Euan McIntosh clickety clicks in final round to

win Leven Gold Medal by three strokes


By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Euan McIntosh (Turnhouse Golf Club), 48-year-old reinstated amateur, staged a strong finish to win the Leven Gold Medal with a 13-under-par total of 271 over the Leven Links in Fife today (Sunday).
McIntosh had led at halfway with a pair of 67s for 134 over the par-71 course but he lost the pole position in the third round with a 71.
But then McIntosh, who spent 20 years in Germany as a professional, returning only in April 2016, put all his experience and know-how into a brilliant last round of five-under-par 66 to finish three strokes ahead of  Calum Fyfe (Cawder) who had earlier posted a 69 to take the clubhouse lead on 274.
McIntosh, who achieved six top-five finishes last season and won Scottish Golf's Order of Merit - and a place in the Scotland team for the home intervals.
He finished off last season by winning the South-east District Open so the Leven Gold Medal is his second 72-hole tournament win in his "second coming."
McIntosh gave himself the early boost he needed for his final-round task by birdieing the first three holes. He dropped a shot, his only bogey, at the sixth in 32 to the turn but he covering his inward half in three-under-par 34 with birdies at the 10th, 15th and 18th.
Fyfe strung five birdies together from the 11th to the 15th in his final round 69 which followed rounds of 72, 67 and 66.
Steven Stewart (Clydebank and District) finished third with a 70 for 275 while third-round leader Jim Johnston (72 for 276) tied with James White (Lundin) (68) for fourth place.
Tom Kerr (Shrewsbury) had a hole in one at the 15th in his second round 70. He finished on 281.