Bowls: Boyd youngest woman to win a national bowls title

Mandy Boyd is the youngest woman to win a national bowls title. Photo / The New Zealand Herald

Wellington teenager Mandy Boyd became the youngest woman to win a title at a national bowls championships when she helped a composite team skipped by Hamilton's Sue Burnand to the women's fours title at Dunedin yesterday.

The men's fours title was won by Ali Forsyth, who beat Terry Scott 18-9 on the Taieri greens.

The Burnand team, nicknamed Slam, also includes Burnand's Frankton Railway clubmate and second Leanne Curry, and Mandy Boyd's sister, Angela, who plays out of Taradale.

They beat Bev Morel (Elmwood) and her composite 16-10 in the final.

Mandy Boyd, 19, said she wasn't too worried about becoming the youngest female to win a national title but was happier about her team winning the fours title after reaching the final eight at last year's championships as a first-time combination.

They were knocked out then by Barbara McGregor's United women 19-13 but got their revenge this year when they beat McGregor 19-13 in the semifinals.

Burnand showed good driving and drawing skills to take the early lead in yesterday's final, but Morel drew level 6-6 at the halfway mark. The Burnand four then tightened up play and Morel never got another look in.

"We'll be in Auckland to defend our title," a happy Curry said.

For Forsyth, a national singles title winner in 2003 and 2004, yesterday's win was another step towards securing the skip's spot in the national fours team. "There is a spot for anyone ready to step up, and I think I've done that over the past 10 days," added Forsyth, who finished runner-up in the pairs.

Forsyth and his team of Matthew Gallop, Graham Hood and Lloyd Gallop were facing a determined Scott family yesterday.

Skip Terry Scott, who last won the national fours title in 1977, is a national selector. Brother Jim won the fours title in 1980, cousin Shaun Scott won the national singles title last week and cousin Stephen O'Driscoll, a Dunedin judge, was aiming to be the first member of the bench to win a New Zealand open bowls title.

The Scotts jumped to a 4-1 lead, but Forsyth picked up four in the sixth end to take a lead from which they did not look back.

Sydney-based Forsyth said the skill and consistency of his teammates got them up in the end.

"I was gutted about losing out in the singles, but winning the fours and making the finals in pairs - I'll take that."

For Lloyd Gallop (who won the four title in 1998), the added bonus was winning alongside 22-year-old son Matthew (Cabramatta).

The veteran Blenheim bowler said: "It was fantastic playing with my son, Matt - it was quite emotional. He's a natural that has been playing since he was 12 years old."

- NZPA