Brandon Williams always likes to beat his dad, and this rivalry helped him become the standout indoor bowls player when Otago beat Canterbury yesterday.
Brandon (22), a quantity surveyor, won the most games when Otago beat Canterbury by 155 points to 97 at the Dunedin indoor bowls centre yesterday.
He won eight and drew one of his nine games, to help Otago win the Speight's Challenge Trophy.
It was only Otago's seventh win in the annual event that was first held in 1989. Canterbury has won the trophy 22 times.
Canterbury had dominated the event this century and won 12 years in a row from 2001 to 2012.
Otago broke the red-and-blacks' run by winning in 2013 and 2014. But Canterbury won the trophy for the last two years.
Brandon followed his father, John Williams, into the sport eight years ago and they both played for Otago yesterday. Brother Adam and stepmother Jacque also play the sport.
They will play together in the family fours team at the national championships at Taupo next month.
''It is just natural for me to beat Dad,'' Brandon said. ''I also beat him at darts, table tennis and tiddlywinks.''
The only other unbeaten player was international Daniel French, who won seven games and drew two in the two-day event.
Otago made a flying start and won the first round by 55 points to 29 and had stretched the lead to 103-65 after two of the three rounds.
The win meant a lot to veteran Bob Cowan (74), who has played the sport for 48 years. He is second on the Otago all-time list with 23 provincial titles and has been runner-up in the New Zealand championships twice.
He made an important contribution to Otago's win by winning six games, drawing two and losing one.
Barry Cadogan (69), another veteran, won seven games and drew one. His only loss was in the fours when beaten 9-5 by a Canterbury team skipped by Bruce Wolland.
His most impressive win was against a Canterbury four skipped by Ann Graham.
Cadogan was down 0-11 after three of the nine ends. He kept winning ends after this and won the game 14-11.
Other Otago bowlers with six wins were Daniel Sinclair, Marilyn Holmes, Kristen Gould, David Webb and Colin Robson.
The best Canterbury performance came from retired sheep farmer Rosemary Ash (70), who was playing her first game for the province's elite team.
She started indoor bowls 12 years ago. Ash won five and lost four of her games.
Bus driver Shayne Cooper (60) was also making his Canterbury debut after playing the sport for 40 years. He won four games, drew one and lost four.
Other Canterbury bowlers to win five games were David Bullock, Neill Inglis and Kevin Wealleans.
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