Euan McIntosh lifts Scottish Amateur title at 49

Euan McIntosh rounded off one of the best performances in the history of the Scottish Amateur Championship by claiming the title at the age of 49 with a hard-earned success in the 36-hole final at Blairgowrie.

Scottish Amateur Championship winner Euan McIntosh. Picture: Kenny Smith

The Turnhouse player, who took a 10-year break from the game following a spell as a professional before returning as a reinstated amateur, beat 18-year-old Jamie Stewart from Old Ranfurly 3&2 in the title decider at the Perthshire venue.

McIntosh, who is planning a second bite of the cherry in the paid ranks after he turns 50, was a combined 10-under-par for the holes played in the final, with his only bogey coming at the opening hole. He is the oldest player to claim the title since the legendary Charlie Green recorded the last of his three victories when beating John Huggan in the 1983 event at Gullane just short of his 50th. “It feels amazing, it hasn’t sunk in yet,” said McIntosh, who was born in Glasgow but has been based in the Edinburgh area most of his life.

“I tell you this right now, I would not have won my second-round match, had I not spoken to Ian Rae, the Scottish national coach. 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.”

McIntosh, who bridged a 27-year gap when he returned to Scotland duty for the Home Internationals in 2016, was behind until reeling off an eagle and three birdies in five holes in the morning round to be one up at lunch.