It was a dramatic day of semifinals at the New Zealand bowls championships in Dunedin yesterday with both men's matches going down to the wire.
Scott came back from the dead to beat John Carruthers (Carlton Cornwall) 21-20 and Peter Sain, from the same Auckland club, held on to beat former international Paul Girdler (St Johns Park, Sydney) 21-18.
"I was struggling to get my first bowl close," Scott said.
"When I did get close, he went inside me."
Scott (46), a truck driver from Central Otago, looked down and out when Carruthers (59), an Auckland seaman, scored a three on the 21st end and one more on the next, to lead 19-16.
This was where Scott started to show the tenacity and mental toughness of a champion.
He started the mind talk that he had been taught at the New Zealand Academy of Sport (South Island), where he was an elite student last year.
"I needed to control myself and go back to the basics," Scott said.
He received advice from former singles champion Mike Kernaghan who was on the bank.
"Mike told me to control myself and take my time," Scott said.
Carruthers had three shots on the head on the 22nd end when Scott drew the second shot.
"I just had to keep calm and show consistency and perseverance after this," Scott said.
Scott came back into the picture when he drew two shots on the 23rd end.
His first bowl on the next end was the shot and he drew another one with his third bowl.
Carruthers drove at the head and missed and Scott had the chance to win the game if he drew the bonus shot.
Kernaghan told him he could do it if he took his time and not rush the shot.
The bowl rolled in for third shot and Scott entered his second singles final.
Scott was runner-up to Tony Grantham (Birkenhead) when the championships were last held in Dunedin four years ago.
During his bad patch, Scott kept himself in the game with accurate driving and weighted shots that either killed the head or reduced the count.
Carruthers had earlier revealed his temperament in his quarterfinal against Nathan Glasson (Belfast), when he came back from a deficit of 20-10 to win the game 21-20.
Sain, who grew up in Croatia before settling in New Zealand as a 17-year-old, will be attempting to win his national open championship gold star in the final today.
He won the singles in 1991 and 2000, the pairs in 2003 and the fours in 1999.
Sain lost his heart for bowls after his brother-in-law died in a helicopter crash in 2003 but he has come back strongly this year.
"I'm confident that I can win tomorrow," he said after the semifinal.
"But I've still got to play well."
Sain is a polished draw bowler and looked all class when he led Girdler 14-6 after 11 ends.
A turning point came when his attempt for an extra shot on the 12th end backfired and he moved the jack in Girdler's favour.
Girdler, who has played 192 tests for New Zealand, did not need any extra prompting and scored nine shots on the next six ends to lead 15-14.
Sain then took back control, to score seven shots on the last five ends and win the game.
