Dubai: Ernie Els has tipped Stephen Gallacher to equal his record of three Omega Dubai Desert Classic wins this year — and in doing so join an exclusive list of hat-trick heroes.

Only five golfers — Els, Tiger Woods, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo — have managed to win the same European Tour event three times in a row. Woods has done it three times, twice at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational (1999-2001, 2005-07) and once at the WGC Cadillac Championship (2005-07). Els did it at the Heineken Classic from 2002 to 2004, Faldo at the Irish Open from 1991 to 1993, Woosnam at the Monte Carlo Open from 1990 to 1992 and Colin Montgomerie at the PGA Championship from 1998 to 2000.

Gallacher would join that elite list of golfers if he could follow on from his 2013 and 2014 triumphs at Emirates Golf Club with an historic third this year, which would also see him equal Els’ most Dubai Desert Classic wins record in the process.

Els, who holds the course record with an 11-under-par 61 and the largest winning margin of six strokes in Dubai, won here in 1994, 2002 and 2005.

“He’s playing really good and putting well,” said the South African of Gallacher, after having teed off with the Scot in Thursday’s opening round.

Gallacher finished day one on six under par 66, while Els shot a level par 72.

“The score that he shot today, he can do that again and again, it seems like he’s really suited to the course,” added Els, who goes by the nickname The Big Easy and has a golf course designed by him and named after him at Dubai Sports City.

Asked if he feared Gallacher equaling his Dubai record, Els replied: “No, not really, I hope he wins it six times.”

And of what it takes to win an event three times in a row, Els added from his own experience: “You just need to play well and keep doing what you are doing.

“When you do something like that, it’s very special. I don’t know how many guys have done it but it’s a pretty special group of people.”

Gallacher said Els had no vested interest in seeing him fail and added that neither had brought up the topic of records or hat-tricks.

“There was nothing like that. We’re good mates, so there was no bother at all. It was just general rubbish chit-chat about his vineyards and his golf course and stuff like that. He’s a great guy and very calming to play with.”