National singles title ends season nicely

Jonty Horwell.
Jonty Horwell.
Jonty Horwell (Kaikorai) ended the bowls season on a high note when he won the New Zealand under-21 singles title in Auckland late last month.

It was the second national singles title won by Horwell (18), an apprentice electrician, who also won the New Zealand secondary schools singles title in 2014.

He also played in the singles for the winning Otago sevens team in a national competition for bowlers with less than eight years' experience in 2015.

''It was a great feeling to move up to a higher level and still punch above my weight,'' Horwell said.

In post-section rounds, Horwell beat Nathan Arlidge (Gate Pa, Tauranga) 15-14 in the quarterfinal and Finbar McGuigan (Plimmerton, Wellington) 18-12 in the semifinal.

In a closely fought final, Horwell beat Aiden Takarua (Pt Chevalier, Auckland) 18-12.

The 16th end was crucial.

''I was down 13-16 on the scoreboard and four shots on the head when I drew the shot with my last bowl,'' Horwell said.

The win completed a successful season for Horwell, who reached post-section play in the singles, pairs and fours at the national championships in New Plymouth and was the youngest bowler to be selected in a Bowls Dunedin sevens representative team.

Horwell has also won three New Zealand junior indoor bowls singles titles with the small bowls.

He has proved that he has the big-match temperament and can overcome the pressure to succeed at a higher level in the sport.

''I just try to stay calm, be consistent and play the same game I have played 100 times before.

''Pressure is a mind-set and I just stick to what I know. I enjoy the hard games.''

Last winter Horwell played in the Otago indoor bowls Paterson Trophy team for the first time and he resumed the small bowls game in the Otago open singles and triples at the weekend.

He also intends to play big bowls at the Dunedin Bowls Stadium and play in the PBA tournaments.

The 47th annual Anzac tournament in Alexandra was won by the Southland four, skipped by Steve Sanders, that beat the Gore team, skipped by Sheldon Bagrie-Howley, 9-7 in the final.

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