Leven Gold Medal takes stage this weekend - 

chance to take advantage of stars' absence

 By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The absence of Scotland's leading amateur golfers from this week's 145th year of the Standard Life Leven Gold Medal tournament - first staged in 1870 and the oldest amateur stroke play competition still in existence - opens the door of opportunity to a lot of tournament players who would not normally regard themselves as contenders for the prestigious gold medal gifted by the Standard Life Assurance Company, then proprietors of Lundin Estate.
It's the European amateur individual championship which concludes in Slovakia at the weekend that has creamed off men of the calibre of Jamie Savage, Liam Johnston, Craig Ross, Jack McDonald  and Co from the Leven entry list but there is still a strong enough field capable of making this one of the outstanding, most competitive events on the Scottish Golf Union's 72-hole Order of Merit circuit
Ryan Campbell (Falkirk) won the Cameron Corbett Vase and Alasdair MacDougall (Elderslie) the Tennant Cup a few weeks back.
There are two former Scottish champions in the field - Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) and Barry Hume (Haggs Castle), named earlier this week in the Scotland team for the home internationals.
Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) knows what it takes to win an SGU Order of Merit 72-holer,
Coming down wn from the North are three men capable of making a challenge - former  Scotland cap Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness), Jeff Wright (Forres) and Kyle Godsman (Moray).
Defending champion David Mitchell (Leven Thistle) won't have so far to travel as them and other Fifers who could keep the Gold Medal in the county include Ben Kinsley (St Andrews), Greg Forrester (Lundin), and Alex Moir (Thornton). Watch out also for Steven Aitken (Leven Golfing Society) who is playing well and knows the course.

There will be a cut to the leading 40 players and ties after Saturday's first 36 holes.