ROSS BELL SCORES WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN IN LEVEN GOLD MEDAL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Dundee's Ross Bell celebrated his 23rd birthday by completing a wire-to-wire victory in the Standard Life Leven Gold Medal 72-hole tournament today, the oldest amateur stroke-play event in the world.
Bell virtually won the tournament with a splendid opening round of seven-under-par 64, only two shots outside the course record, before heavy rain set in for well over 24 hours.
Ross, who works in Kenneth Hutton's pro's shop at Downfield Golf Club, shot a second-round 69 - despite the rain - to lead by six shots at halfway.
He was still six clear of the field after a par-matching Sunday morning third round of 71 - and it was still raining, but easing off a bit.
The last round was an anti-climax for Ross who was scoring his second 72-hole win over the Leven Links, having won the season-opening Scottish Champion of Champions in 2010.
He virtually coasted home, taking no risks, but, under little pressure although he said later he felt a bit nervous, Bell bogeyed the last three holes.
That gave him his worst round of the four- a three over par 74 and reduced his total to six over par 278.
But he still won the coveted Gold Medal and a £500 voucher by two shots from the strong finishing Fraser McKenna, who had a 68 for 280 to gain the Silver Medal and a £400 voucher.
The bronze medal and a £300 voucher went to US college student James Ross (Royal Burgess) who also closed with a 68 for 281.
Peter Latimer (St Andrews News), Bell's closest rival overnight and his last-day playing partner, did exert some pressure in the early stages of the final round by birdieing the first and third but he could not keep the bogeys at bay and a double bogey at the 16th pushed him back even more.
Latimer finsiehd with a 72 for 282.
Scott Borrowman had a hole in one with a six-iron at the 15th (189yd). It was his second ace in competitive play but his seventh in all. Borrowman finished with a four-under-par 67 for joint fifth place on one-under 283.
Borrowman totalled 147 (75-72) for the first 36 holes and 136 for the Sunday rounds (69-67). Sunday best, you might say!

ALL THE FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71) CSS 72 73 72 72
278 Ross Bell (Downfield) 64 69 71 74.
280 Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 71 71 70 68
281 James Ross (Royal Burgess) 73 70 70 68.
282 Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) 67 72 71 72
283 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 75 72 69 67, Stephen Speirs (Portpatrick Dunskey) 72 72 70 69, Alex Main (Thornton) 70 71 71 71
284 Myles Cunningham (Longniddry) 71 72 69 72, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 71 69 73 71.
285 Paul Ferrier (Baberton) 71 74 72 68
288 Ross Noon (Craigielaw) 71 76 72 69, Liam McGowan (St Andrews New) 79 67 73 69.
289 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 68 75 75 71, Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 70 71 72 76
290 Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) 71 76 71 72, Keith Shanks (Briar Ridge) 68 75 73 74.
291 Paul McPhee (King James VI) 72 73 75 71, Scott Stewart-Cation (The Duke's) 69 73 78 71, Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 71 75 75 70, Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 73 73 72 73.
292 John Duff (Newmachar) 76 68 76 72
293 Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 73 73 72 75
294 Alex Moir (Thornton) 78 71 72 73, Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 71 74 77 72, Chris Lawton (Falkirk Tryst) 67 75 74 78, David Mitchell (Leven Thistle) 72 74 73 75
295 Brian Erskine (Merchants of Edinburgh) 72 77 76 70
296 Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co) 75 74 75 72, Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth) 73 73 75 75
297 Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) 75 74 75 73, John Laurie (Cowglen) 73 76 71 77, Daniel Kay (Dunbar0 70 74 72 81.
298 Darren Gould (Woodhall Spa) 69 77 76 76, Lee Morgan (Swanston) 73 74 73 78.
299 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 70 77 76 76, Marc Gentles (St Andrews) 72 72 76 79.
300 Graeme McDougall (Bishopbriggs) 75 71 79 75.
302 Craig Deerness (Harburn) 74 74 79 75, Dan Lawrence (Ballumbie Castle) 69 75 80 78