It was a double celebration for Dunedin bowler Paul King at the weekend. He won his first PBA tournament and his fifth grandchild was born.
King (62), a fourth-year bowler, beat Black Jacks team member Andrew Kelly (Christchurch) 11-8, 7-6 in the final of the World Bowls singles qualifying event at Westpac Bowls Stadium.
The game was watched by his wife, Kathy, who had a glow on her face because she joined with her husband to celebrate the birth of granddaughter Zoey to their son, Nathan, and his wife, Abbey.
It was the third time King had reached the final of a PBA event and he now has a chance to make the big event in England if he wins the national finals in Dunedin next month.
King, a left-hander, has worked hard at his game and this has accelerated his progress in the sport.
King drew a toucher with his third bowl to win the set and the match.
``It was fantastic to beat an experienced bowler like Andrew,'' King said after the game that ended at 10pm.
``I just kept plugging away and hoped that I would get my bowls close enough.''
King was a talented athlete and won the New Zealand masters duathlon title when he was 40.
He still works on his fitness and this counted on Saturday because he was on the green at the stadium for 12 hours.
It began in the morning when the Andersons Bay pair of King and Aidan Lusby were beaten 9-3, 8-4 in the World Bowls pairs final by Kelly and Andy McLean (North East Valley), who qualify for the national final
in Dunedin and a chance to gain a trip to the United Kingdom.
They never looked troubled as they got the better of King and Lusby. McLean led accurately and Kelly played the winning shots when they were needed.
Bronwyn Stevens (Te Rangi, Southland) became the first female to reach the final of a Dunedin PBA event when beaten by Russell Dawe (Dunedin) 10-7, 9-8 in the ranking singles.
