Bowls: Kiwi Meyer wins Golden Nugget

New Zealand bowls international Russell Meyer picked up the biggest title and pay cheque of his career when he won the Golden Nugget invitation singles title on Australia's Gold Coast yesterday.

But he had to work hard for his A$6000 ($6670) cheque as Gold Coast's Nathan Rice made him fight for his reward at the Tweeds Heads Bowls Club in northern New South Wales.

Meyer won 25-21. At one stage it looked easy as he raced to an 18-8 lead midway through the final, with a succession of perfect draw shots, drive and conversion shots.

But Rice refused to concede, and slowly pegged back Meyer's lead to eventually level 21-21.

Meyer thought he had the title wrapped up on the next end when Rice mistimed a draw shot, but an umpire ruled he had three shots and not four. Meyer sealed it on the next end.

"Nathan struggled a little bit early, but I knew he was going to improve and I just had to find a way to put him away," said Meyer.

"He made a few great conversions on the last bowl during the middle stages of the match and I missed a few opportunities to put him away. I think I was lucky to win it in the end."

Meyer, from Palmerston North but based at Cabramatta in Sydney, was the form player of the tournament, going the three days of sectional play and final undefeated.

Meyer has been New Zealand's number one singles player for a few years and is likely to retain that role at next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

In the women's final, Maria Rigby from Queensland easily beat her Victorian opponent Claire Duke 25-12.

- NZPA