Euan McIntosh aims for Scots cap at age 47

Northern Open winner Greig Hutcheon, left, with Bookless Cup winner Euan McIntosh. Picture: David Houston.

The Turnhouse man carded a closing 67, which included two eagles, to finish 13th in a professional event, the Tartan Tour’s Northern Open at Royal Dornoch.

McIntosh picked up the Bookless Cup awarded for being the leading amateur by six shots with a four-over 284 total, having opened with a 78 at the Sutherland venue.

The impressive effort backed up him getting into a play-off in the Battle Trophy, a Scottish Order of Merit event, with fellow Lothians man Grant Forrest earlier in the year.

“I was a professional for a long time, and I used to play in this event,” said a delighted McIntosh, who was one of Scotland’s brightest stars as a youngster before falling off the radar after he moved to Germany.

“I started in August trying to get back into it after not playing for 10 years, and it was a long way back. I think I’d played about 25 times in 10 years.

“When you’ve played all your days you’re playing at a certain standard, and when you’re not playing at that standard you just don’t want to play. Getting capped again as an amateur would be amazing, but it’s tough when you’ve got all these young players competing.”

As McIntosh made his strong finish in the Highlands, there was disappointment elsewhere for the Capital-based player flying the Turnhouse flag on the Challenge Tour.

Duncan Stewart, Scotland’s top player on the second-tier circuit this season, was resigned to missing the cut in the weather-hit SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge in Aviemore. After following his opening 68 with a 73, the 33-year-old was sitting two shots below the projected cut mark as the second round was due to be completed this morning following a rain day at Macdonald Spey Valley.

“My driving was diabolical and my putting was worse, which adds up to a missed cut,” groaned Stewart, who ran up a triple-bogey 8 after encountering heather trouble at the fifth.

Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest was also sitting on one-under, having tangled with the purple stuff, too, in taking a 7 at the 13th in his 71.