Bowls: Golden roll takes rising star to final

Mandy Boyd secured a spot in the pairs final with the final roll of her semifinal. Photo / Natalie Slade

Mandy Boyd, the 20-year-old Wellington fine arts student, emerged yesterday as New Zealand bowls' rising star when she skipped her older sister Angela to the final of the national women's pairs at Carlton-Cornwall.

That means Mandy will be in two finals today after she made the singles final on Sunday, placing her in a strong position to win the women's tournament consistency prize. In yesterday's semifinal win over experienced Aucklanders Reen Stratford and Hetty Bolscher, both former national champions, Boyd brought off two incredible final draw shots which stunned a large gallery.

Trailing 12-14 on the 18th and last end, and, with the kitty spilled towards an outside peg and near the ditch, leaving no margin for error, Boyd drew immaculately to pick up three shots and the match, 15-14.

Bowls New Zealand chief executive Kerry Clark was in awe of the skill and composure Boyd had shown. "She is an outstanding young bowler," he said.

The Boyds will meet two national squad members, Genevieve Baildon, from Waikato, and Jan Shirley, who after just eight years in the game is already a gold star holder in the Canterbury centre.

Neither has won a national title yet but Shirley was in the singles final two years ago against Jan Khan and won the New Zealand Open pairs at Henderson with Raelene Peters in 2010. Baildon excelled at the recent Asian Pacific Games, winning bronze and gold.