Wes Lovell took the lead late on the front nine with steady golf, then fired three birdies for a 3-under-par 68 to win the annual Maryland Amateur Stroke Play championship by four strokes at Mt. Pleasant Golf Course yesterday.

A caddy at Caves Valley GC, Lovell, 20, was efficient throughout, hitting 50 of 54 greens in regulation, including all 18 yesterday.

Lovell, a junior at Fresno State, shot a par 36 on the front, followed by a back-nine 32 with birdies from inside five feet at the 10th, 12th and 16th holes. He finished with a total of 211, beating Jim Castagna and Kevin Jones by four shots.

"There were scoreboards at some of the holes so I knew where I stood going around and I really hit the ball well," Lovell said.

Pub Date: 7/06/98