The team comprising Gore Bowling Club member Sheldon Bagrie-Howley, Waihopai club member Craig Merrilees, Hamish Wilson of the Burnside Bowling Club and Darral Gordon of the Auckland Bowling Club have won the Bowls New Zealand Summerset National open fours title.
The tournament was played at greens throughout the Bay of Plenty at the weekend.
Bagrie-Howley said he and Merrilees entered a team in the tournament and then looked around for two more players.
"We pretty much just scratched the team together, really."
Gordon joined the team about two weeks before the tournament began.
It was Bagrie-Howley's fourth gold national title but the first for the other players.
"Obviously pretty special for them."
"This is the pinnacle of Bowls New Zealand events."
The team qualified for post section play with its first four games and so did not need to play the other two games of the draw.
They had a comprehensive 22-9 win in the last 16 section of the draw but two narrow one-shot wins in the quarterfinal and semifinal.
In both games Bagrie-Howley, who was skip, snatched the win with his last bowl.
The final was not quite as tight but could have been if Bagrie-Howley had missed a shot to remove the jack with three ends to go.
The team prevailed 20-14 to take the title.
Their strategic play gave the team an edge, Bagrie-Howley said.
"I think we just played a smarter game throughout the whole event."
Bagrie-Howley left yesterday to take part in the TAB Platinum Pennants tournament in Australia.
"A club has signed me up to play their big pennant league, which goes for five weeks ... and the best in the world get paid to go over and play in that."
