverage for his golf play. He stated that it was difficult balancing work as a club professional and touring professional. Also, early in the year, he won the South Australian State Qualifying tournament. In addition, he won the 1982 PGA South Australian Foursomes Championship with fellow club professional Phil Tierney.

By April 1982, he quit working at Thaxted Park in Adelaide. He had worked at the club for four and half years. winning the 1989 Victor Harbor pro-am. In the 1990s he mainly played in local South Australian events, including the South Australian PGA Championship. In 1994 he finished 5th on the South Australian Order of Merit. In 1989, he was affiliated with Wirrina Cove Golf Club. As of 1995, Galloway was president of the South Australian PGA. After a long layoff Galloway started playing on tour again in 2019.

Professional wins (6) PGA Tour of Australasia wins (3)

PGA Tour of Australasia playoff record (0–1)

Other wins (3) 1975 Australian Four-ball Championship (with Duncan Park) 1982 PGA South Australian Foursomes Championship (with Phil Tierney)