A joyful Forsyth (34) did a kangaroo leap down the green and let go his tensions with a loud shriek as he drove out his opponent's shot bowl to win his third singles title.
He beat Queenslander Sean Ingham (Broadbeach) 21-20 in a dramatic final end at the Taieri headquarters green.
Forsyth is only the fourth bowler to win the men's singles title three or more times since the annual championships were first held in Dunedin in 1914. He also won the pairs in 2013 and the fours in 2011 and 2012.
Forsyth has always played with aggression and has gone for the jugular.
''Every time I have a chance to win the game I have a crack at it,'' he said.
''Sometimes it doesn't come off but that one did.''
Forsyth described his approach to that last shot.
''I committed myself 100% to the shot,'' he said.
''You don't want to play a half-hearted bowl. I gave myself three opportunities to get a result.''
He was ecstatic as he recalled the final act of the game.
''I hit his bowl absolutely clean and got the maximum result. It could have turned to custard but I was already game down. That is the way I play and it came off perfectly.''
Ingham had the shot when he put his first bowl close to the jack.
He attempted to trail the jack with his next bowl to make it harder for Forsyth.
''Ali had two second shots and I tried to trail the jack with my last bowl but it went too quick,'' he said.
''If I'd pulled it off it would have made his life hard.''
Forsyth's was wide with his third-bowl drive but on target with his last bowl.
''Once Sean put another bowl past the jack I knew I had options on the forehand and I played a bit more firmly at it,'' he said.
''I got the scoring bowl out and was over the moon about it,'' he said.
Ingham just stood back in admiration when Forsyth won the title with his final drive.
''Ali played a massive bowl to win it,'' Ingham said.
''It was do or die.''
Forsyth had 15 drives during the game and missed nine. But he hit the one that counted.
The wind made conditions difficult.
''Early on, it was OK but when the wind picked up it became awkward,'' he said.
''We both had good bowls but there were some rough ones, as well.''
Forsyth was in superb touch at the start and scored three on the first end and added two more on the second end to lead 5-0.
After 10 ends, he led 10-5 before Ingham rallied and scored seven shots on the next five ends to lead 12-10.
The Australian was more accurate on the draw and made five touchers during the game.
''I had gone a wee bit off my game and had to improve my first bowl,'' Forsyth said.
Ingham was drawing accurately at this stage but lost his weight when Forsyth had his second purple patch and scored seven shots from the 16th to the 21st end to lead 17-12.
''I kept going through the gap,'' Ingham said. `I couldn't believe some of the holes I went through. Ali made the most of it.''
On the 22nd end, Forsyth had two shots on the head and tried to end the game by taking out Ingham's third scoring shot to get four.
It backfired on him because he killed the end and Ingham drew the shot on the replay.
''With three bowls that close I was never going to draw another shot,'' he said.
''I played with aggression. That's my game.
''Sometimes it comes off but that one didn't and it put me under a bit of pressure. Every time you've got an opportunity to win the game you must have a crack at it.''
It looked all over for Ingham when Forsyth led 19-13 after 24 ends.
''I was playing well at this stage and put some solid ends together and put a lot of pressure on him,'' Forsyth said.
''I started to get concerned the closer he got. It was a very tight finish.''
Ingham was not yet finished. He stopped going through the gaps and started to win shots and scored seven shots on the next four ends to led 20-19.
Ingham was not disappointed to lose after getting so close.
''Ali's a great player and I look up to him,'' he said.
''He missed a few drives but made up for it with the big one.''
At a glance
The champions
Singles: Ali Forsyth (Havelock), Helen King (Victoria, Wellington).
Pairs: Carolyn Crawford (St Clair), Anne Muir (Kensington, Whangarei); Michael Nagy, Tony Grantham (Birkenhead, Auckland).
