Gary Lawson. Photo / Natalie Slade
Gary Lawson became one of the most prominent early singles casualties at the national bowls championships after a decision was made to scrap section qualifying because of poor weather late last week and have every entry included in the sudden-death post-section.
Adam McIlroy, who upset Lawson 21-19, was one who
benefited from that after an earlier decision to have only first round section play winners as qualifiers was overturned. Had the original ruling applied then McIlroy would not have even been playing yesterday as he had lost his first round qualifying match 21-5 to Waikato's Will Bennett.
McIlroy yesterday was then eliminated by Glendowie's Peter Wagner.
Besides Lawson, McIlroy's younger brother Shannon, Blake Signal, the star of Sunday's epic pairs match with Lawson, Jamie Hill (another who excelled in the pairs), Wellington's 2008 pairs champion Rob Ashton, Matt Gallop, Petar Sain and veteran Ross Haresnape also exited.
Auckland veteran Grant Goodwin upset Shannon McIlroy, Colin Rogan, with a host of North Harbour centre titles behind him, beat Signal 21-19, after the Wellingtonian had earlier beaten the 1995 national singles champion, Nino Vlahovic.
