Field of dreams for QLD
Brights prospects for QLD in the Aus Open today, including Broadbeach’s Dee Robertson (Singles) and Chloe Stewart (Fours) Pictured, Rodney the Queensland Bowler magazine “cover dog” makes the call for Dee Robertson to win the Women’s Australian Open Singles title today. Rodney reckons he was the lucky talisman for the Millerick twins to win two State Titles last month. Rodney is also a big fan of Dee, who has spent plenty of nights crashing on his “mum” Mel Larcombe’s sofa (with Rodney snuggling up beside Dee as often as he can) as Dee pursues her Australian Open dream. Dee’s supporters include her dad Max, niece Tiarna, and Broadbeach team mates Val Jackson, Cheryl Heaps, Dee, Mel Larcombe and Cheryl Hutchinson.
The race towards 18 national titles and $250,000 in prize money is in the final lap and it’s a crazy busy day at Broadbeach, full of possibilities and dreams for Queenslanders.
Six BWD Singles titles were decided yesterday and QLD won three of them.
Eight titles will be decided today and QLD has a chance in six (we have no representatives in the Over 60s Women’s Pairs or Men’s Pairs).
The final four titles will be decided tomorrow (Fri June 24).
Women’s Fours
From 8AM, the Women’s Fours titlefight is between Chloe Stewart on her home turf and Sam Shannahan.
Both teams are friendship groups and for both, enjoying the game and playing together is the most important thing.
For whoever wins, the generous prize money and national bragging rights will be the icing on the cake.
Chloe’s “QLD” team is Paradise Point’s Georgia White and two young Victorian 17-year-old friends, Amelia Bruggy and Tiffany Brodie.
Women’s Singles
At 11AM, Broadbeach’s Dee Robertson is in the Women’s Singles challenge of a lifetime.
She deserves plenty of home-state support against one of the best bowlers in the business, Australia’s No 1 Natasha Scott.
Mt Isa born and bred Dee has worked hard for the past four years towards her goal of playing at state level or beyond and finally she is getting some long deserved recognition and “getting picked for things” as she puts it.
Her road to the national final has taken her via Cairns to Caboolture to Broadbeach, a “fantastic” club with “amazing people, amazing management”.
Dee likes a rum and coke and a cigarette and she would never think about putting lipstick on to play bowls but she loves the game and loves a competition.
She can’t wait to represent her club and her state in today’s Women’s Singles final, broadcast LIVE on Fox Sports from the TV Arena.
BWD Multi Disability Pairs
QLD has plenty of skin in the BWD Multi Disability Pairs quarter finals from 9AM, to be followed by semis and finals.
In the Quarters are Serena (Nicholls) and Tony Bonnell, Deb McGarry and Don Currie, and Nathan Appleton has joined up with Singles champ Josh Barry from Victoria.
Vision Impaired Pairs
QLD will win this one, with both contenders from the Sunshine State.
Chermside’s Joy Forster and Narangba’s Dennis Wormald will be the underdogs against New Farm’s Chris Backstrom and Burleigh’s Jake Fehlberg, Jake in particularly blistering form at the recent Blind Bowls nationals.
U18 Girls Singles
Opportunities for QLD, with Rebecca Rixon from Kawana and Jess Srisamruaybai from Tweed Heads among the eight Quarter Finalists playing from 9am, to be followed by Semi Finals at 2.30pm and Final at 5pm.
Over 60s Men’s Pairs
QLDer in both sides of the draw in the Semi Finals played from 9AM, David Balchin from Coolum Beach and Gordon Simms from Paradise Point and W McKenna and P Hull. It could be an all-QLD final if the semis go our way.
Over 60 Women’s Pairs
No QLDer in this event but you can enjoy the final of the Your Magazine Over-60 Women’s Pairs final from 11.45AM at Broadbeach (details below).
Men’s Pairs
No QLDer in this event but you can enjoy the final of the Men’s Pairs at 2PM, also broadcast LIVE on Fox Sports (details below).
From the Bowls Australia schedule:
8:00am (green 2): Women’s Fours – Tiffany Brodie, Amelia Bruddy, Georgia White & Chloe Stewart vs. Kylie Whitehead, Tayla Spence, Kristina Krstic & Sam Shannahan
11:00am (TV rink): Women’s Singles – Natasha Scott vs. Dee Ann Robertson
11:45am (green 2): Over 60’s Women’s Pairs: Therese Hastings & Faye Luke vs. Wendy Mackie & Reen Stratford
2:00pm (TV rink): Men’s Pairs – Steven Dennis & Nathan Pedersen vs. Chris Herden & Matt Miles
2:30pm (green 1 & 2): Over 60’s Men’s Pairs: TBC (semi-finals at 9:00am tomorrow), Vision Impaired Pairs, Multi Disability Pairs
5:00pm (green 2): Under 18 Girls’ Singles: TBC (knockout rounds tomorrow)
