Lawn bowls: Youngster claims singles title

CHRISTCHURCH - Justin Goodwin was expecting to awake from a dream 30 minutes after the singles final at the New Zealand bowls championships yesterday.

Goodwin, aged 22, of Auckland's Hillsboro club, had just beaten Phillip Skoglund, of the Northern club in the Manawatu, 21-13 in the final but was shaking his his head in disbelief. "I still can't believe it."

But it was not a dream. Goodwin had become one of the youngest players to win the national singles title.

It was an emotional win for Goodwin, whose father, Grant, a former North Island representative, had travelled to Christchurch to watch his son in the semifinal and final.

Through the final he received vociferious support from his Hillsboro clubmates, who are members of the Justin Goodwin Fan Club started by a friend, Brett Hassall, four years ago.

"We'll now have to get the tee-shirts overprinted with "NZ singles champion 1999," Hassall said. Grant Goodwin said the one sad aspect of his son's win was that Justin's grandfather, who taught him the game, did not live to see the fruit of his lessons. He died four years ago.

"It was expensive to come here, but well worth it," Grant Goodwin said.

Justin Goodwin showed a remarkable temperament for one so young, and his semifinal against Paul Girdler (Fairfield) exemplified that.

Goodwin was ahead 15-8 in the 21-shot game, but Girdler ground his way back into the game. He pulled the score back to 15-16 only to see Goodwin take a three to go to 19-16.

Again, the more experienced Girdler clawed back to 18-19, but unperturbed, Goodwin drew two shots to end the game.

Skoglund struggled with his line and length throughout the final.

Thirty minutes before it started, Skoglund had won the pairs final with his brother, Raymond.

"I came into the final a bit flat after winning the pairs," Skoglund said. "I found it difficult to judge where the wind was coming from, and playing towards the clubhouse the bowls seemed to stop for no reason."

Skoglund certainly lacked the touch he had in the pairs final. By contrast Goodwin was much more consistent on the draw.

Sheer tenacity kept Skolgund in the game, but two threes in the space of three ends pushed Goodwin to a 15-9 lead, and in the end the match finished quickly when Goodwin did not have to play his last bowl on the 21st end.

In the semifinals, Skoglund eliminated New Zealand representative Brian Baldwin, of Paritutu.
Baldwin was in a strong position when leading 13-9, but Skoglund won the next five ends, including a four and a three, to dash to a 19-13 lead on his way to a 21-14 win.- NZPA