With a cut-off of just 68 players it is no mean feat to see five McEwans making the cut to play in the Dunedin region of the Professional Bowls Association (PBA) this season.
With a further two weekends of the PBA season to follow, this weekend's competition will see players competing in the Dunedin regional competition for a place in the national finals for the Scottish and UK Open Singles.
The national winner then earns direct passage to the world championships at Britain's Potters Resort in early January.
Brent McEwan transferred his golfing skills to that of bowls about 10 years ago. With three Bowls Dunedin titles already under his belt he has proven a tough opponent both in local inter-club and PBA competition.
He replicated his success on the outdoor greens over summer under the roof when he became a national finalist in the International Singles in 2019, and qualified for a second national final last year with pairs partner Andy McLean.
He was also one of the big movers up the national rankings last year, but this PBA season may well be curtailed by challenges from within his own family.
His wife, Shannon, and sons Lachie, 9, and Jordan, 11, along with his father, Bill, are all vying to take home family bragging rites.
While Brent has firmly established himself in PBA competition over the past seven years, Bill will be competing for a second year, while Shannon and the boys will be contesting their first. The three join another nine players cutting their PBA teeth for the first time, making the race for the Rookie of the Year Trophy interesting indeed.
Both Lachie and Jordan represented Bowls Dunedin in their victory over a very strong Canterbury Centre team last weekend. Jordan made an impressive representative debut to make the Dunedin under-26 team that will travel to Wellington to play in the under-26 tournament at Naenae.
Lachie, Jordan, Brent and Dennis Lobb (Shannon's father) will all be playing in the Australian Open tournament on the Gold Coast as a fours team later this month.
Lachie and Jordan will also be playing in the pairs of the Australian Open together. And both will contest the under-18 singles
With one Dunedin Centre title to her name, Shannon played Dunedin representative bowls earlier his year and was part of the women's team that won the Southern Zone 6 title.
But interest will focus on Lachie and Jordan, who in their first season of bowls last season played for the St Clair Club and won the Dunedin Junior Fours title in a composite team with Mark and Steve King (Mornington).
"The key to playing well is to be humble and respectful," Lachie said of his approach to each game.
PBA International Marty Kreft was sideline last night to witness Lachie beat Tom McGregor 9-8, 2-12, 2-1, in the first round and what he saw made him a little nervous.
"I have Jordan in the first round tomorrow (10am today). If he plays anything like his brother here, I may be in trouble," he said.
"These boys are going to go a long way in the sport."
A hard-fought second round defeat at the hands of Michael Greaves last night — lost on a 2-0 tie-break — ended Lachie's hopes of going deep into Scottish Open Singles competition and what would have brought about a third round match against his father, who beat Jeff Nowell in straight sets 9-8, 10-4.
Play resumes with third round matches at 10am this morning.
By Wayne Parsons
