Best bowlers chasing big money

Anne-Marie Peart will be one of the leading locals competing in the Black Douglas Masters.

John Gass

JUST as the colt from old Regret attracted the crack riders to the Snowy Mountains in search of “a thousand pounds”, $10,000 in prize money has lured the cream of Australia's bowlers to South Tweed Bowls Club for the Black Douglas Ladies Singles Masters.

The tournament kicks off on Monday with the first day of the sectional round-robin, the second half of the round-robin draw will be held on Tuesday with the post-sectional pools decided on Wednesday and the semi-finals set down for Thursday morning and the final that afternoon.

This is one of the hottest fields ever assembled, not only in this area, but throughout the country with the entrants including a host of Australian and State champions and international representatives.

The 64-strong starting line-up includes eight previous winners of the prestigious tournament including last year's victor, Ann Johns from the powerful St John's Park team in Sydney.

Also in attendance as a marker will be South Tweed's Ruth McRae, who won the inaugural Black Douglas back in 1991, followed up with a second win the following year and then completed the hat-trick two years later.

St John's Park will be represented by a host of top class bowlers including Kelsey Cottrell, the 2007 Black Douglas champion who celebrates her 21st birthday on Monday – yes, she was only 17 when she made her Black Douglas debut.

Other St John's Park players sure to make their presences felt over are prolific winners Julie Keegan and Sharyn Renshaw who has won numerous titles in Australia and New Zealand.

Despite the presence of the cream of the country's ladies bowlers, our neck of the woods will provide stiff opposition to the visitors.

Leading the charge will be the host club's current singles champion, Sally Hickman, who has represented at state level and Anne-Marie Peart who goes into the series in terrific form, having won the Queensland State Singles title just a fortnight back.

Other locals who will be fancied to repel the foreign invaders are two former Black Douglas winners, Tweed Heads' Carmen Anderson who won in 2004 and 2006, and Helensvale's Brenda Thompson, the 2008 winner.