Open Pairs nail-biter

Michael Turner wills his bowl towards the jack during yesterday’s Aristocrat Open Pairs final.

Blainey Woodham

SOUTH Tweed bowler Max Jaffray and his partner, John Green, each had 2500 reasons to celebrate after winning the $15,000 Kingscliff Beach 2011 Aristrocat Open Pairs yesterday – and each of those reasons was worth one dollar.

Jaffray and Green, from Corrimal, split the $5000 first prize after scoring a heart-stopping 23-22 win over Kingscliff Beach duo Michael Turner and Ian Taylor, who used their local knowledge on their home green to go so very close to winning the prestigious tournament.

The match was forced into an extra end after scores were tied 22-22 at the completion of 21 ends.

Turner had a chance to snatch the match with his final bowl, but his effort to trail the jack failed by a whisker.

Turner, who is the club's head greenkeeper at Kingscliff Beach, put his team back into the match on the 17th end when his final bowl knocked out a rival spoiler to give himself and Taylor an amazing eight-shot winning end.

At that stage, Green and Jaffray had led 16-13, were playing with superb touch, and looking as if they could go on and win the match.

But Turner's final-bowl drive meant the pairs changed ends with the locals leading 21-16.

Earlier in the day, the finalists progressed after scoring comprehensive wins in their semi-finals.

Turner and Taylor proved too strong for Victorian pair Barry Ansett and Peter Brodie, while Green and Jaffray ousted tournament favourites Kelvin Kerkow (South Tweed) and Sydneysider Mark Jacobson, by posting a 23-13 win after always looking in total control.

The big crowd that witnessed the day's action will long remember the performance handed in by Barry Ansett.

Ansett, who has a couple of rods in his back which denies him any flexibility, played with his innovative “bowling arm” which allows him to continue playing the game he loves.

The arm, which he has been using for 19 years, permits Ansett to stand upright and deftly deliver his bowls without bending.