Hollander (37), a sales consultant at Moisture Master, started playing outdoor bowls at the age of 11 and had been the bridesmaid in his previous 10 finals.
The Forbury Park team of Ross Munro, Brendon Hollander and Joe Coleman beat Don Stuart, Ross Brown and Bob Crawford (St Clair) 16-7 in the final of the triples.
"It hasn't quite sunk in yet," Hollander told the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
"I've finally knocked it off and I'm stoked. There are many more to come. It's now onward and upward."
Hollander knew he was on target when he finished runner-up in the triples in 2006 and in the pairs last year.
But his first centre title was still proving elusive.
He was close but was never able to ignite the flame.
"But I've always been a fierce competitor and had never given up hope," he said.
"I never doubted that I would secure it. I've always been confident in sport, but it was just a matter of how long it would take to get there."
Hollander was introduced to indoor (small bowls) by his grandparents Bert and Molly Kane when he was aged 7.
Bowls was a family game when he was growing up and he used to watch his uncle Henry Hollander and father Ken play the game when he was at primary school.
"Dad spent a lot of time playing bowls so I didn't see much of him," Hollander said.
"So I started myself and joined the Green Island club."
Hollander also had a long innings in premier league football for Grants Braes as a goal keeper until his skull was fractured in an accident.
His old Kings High School mates Rodney and Steven Fleming and Grant Stumbles persuaded him to join Forbury Park four years ago.
It was also a first centre title for Ross Munro (61), who has been playing bowls for 12 years.
"Its never easy to get that first one under your belt," he said.
It has been a good year for Munro, who was in the winning Festival fours team last summer and won the pairs and fours in championships at the Westpac Bowls Stadium last season.
It was also a memorable day for Coleman, who won his sixth centre title after 30 years of bowls.
His first was in 1986 and fifth a decade later in 1996.
"I thought I would never get off five titles," Coleman said.
In the women's triples, the St Clair team of Carolyn Crawford (12 titles), Daphne Hynes (11) and Trish Marr (four) beat Jenny Dyhrberg, Beth Brown and Janet Swallow (Taieri) 24-11.
