The golden performance came from Jo Edwards (Pine Rivers), who won the women’s singles title 21-16 over Katelyn Inch (Broadbeach), to claim her fifth New Zealand title, qualifying her for the Bowls New Zealand gold star.
"It’s pretty special," Edwards said afterwards of winning her fifth title, three of which have been in Dunedin.
After being presented with the gold star, Edwards thanked long-time friend, international team-mate and pairs partner Val Smith, who helped her win three of her titles, which included the fours title last year and pairs titles in 2004 and 2011.
Yesterday’s match remained close over the opening stages in the race to score 21, but picking up three shots on the eighth and 10th ends blew the score out in Edwards’ favour and by the 13th end she had a 16-9 lead and signs looked ominous for Inch.
But to her credit, Inch, showing all the hallmarks of a champion in waiting, clawed her way back into the game, to go down fighting in a 23 end affair.
The men’s singles final was a classic game of two halves between world singles champion Shannon McIlroy (Stoke) and Andrew Kelly (Canterbury).
Kelly got away to a flying start to lead 10-1 after just eight ends in the race to 21, but McIlroy rallied to have it locked up at 12-12 after 14 ends. But Kelly wasn’t about to yield to McIlroy’s pressure and it took a further three ends before McIlroy hit the lead for the first time.
The talented Cantabrian make the world champion and 2016 national champion sweat six ends with some classic draw shots, before McIlroy, sitting on match point after 23 ends, secured the title with his final bowl on the 24th end, 21-15.
"It’s pretty awesome. I gave him a bit of a start," McIlroy said.
"It’s not the ideal start to a game of singles. It was 10-1 at one point and he’s halfway there and I’ve only just started."
There was little time for celebration, as McIlroy was back in action playing third for Ali Forsyth’s team which downed the Bruce McNish composite four 18-8 in yesterday’s men’s fours semifinal. Forsyth’s team will now play the Sheldon Bagrie-Howley four in the final at 9am this morning, after the latter beat the Mike Kernaghan-led four 19-7 in the other semifinal.
