WOMEN’S BOWLS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27912, 8 March 1956, Page 5

WOMEN’S BOWLS

CHAMPION SINGLES i TITLE WIN FOR MRS MCKENZIE Conditions were rather unpleasant for the Christchurch Women’s Bowling Centre's champion of champion singles title and the competition for first year players, which were decided on the Opawa Green yesterday. Overnight rain made the green a little heavy and a considerable amount of push was required to get bowls up to the head. Mrs McKenzie (Woolston) won the singles title. Twenty players who had won their club championship took part; and 15 first year players played for the Cen-' tennial Cup, which was won by Mrs McGettigan (Spreydon). All games were played on the sudden death principle and during the day some excellent games were seen.

Mrs McKenzie, who was runner-up in ithis tournament last year had a very close call in the third round when she met Mrs Heney (Heathcote). After having a commanding lead up to the fifteenth head when she was 16-9 up Mrs McKenzie slipped and over the next three heads Mrs Heney scored six to be only one down with three heads left to play. On these each player scored two with Mrs McKenzie taking tbe last head with one shot to win 18-17.

In the final between Mrs McKenzie and Mrs Mahan, Mrs McKenzie gave one of the greatest exhibitions of drawing seen for some time. She was

exceptionally accurate, and apart from driving, on her play yesterday there would be very few men who could have beaten her. Although soundly beaten Mrs Mahan played delightful bowls, but was not quite so steady as Mrs McKenzie. Even if Mrs Mahan drew the shot Mrs McKenzie seemed to be able to draw inside. A noticeable feature of Mrs McKenzie’s play was the carefree manner in which she played her bowls. She gave a lesson to many on how to take the green for i she threw her bowls well out and: made them work, and in doing so was i rarely more than inches from the kitty. Mrs Mahan was not disgraced in being beaten by Mrs McKenzie, who was definitely on the top of her form. In the games for first year players no fireworks were seen, the players being content to keep to the draw throughout their games. Mrs McGettigan (Spreydon) proved herself an excellent draw player and it was very rarely that she was far away from the kitty. In her first game she did not have it all her own way against Mrs Hopkins (Kaiapoi) and after leading 18-9 on the fourteenth head had to fight hard to keep ahead of Mrs Hopkins. In her next two games Mrs McGettigan had very comfortable wins over Mrs Samms (Sydenham) and Mrs Fraser (New Brighton). The final between Mrs Stewart and Mrs McGettigan was an easy win for Mrs McGettigan, who played excellent bowls throughout the game. She was much steadier than Mrs Stewart, who was inclined to lose her weight at times: Mrs Stewart fought back but left her run too late and conceded the game 22‘14 on the twentieth head. Mrs McGettigan went away to a lead of 14-3 on the eighth head and increased this to be 22-8 up on the sixteenth. From then on she did not score again while Mrs Stew’art took six points, but was still too far down to win. The results were:— Champion of Champion Singles First Round.—Mrs Pirrie (Dallington) 23. Mrs Gaylor (Rakaia) 22; Mrs Mort-

land (United) 23. Mrs Tourell (Kaiapoi) 23; Mrs Dailey (Shirley) 19, Mrs Gundry (Spreydon) 16; Mrs McKenzie (Woolston) 20, Mrs Taylor (Burwood) 14. The following players had byes: Mesdames Marshell (Redcliffs). Coggar (R.S.A.), McDonald (Beckenham), Heney (Heathcote), Hewton (Riccarton), Wilson (Lincoln), Mahan (Barrington). Sneddon (Linwood). Howard (Avon), Blackler (Opawa), Misses Smith (New Brighton), and Webster (St Albans).

Second Round. —Mrs Marshall 19, Miss Smith 17: Mrs Mahan 20, Mrs Sneddon 15; Mrs Blackler 20. Mrs Heward 13; Mrs McKenzie 15, Mrs Dailey 10: Mrs Heney 24, Miss Webster 19; Mrs Wilson 15. Mrs Hewton 8; Mrs McDonald 20, Mrs Cogger 13: Mrs Mortland 18, Mrs Pirrie 13. Third Round.—Mrs McKenzie 18. Mrs Heney 17: Mrs McDonald 18. Mrs Marshall 15; Mrs Wilson 24, Mrs Mortland 12; Mrs Mahon 19, Mrs Blackler 16. Semi-final.—Mrs Mahan 17, Mrs Wilson 8; Mrs McKenzie 22, Mrs McDonald 13. Final.—Mrs McKenzie 27, Mrs Mahan 6. First-year Players First Round. —Mrs Ormanby (Riccarton) 27, Mrs Langley (St. Albans) 14; Mrs Porter (Linwood) 22, Mrs Warren (Barrington) 16; Mrs Flaws (Heathcote) 23, Mrs Garrett (Beckenham) 12; Mrs McGettigan (Spreydon) 20, Mrs Hopkins (Kaiapoi) 17; Mrs Samms (Sydenham) 24, Mrs Kennedy (Shirley) 15. The following players had byes: Mesdames Stewart (Belfast), Dale (Burwood), and Fraser (New Brighton).

Second Round.—Mrs McGettigan 26. Mrs Samms 9; Mrs Stewart 19, Mrs Porter 15: Mrs Fraser 20. Mrs Dale 19; Mrs Flaws 18, Mrs Ormanby 14.

Semi-final.—Mrs McGettigan 25. Mrs Fraser 11; Mrs Stewart 18, Mrs Flaws 16. Final.—Mrs McGettigan 22, Mrs Stewart 14.