Singles favourite deprived of place in finals

Press, 28 December 1989, Page 28

Singles favourite deprived of place in finals

Kevin Wing (Palmerston North) a former runner-up in the New Zealand bowls singles championship, made an early exit from the 1990 event, which started in Christchurch yesterday. Wing won his' first two matches in the Rothmans-sponsored national championship but lost his next two, and with it any chance of progressing to the final stages. Another who had a troubled start was the 1987 singles champion, Ken Walker (Fairfield), who lost his first match. However, Walker won his next three games to assure himself of a post-section place. Last year’s singles winner, Gary Lawson (Sydenham) and his father, Stan Lawson — who won the 1968 title — qualified. The younger Lawson had two big wins in the morning, but in the afternoon was tested more seriously. Both the Skoglunds, Phil senior

and junior, also qualified. The elder needed to play only three matches, whereas the younger Skoglund was required to play four.

Other champions from last year who qualified were Pat Doig, Brian Barker and Dave Trainor from the winning Papanui four. Barker had three wins and a loss, as did Doig, while Trainor had three straight wins. Brian McGowan and Jack Dale, Papanui’s 1988 national pairs champion, both failed to qualify, but Peter Meier (South Brighton), the skip of his club’s successful 1988 four, qualified with three wins. The Commonwealth Games representatives who played their singles went through without losing a game. Stewart McConnell (Kaikorai), Peter Shaw (Palmerston North), and Maurice Symes (Johnsonville) all had four wins. Two others to qualify were Danny O’Connor (Okahu Bay), and Graham Stanley (South Brighton) _ Half the field of more than 1300 singles .players had four qualifying matches yesterday.