The Women’s Open Singles event kicked off the bowls season with a bang, drawing a record-breaking 96 entries, including seven players from the deep south who travelled north just for the competition. This year’s event featured major enhancements, with a doubled prize pool, the addition of a High Tea event, and a new partnership with Molecheck, elevating the atmosphere both on and off the green.

With six venues hosting matches on Saturday morning, the competition was fierce. The path to the finals was never going to be easy, as New Zealand Development players go head-to-head with National and Centre champions. The 24 section winners were whittled down to 16, with several strong contenders falling in the first post-section round, including reigning champion Adele Ineson, Blackjack Leanne Poulson, current Auckland Champ of Champs Pairs champion Lesley McLinden, Dawn Owens, and Caitlin Thomson.

Sunday’s post-section games brought plenty of nail-biting moments. One standout battle saw good mates Agnes Motu and Lisa Prideaux of Auckland Bowling Club face off. Despite some extremely close heads, Lisa struggled to turn over the scoreboard and found herself in the consolation Plate event.

Another thrilling moment came when 2022 champion Bronwyn Stevens from North East Valley lost by a single point to Kathryn McGaughey of Waihi Beach RSA, dropping a three-pointer after the bell.

Throughout the final rounds, the level of competition remained exceptionally high, demonstrating the strength of the field.

In the main event, the final saw Kimberley Hemingway of Auckland Bowling Club face off against Jessie Macaw of Tairua Bowling Club. The two longtime friends, who had both started their bowls careers in Wellington, battled it out in an intense match, going shot for shot.

At 17-all, the game was on a knife’s edge. Kimberley drove the head with her third bowl, removing her second shot and clearing her bowls from the head. Jessie responded by drawing the third shot, forcing Kimberley to draw a tight second. On the final end, Jessie held her nerve and drew three close shots while Kimberley struggled to find her weight. Jessie clinched the victory, 21-17.

Meanwhile, Lisa Prideaux jumped to a commanding 15-0 lead against Philly Akaruru of Ōtāhuhu Railway in the Plate final. Despite a late rally from Philly, who clawed back four points over three ends, Lisa secured a comfortable win, capping off an impressive performance.

The Women’s Open Singles was a remarkable event, showcasing the incredible talent within the bowls community. Congratulations to all participants, and special recognition to Jessie Macaw for her outstanding performance throughout the weekend.

We extend a big thank you to the host clubs, officials, volunteer markers, club volunteers and the large field of talented bowlers who contributed to making this competition a success.

You can view the full results here.