Today's clash between world No1 Jo Edwards and world No4 Val Smith will be the game of the championships.
They play for the same United club in Nelson and Edwards has won on the three occasions they have played each other in major tournaments.
It would have been a superb women's singles final but the nature of the open draw means it will be played in the first round of post-section play.
Edwards does not have any quibbles.
''Everyone knows that the name of everyone who qualifies goes into the computer and it spits out a draw,'' she told the Otago Daily Times yesterday.
''I didn't want it to happen. We would rather play each other in the final.''
Smith feels it is a bit unfortunate for the championships to have two of the best players pitted against each other in the first round of post-section.
''But it's an open draw and it is always on the cards,'' she said.
Smith (48) has never won the national singles but her international record is superb.
She won a World Bowls gold medal in 2008 and silver last year and was runner-up in the singles at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Edwards (43) won the singles title in Dunedin three years ago and has won the World Cup indoor singles title twice. She was the world champion of champions singles winner in 2011.
''I must admit I find it very hard playing Jo because we've been best friends for so long,'' Smith said.
"It's probably something I have to work on mentally: toughen up a bit and try to be a bit more ruthless when I'm playing.
''But sometimes the soft parts of my personality get the better of me. At the end of the day, our friendship is worth more than a game of bowls.''
Edwards feels predictions are hard to make in one-off games of singles.
''It's a new day tomorrow, a new green. We will both be trying to win it,'' she said.
''I don't think I've got an edge over Val.''
