
The 10-day competition started yesterday and will have all the various combinations playing through until March 16.
Muir (23), the Central Otago singles representative at the championships, has won two centre titles and has been the key member of the Clyde club that has been red-hot this season.
But it will not be an easy task because he is up against some of the best bowlers in the country including Gary Lawson (Sumner, Canterbury) who won a record 11th New Zealand open title in New Plymouth in January.
Another former Black Jack in the field is Sean O'Neill (Kia Toa, South Canterbury). Also in the field is Dean Elgar (West End, Taranaki), who won the New Zealand open singles title this year.
Other singles players who will test Muir include former Dunedin bowler Richard Corry (Victoria, Wellington), who is a nephew of former World Bowls and Commonwealth Games champion Ian Dickison, and Roger Stevens (Waikiwi, Southland).
The other Otago bowlers in the men's singles field are Bruce Kelly (Phoenix, North Otago), Geoff Wilson (Kaikorai, Dunedin) and Graeme Hill (Milton, South Otago).
The favourite in the women's singles is Black Jack squad member Tayla Bruce (Burnside, Canterbury), who was in the winning fours at this year's New Zealand championships.
Others to watch include former North East Valley bowler Rebecca Jelley (Carlton Cornwall, Auckland) and Natasha Grimshaw (Papakura, Counties-Manukau).
Wynette McLachlan (Clinton), who won the title in 2011, heads the Otago finalists. The others are Margaret O'Connor (Queenstown), Annie McDonald (Awamoa, North Otago) and Jan Hall (Green Island, Dunedin).
The New Zealand club championships were first held in 2003 when the North East Valley team of Stephen O'Driscoll, Shaun Scott, Steve Beel and Terry Scott won the fours.
Teams qualify by winning the title at one of the 27 New Zealand centres.
Each event is held over two days with section games being held at North East Valley and Taieri. Post-section play on the second day of each event will be held at Taieri from 12.30pm.
The only defending team competing is the Te Karaka triples team of David File, Steve Goldsbury and Duncan McPherson from the Gisborne East Coast centre.
File, a former Black Jack, has won the most centre titles in New Zealand.
Other Otago teams with a chance of reaching the post-section rounds include Sarah and Terry Scott (North East Valley), and Lindsay Thomas and Christine Buchanan (Queenstown) in the mixed pairs; Scott and Rachael McDowell (North East Valley), and Buchanan and Debra Lloyd (Queenstown) in the women's pairs and the Queenstown four of Lloyd, June Anderson, Buchanan and Margaret O'Connor.