Stuart McLaren wins East of Scotland Open title

The Bruntsfield Links man suffered a huge disappointment as a five-under-par 66 in the second round on Saturday was discounted due to bad weather wiping it out.

But he shrugged that off to card the same score again to sit a shot off the lead, shared held by Kilmacolm’s Matt Clark and Euan McIntosh from Turnhouse, heading into the final circuit.

McLaren, last year’s Lothians Order of Merit winner, sparked that effort by making an eagle-2 at the second before adding birdies at the seventh, 10th and 13th.

He then carded 16 pars and two bogeys in closing with a 73 for a three-under 210 total, finishing tied with Clark after he dropped two shots in the final six holes.

It took five holes to decide the play-off, with McLaren eventually coming out on top as he added to a successful season so far for Lothians players on the domestic circuit.

Bathgate’s Joe Bryce won the Craigmillar Park Open and Battle Trophy at Crail back-to-back in April before McIntosh won the Tennant Cup in Glasgow last weekend.

McIntosh had another title in his sights after opening rounds of 66 and 70 on the Fife coast only to start with a quintuple-bogey 9 in the final circuit as he had to settle for seventh following a 79.

Murrayfield’s Ali Thurlow, who is through to the final qualifying for The Open at Fairmont St Andrews on Tuesday, secured a top-20 finish on 219, two shots ahead of McLaren’s clubmate, Eric McIntosh.

Making it a successful day for clubs in the north of the Capital, rising Royal Burgess star Cameron Adam produced a brilliant display in a Junior Tour event at Royal Dornoch.

He shot rounds of 64-68-65 - the middle effort on the championship course and the others on the Struie - as he finished eight shots clear of the field.

In the pro ranks, Grant Forrest picked up a cheque for just under £19,000 as he finished joint-37th in the Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters at Valderrama.