Lawson (45) won his 10th title in the pairs two years ago to jointly hold the record with the legendary Nick Unkovich. But he wanted to have the record himself.
He failed to reach the final in the singles and the pairs last week and bowed out of the fours in the quarterfinals yesterday.
The composite team of Vladimir Marsic, Steve Cox, Neil Fisher and Tony Garelja beat Lawson, Chris Le Lievre, Richard Girvan and Danny Delany 24-18.
Lawson's best chance of a title was in the fours, where he had an experienced and star-studded team, with New Zealand junior representative Le Lievre, and current Black Jacks Girvan and Delany.
The game was even for the first 10 ends but Lawson dropped a seven and two fours after that, to bow out of championships.
Lawson needed to make a big impression to get into the Black Jacks for World Bowls, at Adelaide in October.
While he did not do enough at the rain-soaked championships in Auckland to be an automatic selection for World Bowls, he is not yet out of contention because there are other events to be considered by the national selectors before they name their team for the annual transtasman international, at Adelaide in April.
Lawson, who was a double gold medallist in the pairs and fours at World Bowls at Christchurch in 2008, still has a good chance of making the team.
The first team to make the final was the composite four of Andrew Kelly, Ali Forsyth, Blake Signal and Greg Ruaporo, which beat Lance Pascoe, Kelvin Scott, Steve Beel and Shane Pascoe (composite) 22-14 in the semifinal.
Black Jack Forsyth has the chance to win back-to-back titles after skipping the winning fours team at Dunedin 12 months ago.
It is also significant for Signal, who won the pairs last week and is keen to win the fours title, as well.
Double titles could catapult him into the Black Jacks squad.
Kelly, who learnt his bowls when he was a pupil at Waitaki Boys' High School, in Oamaru, is already a member of the 10-man Black Jacks squad. and a national title could put him into contention for a spot in the fours at World Bowls.
Former Dunedin bowler Neville Hill skipped the Avondale four with Mike Bradshaw, Colin Haysham and Brett Hassall, that beat Marsic 16-14 in a nail-biting semifinal.
Because of the increased ferocity of Auckland's miserable weather, all matches in the mens and women's fours were moved from the headquarters greens at the Carlton Cornwall club to the St Heliers club's all-weather greens yesterday.
Saturday's play was disrupted when most of Auckland's grass greens were unplayable, because of the rain.
In the women's fours, defending champions Sue Burnand, Leanne Curry, Angela Boyd and Mandy Boyd (composite) beat Mary Guldbrandsen, Colleen Sexton, Rhonda Preston and Anne Dorreen (Sunnybrae) 17-7 in their semifinal.
The composite team, nick-named "Slam", for its members' first initials, beat Olivia Bloomfield's composite four 18-16 in the quarterfinals.
Guldbrandsen beat the Northland four skipped by Anne Bateman (Kensington) 21-14 in the quarterfinals.
The Birkenhead team of Carole Fredrick, Ruth Lynch, Gayle Melrose, and Lisa Helmling reached the final when it beat Judith Seager, Elaine McClintock, Gail Dick, and Eileen Shand (Browns Bay) 16-14.
The men's and women's fours finals will be played in Auckland this morning.
Fact file
NZ Bowls fours finalists
Women: Carole Fredrick (skip), Ruth Lynch, Gayle Melrose, Lisa Helmling (Birkenhead) v Sue Burnand (skip), Leanne Curry, Angela Boyd, Mandy Boyd (composite).
Men: Andrew Kelly (skip), Ali Forsyth, Blake Signal, Greg Ruaporo (composite) v Neville Hill (skip), Mike Bradshaw, Colin Haysham, Brett Hassall (Avondale).
