Jamie McLeary loses lead to finish fifth in Russia

AFTER leading from the start of the tournament and taking a two-shot lead into the final round, Scotland's Jamie McLeary finished a disappointing fifth behind Spaniard Carol del Moral in the M2M Russian Challenge Cup outside Moscow.

He made a bright start on the final day, but McLeary's round unravelled with four bogeys in seven holes from the sixth, and despite a late rally he had to settle for a closing 74 for a total of 281, four shots behind the winner.

Scott Jamieson's 72 left him a further three strokes adrift, with Lloyd Saltman closing with a 69 to also secure a top-ten finish.

Del Moral fell five strokes behind McLeary after bogeying the third hole at Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club, but then he blitzed through the field with seven birdies to take the title by one shot from the English duo of Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Ford, and Denmark's Thorbjrn Olesen.

Ford's round of 66 was the joint lowest of the day, one shot better than his compatriot Fleetwood, who now has two runner-up finishes to his name in just three Challenge Tour appearances.

Del Moral, whose only previous victory came at the 2006 Texbond Open, said: "It's been the best week of my life.

"I started off a little shaky but my round caught fire from the fourth hole. I told myself after that just to let things happen and not force it, especially with my putts."

Fleetwood's runner-up finish moves the talented teenager up to 55th in the rankings after just two events as a professional, and guarantees him a category on the Challenge Tour in 2011 and a place in the field for the next event, the Allianz Golf Open du Grand Toulouse.