Ryman Healthcare Whanganui Open Pairs bowls finalists found

In-form Leslie Bourke lines up a shot on the way to making the final of the 2020 Wanganui Women's Open Pairs Bowls final with her skip Dianne Patterson. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Winners of both the men and women's Ryman Healthcare Whanganui Open Pairs Bowls 2020 titles hangs in the balance between players from the Durie Hill, Terrace End in Palmerston North and Wanganui clubs.

Finalist from the men and women's grades were found after two days of play over the weekend when the defending women champions Reen Stratford and Jill Rohloff from Aramoho were beaten out of contention, while Durie Hill duo Bruce Winterburn and Shane Broderson made it through to defend their 2019 title.

Form deserted Jill Rohloff in post section play at Laird Park on Sunday when she and skip Reen Stratford lost the chance to defend their Wanganui Women's Open Pairs title in March. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Stratford and Rohloff were soundly beaten 21-8 by Dianne Patterson (skip) and Leslie Bourke from the Wanganui Bowling Club who will now play Terrace End duo Honey Giblett and Lynlea Rogers in the final.

Stratford and Rohloff had looked likely in round one when they beat Patterson and Bourke 21-13 until the tables were turned in round in post section play at Laird Park on Sunday.

In-form Bourke was fresh from a narrow 21-18 defeat in the Summerset National Open Singles in Christchurch last week by international Black Jack Jo Edwards.

In the every next round Edwards then beat Patterson 21-9 to make the final of that tournament only to be defeated herself by another Kiwi international in Katelyn Inch from the Broadbeach club in Queensland.

In the men's section Wanganui father and son pair Ray and Clint Park went through both days unbeaten for a chance to add to their already impressive tally of centre titles together.

Winterburn and Broderson, however, had to pick themselves up after being dealt to by the composite pair of Mike O'Leary from Wanganui and Laird Park's Danny Wildermoth during qualifying on Saturday.

The Durie Hill pair responded to the challenge winning all their following games to make the final against the Park pair in March.

Both sets of finals are scheduled to be played at the St Johns Club greens on March 14-15.