Bowls: Illness keeps Kostanich home

A minor ailment has forced Helensville veteran Ivan Kostanich out of this weekend's rich Welsh Masters bowls tournament.

Kostanich was to have left last night with New Zealand's other representative, the 1999 national singles champion, Justin Goodwin, but withdrew for medical reasons.

Brett O'Riley of the Professional Bowlers' Association said Dunedin's Mark Cowan, who was runner-up to Kostanich in the national qualifying tournament, was going instead.

O'Riley said Cowan was so delighted with his late call-up that he had decided to donate the 750 ($1990) initial prizemoney to Kostanich.

In the opening round on Saturday, Goodwin will play Australian-based Scot David Gourlay and Cowan will take on England's Andy Thomson.