Young barring path to glory as MacIntyre seeks to emulate fellow ‘leftie’ Mickelson w

PHIL MICKELSON lifted the Claret Jug at Muirfield two years ago – and today another ‘leftie’ will seek to join the venue’s roll of honour in the Fairstone Scottish Amateur Championship final.

At the home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, Glencruitten’s Robert MacIntyre is bidding to become the first left-hander in living memory to lift the Scottish Golf Union’s flagship title.

The former Scottish Youth and Scottish Boys stroke play champion will face Daniel Young from Craigie Hill in the 36-hole showdown.

After a day of tight matches, played in a stiffening breeze over the renowned East Lothian links, the SGU National Squad players came through demanding tests to set up their first matchplay meeting.

MacIntyre saw off George Burns by one hole in the quarter-finals, before finishing strongly to defeat Thornhill’s Greig Marchbank 3&2. Young, who won the South African amateur championship in March, defeated Stuart Robin 3&2 and then claimed a 2&1 victory over Graeme Robertson from Glenbervie.

Young went two up on Robertson at the short 13th after a glorious tee shot before winning a see-saw battle on the 17th with a closing birdie.

The 23-year-old, whose previous best in the event was the fourth round at Royal Dornoch in 2012, said: “My experience in South Africa definitely helped, no doubt. I just took it one round a time out there and then the next thing I was in the final, so this week has been much the same.

“My game has been solid enough all year and my game suits here as you have to be pretty sharp, as the rough is so penal when you are off line.”

MacIntyre, who will celebrate his 19th birthday on Monday, was all square with Marchbank after 12 holes before decisively winning three in a row. Asked if he was aware of the history he was chasing being a lefthander, he laughed: “It’s just a different way of swinging it! I said to my caddy that pars in from the 13th would win it due to the course being the toughest it has played all week in the wind. So it proved, as Greig made a couple of mistakes.”

MacIntyre added: “I would love to win this event. It was nice to see the trophy on display today and I was thinking ‘I want that’ but you have to beat the guy in front of you.”

In the morning quarter-finals, MacIntyre was four up after six holes against Burns, the conqueror of top seed Grant Forrest. Williamwood’s Burns found his form, though, and the match was all square after 16. But three putts for a bogey six at the long 17th ultimately cost Burns dear, as MacIntyre made par at the last to squeeze home.

Marchbank went even further against Angus Carrick, eventually progressing to the semi-finals at the 20th. Carrick produced an early trio of birdies to go two up, but Marchbank dug deep to square the game after 14.

Douglas Park’s Carrick edged ahead again, but his double-bogey six at the last, after he found the greenside bunker, allowed Marchbank to level before his winning birdie at the second