Bowls: Top women in quick exit

Some leading lights were eliminated from the singles event on day one of the women's national bowls championships in the Bay of Plenty.

The field of almost 500 players on 29 greens at 14 clubs were seeking three wins from four matches to progress to the knockout phase.

But the surprises started early when the legendary Millie Khan, runner-up to Sharon Sims in last year's singles final, lost both her opening two rounds to be one of the biggest casualties of the day.

At that stage she was joined by the 1999 singles runner-up, Auckland's Jenny Tough, and former fours champions Mata McEwan, of Dunedin, and Wellington's Tui Opai.

And as the results rolled in so the list of the fallen grew, starting with two world champions, Millie Khan's daughter Jan Khan, based in Christchurch, and Patsy Jorgensen, now living in the Bay of Plenty.

Two academy internationals, Lisa Dickson from Auckland and Bay of Plenty's Mina Paul, also bowed out after defeats in round three.