POCATELLO — Greg Long, possessor of a ferocious golf swing, emerged from a three-way battle down the stretch Sunday to capture the Southeast Idaho Amateur title, overtaking first-day leader Tanner Higham and challenger Matt Meador.

    Long completed 36 holes at Riverside municipal course in 5-under-par 137, besting Meador by two shots and Higham by five.

    The 28-year-old procurement officer at the Idaho National Laboratory started the day two shots in arrears after an opening 68, but moved ahead of Higham by one at the turn and eventually clinched things with birdies on the 14th and 18th holes.

    “It almost seemed like match play, especially on the back nine,” Long said.

    But it wasn’t easy. Look at the par-4 12th hole. Long drove the green on the 302-yard hole, but so did Meador with Higham just off the fringe. But it was Meador who got a two-putt birdie while the other two three-putted.

    That was typical of the day for Higham, a Utah State University student from Shelley, who found the course more challenging on Sunday that on the day before, when he carded a 66.

    “I made like no putts today,” he said. He finished his round by hitting his second on the 18th against a tree, leading to a bogey 6 while Long and Meador both birdied. “Eighteen sort of summed up the day for me,” Higham said.

    Meador, a landscaper from Hailey, pulled within one of the lead with a birdie on the par-3 13th, but followed with a bogey on the 14th hole as Long scored a crucial birdie and held on to win.

    Players in the First, Second and Third flights played with 75 percent of their season handicaps. Drew Damron captured the First Flight with a net 143, two ahead of Brock Buffat and Dwayne Mitani. Shane Warner held on to win the Second Flight with net 140, two ahead of Kyle Waford, and James Spoklie Sr. carded a net 145 in the Third Flight, two ahead of Luis Barrios and Marc Barron.

LOCAL GOLF

Southeast Idaho Amateur

Riverside Municipal Course

Final results

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT

Gross scores

Greg Long    68-69 — 137

Matt Meador    70-69 — 139

Tanner Higham    66-76 — 142

Tony Mullett    73-70 — 143

Dan Pickens    71-74 — 145

Bob Peters    73-73 — 146

Lee Reed    77-73 — 150

Andrew Smith    76-78 — 154

Ryan Jensen    75-81 — 156

Danny Heald    82-75 — 157

James Frankos    77-82 — 159

Tony Wilson        80-80 — 160

Jeff Parker    83-83 — 166

Carl Stroschein    85-82 — 157

FIRST FLIGHT LEADERS

Net scores

75 percent handicaps

Drew Damron    70-73 — 143

Brock Buffat    74-71 — 145

Dwayne Mitani    73-72 — 145

Scott Christensen    75-72 — 147

Matt Harris    73-75 — 148

Brian Atkinson    77-72 — 149

Mike Pickens    73-76 — 149

David Knoff    82-69 — 152

Shawn Rowe    78-74 — 152

Timothy Wilkes    72-80 — 152

Albert Lozoya    84-71 — 155

Bart Schuerman    74-81 — 155

Clint Youngkin    78-78 — 156

SECOND FLIGHT LEADERS

Net scores

75 percent handicaps

Shane Warner Sr.    66-74 — 140

Kyle Waford        67-75 — 142

Brent Chase    72-74 — 146

Jeff Neilsen    76-70 — 146

Bill Mccallum    76-73 — 149

Ryan Blackhawk    72-77 — 149

Griffin Proctor    75-75 — 150

Nick Zaccardi    72-78 — 150

Jason Meador    80-72 — 152

Scott Lacy    73-79 — 152

Mike Colleran    73-80 — 153

Tom Manolis    78-75 — 153

Woody Hiroto    74-79 — 153

THIRD FLIGHT LEADERS

Net scores

75 percent handicaps

James Spoklie Sr. 68-77 — 145

Luis Barrios    73-73 — 146

Marc Barron    71-75 — 146

Denis Prescott    72-75 — 147

Merle Smiith    76-71 — 147

Mark Gaines    71-77 — 148

Mike Rivera    71-78 — 149

Tony Warth    77-74 — 151

William Roosma    77-75 — 152

Sean White    73-81 — 154

Trent Pincock    72-82 — 154