In yesterday’s feature game, he outclassed fellow World Bowls representative Mike Kernaghan (North East Valley) 25-12 in a one-sided game.
Kernaghan finished runner-up in the singles at the Asia and Pacific championships late last year but McIlroy pushed him out of the prime spot when he won the national title in Auckland in January.
The pair are in the toughest of the four sections of the Speight’s-sponsored event.
It contains four World Bowls players and only three can qualify for post-section.
"I tried to get runs on the board early and let the pack chase me," McIlroy said.
McIlroy only had four drives in the game and killed the ninth and 16th ends when Kernaghan had shots on the head.
"I like to scramble myself out of trouble with drives," McIlroy said.
They both played accurate draw bowls but McIlroy was in superb touch and forced Kernaghan into playing more drives.
Kernaghan was on target and hit four of his five drives, but it did not upset the composure of McIlroy.
McIlroy had a simple plan designed to put pressure on Kernaghan.
"The key for me was to get my first two bowls close to set up the rest of the end," he said.
McIlroy scored four on the third and sixth ends and had taken the game out of Kernaghan’s reach when he led 15-7 after 11 ends.
McIlroy won his second game when he beat Robert Wilson (South Otago) 25-19.
McIlroy was the form bowler on the first day and is being tipped to break the record and win his fourth title.
He also won in 2006, 2008 and 2012.
Former international Rowan Brassey (Auckland) is the only other bowler to win the event three times.
Australian-based Black Jack Ali Forsyth was the other form bowler on the first day.
He beat Wilson 25-7 in the first round and Kernaghan 25-17 in the second round.
Australian World Bowls representative Barrie Lester was beaten 25-18 in the first round by Scott Cottrell (Auckland) but came back strongly in the second round to beat former international Jim Scott (North East Valley) 25-5.
Seventeen-year old Jonty Horwell (Dunedin), the youngest player in the event, almost caused an upset against New Zealand PBA representative Andy McLean (North East Valley).
He held a 24-21 lead after 25 ends but McLean took two shots on the final two ends to win 25-24 and then beat World Bowls representative Mike Nagy (Auckland) 25-16.
Jamie Hill (Auckland), a semifinalist last year, came from behind to beat Doug Thomas (North East Valley) 25-24 and had another narrow win in the second round when he beat Roger Stevens (North East Valley) 25-23.
Other unbeaten bowlers were Scott Thulborn (Australia), Justin Goodwin (Wellington), Sean O’Neill (Timaru), Andrew Kelly (Christchurch), Tony Grantham (Auckland), Gary Lawson (Christchurch) and Shaun Scott (North East Valley).
Section play continues today and tomorrow morning. Post-section starts tomorrow afternoon.
