The late Ivan Kostanich inspired Dunedin's Russell Dawe to advance to the national finals of a PBA singles event for the first time.
Dawe (70), a retired railway worker, beat Dunedin forklift driver Peter Wilson (46) 5-11, 13-3, 2-0 in the Dunedin qualifying event for the Scottish singles at the Dunedin Bowls Stadium over the weekend.
Kostanich was a former Black Jack who was still competitive when Dawe started playing bowls in the 1980s.
``You're never too old,'' the left-handed Dawe said.
Kostanich was aged 84 when he won the New Zealand open singles title in 1993.
Dawe started playing bowls in 1980 and has won six Bowls Dunedin titles. He joined the PBA in 2004.
It was Dawe's first win in a PBA singles event. He will compete in the national final in Wellington in September. The winner will qualify for the Scottish open in Perth in November.
``It feels good. I'm rapt by the way I was able to come from behind to win three key games.''
In each of those games he lost the first set but came back strongly.
In the quarterfinals he beat promising junior Jonty Horwell (18) 7-8, 10-8, 2-1 and in the semifinals he beat former Otago golfer Brent McEwan 6-7, 9-8, 2-1.
Dawe was outplayed by Wilson 11-5 in the first set of the final.
``I was too short and couldn't find my weight or any rhythm. But I knew that in set play I could come back. When I got the chance in the second set I took the mat up 2m and played three-quarter length ends. I found my weight and was able to get into a better rhythm.''
Dawe took control of the second set on the first end when he pushed out Wilson's shot with his fourth bowl and gained three shots. In the best-of-three tie-breaker ends set, Dawe won the first end when he pushed out Wilson's shot with his fourth bowl. On the second end he drew the shot with his third bowl.
Former New Zealand cricketer Barry Milburn, in his first PBA event, was beaten in the quarterfinals by Wilson, 8-4, 9-1.
The best-performed female bowler was Bronwyn Stevens (Southland) who lost in the third round to Paul King (Dunedin) 7-7, 9-6.
