Golf: Deerness can sense nearness to glory By MARTIN DEMPSTER Published on Monday 14 May 2012 12:00 CRAIG DEERNESS is one win away from completing a dream debut in the Lothians Championship after soaring to a semi-final success on the back of an eagle at Dalmahoy. The 30-year-old Harburn player lost the opening two holes in his last-four clash with Colin Swanston, the 1999 winner from Uphall. But he quickly repaired that damage before getting his nose in front with a brilliant 3 at the long ninth, finding the heart of the green with a rescue club then rolling in a 30-footer for his eagle. Unfortunately for Swanston, the sales manager at the Marriott venue, his putting then deserted him at the worst possible time. The 31-year-old, who beat Walker Cup player David Inglis to claim his title success at Monktonhall 13 years ago, missed short putts at each of the next three holes. Three down with six to play, the big-hitting Swanston won the 13th after Deerness fluffed a couple of pitches due to the soft conditions. He also looked to have the upper hand after safely finding the green in two at the next, where Deerness pushed his drive and had trees between him and the pin. But he got lucky when his approach hit a tree on the left and dropped down just off the green, where he was able to salvage a half in 4. There was nothing lucky, though, about the way Deerness clinched his place in the final, hitting an 8-iron stiff for a match-winning birdie at the 16th. "The 14th was a real turning point," admitted Deerness, who will face Pumpherston's Paul Drake in an all-West Lothian title showdown on Wednesday night at 5.15pm. "I was delighted to see where my second shot ended up, but I was then thinking to myself: "Don't do what you did at the last hole." Thankfully, I played a nice shot there and I'm thrilled to be in the final. It's the first time I've qualified, having always been pipped on countbacks in the past. Like his opponent, Drake, a former Lothians Order of Merit winner, certainly deserves his place in the delayed final. After wins over David Miller and Steven Armstrong, the 38-year-old beat Haddington's four-time winner Keith Nicholson in a classic encounter to reach the last four. One down with two to play, Nicholson won the 17th with a par then made a tremendous up and down to half the last in birdie-4s. He repeated the feat at the 19th before Drake hit a 6-iron to 20 feet at the second extra hole to finally shake off his dogged opponent. "Keith did everything I expected him to do and it was a great match to win," said Drake. Bidding to become the first Pumpherston player since Phil Smith in 1984 to lift the title, he then beat Ratho Park's Neil Sneddon 4 and 2 to progress to the final. The ninth also proved pivotal in that one, with Drake winning it with a par 5 as he got up and down from well short of the green, and his opponent three-putted from around ten feet. "I think we were both exhausted out there and it was just a case of trying to get a job done," said Drake. Results Quarter-finals: P Drake (Pumpherston) bt K Nicholson (Haddington) at 20th; N Sneddon (Ratho Park) bt C Wood (North Berwick) at 19th; C Deerness (Harburn) bt M Bacigalupo (Longniddry) 3 and 2; C Swanston (Uphall) bt S Walter (West Linton) 6 and 5. Semi-finals: Drake bt Sneddon 4 and 2; Deerness bt Swanston 3 and 2.