According to Lee Trevino, two things destined not to last are dogs that chase cars and one-putting for pars. But Andrew McCormick proved him wrong on one of those counts, through some remarkable exploits on excellent greens in the South of Ireland Amateur Championship at Lahinch yesterday.
It meant an unscheduled end to the challenge of the 1995 champion Jody Fanagan. In the process, McCormick earned a place against Eamonn Brady in the second semi-final this morning, following the meeting of Karl Bornemann and Johnny Foster.
Though Brady captured the West of Ireland title three years ago, the only player in the last four with local form is McCormick, who was runner-up to Patrick Collier here 12 months ago. And at 34, Bornemann's advance to a best-ever position at championship level, must rank as a major surprise.
All of which was very different from what we expected, when Fanagan crushed Richard Elliott of Royal Portrush by 7 and 6 in the morning's fifth round. On the basis of that margin of victory, he had to be considered a warm favourite to regain the title. Indeed his recent form could hardly have been more impressive, given a victory with Noel Fox in the Anderson Memorial Fourball Tournament at Winged Foot earlier this month.
As it happened, events in the afternoon seemed to be going according to plan when he sank a six-foot birdie putt to win the ninth and go two up. Before Fanagan's putt went down, however, McCormick must have shaken him by holing a 20-footer for par, after he had overshot the green.
Then came the turning point of the match. Down the 10th, Fanagan under-clubbed with his second shot into the wind but chipped dead for a par. McCormick, meanwhile, drove into the fairway bunker on the right; was 15 feet from the hole in three and then, against the odds, holed the putt for a most improbable half.
After that, he won the 11th with a par and sank a 30-foot birdie putt at the next to square the match. Then came a holed four-footer for a winning birdie at the 13th and a 10-footer for another winning birdie at the next, where Fanagan missed from half that distance.
By that stage, the Ulsterman had single-putted nine greens. And he went on to hole a return putt of 10 feet for a half in par at the 15th, so maintaining his two-hole lead. The end came at the next where Fanagan was bunkered short of the target.
McCormick, 23, had previously lost to Fanagan in the semi-finals of the West last year, when the Milltown player went on to take the title. And he paid further dues in 1997 by losing at the same stage to Garth McGimpsey in the "North". So, it may be that his time has come. "I'd like to do it this time," he said simply.
His opponent is also 23. And Brady is looking to the possibility of a happy coincidence delivering his second provincial title. "When I won the West, I beat Fergal Deasy and Pat Killeen along the way," he said. "The fact that I've beaten the same players today could be a good omen."
It could indeed. But the arts student at East Tennessee had more to offer than the prospect of good fortune. His earlier progress was characterised by delightful striking from tee to green but against Killeen, he displayed an equally effective short-game.
So it was that the Royal Dublin player could compensate for the odd slack iron shot, to the left. A case in point was the ninth, where he got up and down from the 10th tee for a half in par to stay one up. The 15th and 16th were exchanged before Brady secured the match at the next.
Both were in trouble up the 17th, where they took three to reach the green. But Killeen missed from 10 feet before Brady holed a knee-trembler - a five-footer with a severe left to right break which, by his own admission "I was delighted to see going into the hole".
Given the propensity of youngsters for pulling rank, it was particularly interesting to see Foster place his faith in a 12-year-old, especially in view of his own, new-found status as a politics graduate from Queen's University. But they have rather special 12-year-olds down here in Lahinch - in the art of caddying.
"His name is Patrick Glynn and he has a magical talent for reading greens," said the 21-year-old member of Ballyclare GC. "I don't know what I would have done without him." It must be emphasised, however, that Foster was not without credentials coming here, after wins in the Munster and Ulster youth championships last season.
In the event, he reached the turn in 33 to be one up in his quarter-final against Bryan Ronan of Co Louth. But on going two up at the 11th, he went on to lose the 14th and 15th to birdie-par. Eventually, the match was decided on the famous par-five 18th.
There, with the aid of a wind over his right shoulder, Foster hit a three-wood second shot of 245 yards onto the green whereas Ronan pulled his iron approach into trouble on the left. Two putts gave the Ulsterman a winning birdie for the match.
Though Bornemann has an admirable record in strokeplay events - he was fifth in the "East" last month - he has never previously got past the last 16 of a championship. But the Cork sales director has now set himself a clear objective. "I want a green jersey," he said. He might just get one, depending on his form today.
In coming through a top quarter which included such notables as internationals Adrian Morrow, Pat Murray and Eddie Power, he gained a quarter-final win over Justin Kehoe of Birr, by 3 and 2. And he had to do it from behind, when Kehoe opened up a two-hole lead with an approximate outward 35 - one under par.
Bornemann then made his winning move. With beautifully-controlled approach play, he won the 10th in par and the 11th (eight-foot putt) and 12th (10-foot putt) with birdies. And with the stamp of an accomplished competitor, he pressed home his advantage with another win at the 15th where, into the wind, he pitched dead for a par.
Fresh winds and the odd rain shower didn't do much to lift holiday spirits. But for the enthusiast, there was rich compensation in the quality of play. More of the same today will make it one of the most rewarding championships in recent years.
