Scottish amateur championship 36-hole final at Blairgowrie, Rosemount

Euan McIntosh (Turnhouse) is Scottish amateur champion at the age of 49. The Edinburgh man won a quality 36-hole final against 18-year-old Jamie Stewart by 3 and 2, having been one up at the end of the first 18 holes over the Blairgowrie Rosemount course.
McIntosh was 10 under par for the 34 holes. He finished with a bag of 1 eagle, 9 birdies and one bogey. That bogey came at the very first hole.
He did not have another one which meant that Stewart had to get birdies not only to win holes but even to halve them!.
McIntosh is a reinstated professional who was Scottish assistants champion in 1992 but he spent several years out of the game after turning pro and it was only when he became an amateur again that he took up the game seriously again.
SCROLL DOWN PAST THE HOLE BY HOLE DETAILS FOR THE OFFICIAL SCOTTISH GOLF REPORT OF THE FINAL

Hole
1  Stewart won with par. STEWART 1 up
2  Stewart won with birdie 3. STEWART 2 up
3  Halved in par
4  Halved in par
5  Halved in birdie 4s
6 McIntosh won with par 3. STEWART 1 up.
7 McIntosh with with par 3. MATCH ALL SQUARE
8  Halved in par
9  Stewart won with birdie 3. STEWART 1 up.

10 Halved in birdie 4s
11 Halved in eagle 3s
12 McIntosh won with par 3. ALL SQUARE
13 McIntosh won with par 4. McINTOSH 1 up.
14 McIntosh won with birdie 4. McINTOSH 2 up.
15 Stewart won with birdie 2. McINTOSH 1 up
16 Halved in par.
17 Halved in par.
18 Halved in par

McIntosh one up after first round

19 McIntosh won with par. McINTOSH 2 up
20 Stewart won with birdie 3. McINTOSH 1 Up
21 Halved in par
22 Stewart won with birdie 3. ALL SQUARE
23 Halved in birdie 4s.
24 Halved in par
25 Halved in par
26 Halved in par
27 McIntosh won with birdie 3. McINTOSH 1 up.

28 McIntosh won with birdie 4. McINTOSH 2 up.
29 Stewart won with birdie 4. McINTOSH  1 up.
30 McIntosh won with birdie 3. McINTOSH 2 up
31 Halved in par
32 McIntosh won with birdie 4. McINTOSH 3 up
33 Stewart won with birdie 2. McINTOSH 2 up.
34 McIntosh won with par 4. McINTOSH WINS 3 and 2.

McIntosh crowned Scottish men’s amateur champion after quality Blairgowrie final

It was a day to remember for Turnhouse’s Euan McIntosh as he was crowned the Scottish men’s amateur champion at Blairgowrie, defeating talented Renfrewshire teenager Jamie Stewart 3 and 2 in an enthralling final over 36 holes of the Rosemount course.

McIntosh, a 49-year-old former Tour professional, carded nine-birdies, an eagle and only one dropped shot over the 34 holes, a level of golf that anyone would find hard to match.

The final was played in great spirit and was a birdie-fest from start to finish, as 18-year old Stewart amassed 10 birdies and an eagle. However, the difference between the two was Stewart’s six dropped shots.

The match-play stages took place over Blairgowrie’s Rosemount Course which reaped praise from competitors throughout the week, not only for its immaculate condition but for the score-ability and birdie opportunities, which set the championship up for a host of exciting head-to-head battles.

Reflecting on his victory McIntosh said:

“It feels amazing, it hasn’t sunk in yet. At 49-years of age to win this championship is great. When I get home this evening, I’ll take it all in.”

After his victory, McIntosh was adamant that his week would have ended much earlier had it not been for a tip he received from Scottish National Coach Ian Rae after his first-round win.

“I tell you this right now, I would not have won my second-round match had I not spoken to Ian. He gave me a tip that transformed the way that I play match-play, because I haven’t performed well in match-play since I came back in 2016.

“He basically told me to stop focusing on what my opponent was doing and to ask myself, ‘what am I going to do.’ Forget what they have done, focus on what you can control, and that is what I did over every shot from then on.”

When asked what’s next, McIntosh said:

”The plan is still to turn professional once again and have a go at the Seniors Tour next year. I turn 50 in February and qualifying in America is in November.

Where there’s a winner, there is always a runner-up, and unfortunately this was the case for Old Course Ranfurly’s Jamie Stewart. Despite the defeat still being raw, the classy teenager was full of praise for McIntosh:

“I’m gutted to have lost the final today, I just didn’t have my best stuff. Congratulations to Euan, who was a deserving winner in the end, I wish him all the best for the future.”

Next up for Stewart is his return back across the pond to continue his college education in the US where he attends the University of Missouri.