STANDARD LIFE LEVEN GOLD MEDAL THIRD ROUND SCOREBOARD

ROSS BELL LEADS BY SIX SHOTS WITH ONE ROUND TO GO AT LEVEN

COLIN FARQUHARSON REPORTS FROM LEVEN
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Downfield's Ross Bell leads the Standard Life Leven Gold Medal by six shots with a round to go over the sodden Fife links this afternoon.
After 24 hours of nonstop rain, the Leven course is very, very wet but it is also a very fast draining course and there are few signs of excess water, except in the car park!
Bell, pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency,  who is celebrating his 23rd birthday, led by three shots after a brilliant opening round of 64 - only two shots above the course record. After a second-round 69, achieved in a steady downpour on Saturday afternoon/evening, the Dundee man led overnight by six shots on nine-under-par 133.
"I played solidly without taking any risks," said Bell after matching the par of 71 this morning. He birdied the short fifth and the 14th and dropped shots at the fourth and 18th where he was in the water that guards the front of the green, getting away with a bogey 5 by single-putting.
Bell knows what it takes to win over the Levin links - he won the season-opening Scottish champion of champions tournament last year.
"I've not had a good season at all this year," he said frankly, "so I am surprised to be this far in front with a round to go. That first-round 64 was easily my best golfing round for some time. My irons were very good and I holed birdie putts at the 16th and 17th to make it a special round."
His nearest rival and playing partner on the final day, Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) also had a 71 to be on 210 - two shots ahead of three players sharing third place on 212: Fraser McKenna (Balmore), Myles Cunningham from Longniddry and Alex Main (Thornton).

LATER NEWS: Latimer holed an 8ft birdie putt at the first hole of the final round. Bell had a par 4 ... the lead is now five shots with 17 to play!

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71). Weather: Raining for almost 24 hours. Course very wet.
CSS 72 73 72
204 Ross Bell (Downfield) 64 69 71.
210 Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) 67 72 71.
212 Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 71 71 70, Myles Cunningham (Longniddry) 71 72 69, Alex Main (Thornton) 70 71 71.
213 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 70 71 72, James Ross (Royal Burgess) 73 70 70, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 71 69 73.
214 Stephen Speirs (Portpatrick Dunskey) 72 72 70
216 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 75 72 69, Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 70 74 72, Keith Shanks (Brier Ridge) 68 75 73, Chris Lawton (Falkirk Tryst) 67 75 74.
217 Paul Ferrier (Baberton) 71 74 72.
218 Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) 71 76 71, Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 73 73 72, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 68 75 75
219 Ross Noon (Craigielaw) 71 76 72, David Mitchell (Leven Thistle) 72 74 73, Liam McGowan (St Andrews New) 79 67 73.
220 John Laurie (Cowglen) 76 71 71, Lee Morgan (Swanston) 73 74 73, Paul McPhee (King James VI) 72 73 75, John Duff (Newmachar) 76 68 76, Marc Gentles (St Andrews) 72 72 76, Stewart Scott-Cation (The Duke's) 69 73 78
221 Alex Moir (Thornton) 78 71 72, Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 71 75 75
222 Darren Gould (Woodhall Spa) 69 77 76, Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 71 74 77, Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth) 73 73 75.
223 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 79 77 76.
224 Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) 75 74 75, Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co) 75 74 75, Dan Lawrence (Ballumbie Castle) 69 75 80.
225 Brian Erskine (Merchants of Edinburgh) 72 77 76, Graeme McDougall (Bishopbriggs) 71 75 79.
227 Craig Deerness (Harburn) 74 74 79.
No Shows: Steven Rennie (Drumpellier) 71 78 -, Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 71 78 -.

Withdrew: Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) 75 74.

SCROLL DOWN TO READ ALL SATURDAY'S SCORES, INCLUDING NON-QUALIFIERS FOR FINAL TWO ROUNDS.