Bowls: Munro's draw bowls key to success

Ross Munro wills his bowl close to the head during the final of the Dunedin qualifying round of...
Ross Munro wills his bowl close to the head during the final of the Dunedin qualifying round of the Potters World Singles at Westpac Stadium yesterday. Munro beat Ken Walker 15-4, 8-3 in the final. Photo by Jane Dawber.
Ross Munro gave a convincing display of draw bowls to win the Dunedin qualifying round of the Potters World Singles at the bowls stadium over the weekend.

Munro (Forbury Park) progressed through pool play with little difficulty, and without the need for any tie-breaks.

His only scare came in the quarterfinal, when team-mate Dwayne White took him down to the wire.

The first set was drawn 8-8 and a hard-fought second set was won by Munro, 10-9.

His opponent in the final, Ken Walker (Fairfield), was all class in the qualifying rounds, recording comfortable victories.

But Walker almost met his match in the semifinal against Regan Larkin (Andersons Bay), who lost the first set 8-7, and drew the second 8-8.

But Munro's draw shots unnerved Walker, who uncharacteristically fell off his game in the final, dropping an incredible 10 shots by the end of the fourth end.

Walker regained some composure over the next two ends before form deserted him again and he went down in the first set by a massive 15-4.

Munro continued to apply pressure in the second and deciding second set, forcing Walker to play up-shots and leaping out to a 6-0 lead by the end of the fifth end.

Walker pulled back three shots in the next two ends. But it was too little too late, as Munro drew two shots in the eighth end for an 8-3 victory.

Munro will now contest the national final of the Potters World Singles at the bowls stadium in early September.

He won the Dunedin qualifying round of the Scottish and Shanghai Singles last year, only to be knocked out by defending champion Jamie Hill (Auckland).

In early January, Munro was a key member of the winning Festival Fours team, with his ability to lead.

By his own admission, he prefers to play a draw bowl and put the pressure on his opponent, a tactic that worked against Walker yesterday.

"If you get them there, then they've got to get rid of you," he said, of his ability to draw his shots.

Despite progressing through to the final with this tactic, he knew he would have to be on top of his game against Walker.

"He's always dangerous," he said.

"It's not often you get away on him like that."

 

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