2023 World Champion of Champions preview
For the first time since 2019, the prestigious World Champion of Champions returns to Australia as the Gold Coast’s Robina plays host to some of the best singles players on the planet as more international silverware is up for grabs.
Australia’s contingent will see the New South Wales pairing of Karen Murphy and Jono Davis take to the greens as the former looks to add to her 2013 title and join Jo Edwards as the only two-time winner of the women’s event.
Reigning champion Tayla Bruce will not be in attendance to defend her crown with New Zealand represented by Selina Goddard, who will be acclimatised to the Queensland greens following her campaign at the World Bowls Championships that saw her claim a bronze in the women’s fours and the overall women’s trophy.
Malaysia’s Nurul Alyani Jamil and Norfolk Island’s Shae Wilson will make it a trifecta of international tournaments in 2023, with both having already been to the World Bowls Indoors and Championships this year.
Canada’s Jordan Kos has also been getting used to Australian conditions, representing her country with distinction at the sport’s showpiece event throughout the past fortnight, while England’s Rebecca Moorbrey will look to become the first female from her nation to hoist the trophy since Julie Saunders in 2006.
Welsh representative Emma Gittins will be tough to conquer, as will South Africa’s Anna Fourie and Scotland’s Natalie McWilliams.
The men’s field will see tough competition for Davis, with Wales’ two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Daniel Salmon looking to add more silverware to his illustrious trophy cabinet.
Salmon will already be used to the conditions in his third tournament to Australia this year, having represented his nation at the indoors and World Championships already in 2023.
In a bid to give his nation a second successive title, Ed Morris will carry the English hopes, while New Zealand’s Sheldon Bagrie-Howley will look to continue his strong form at the tournament after taking a bronze in the men’s fours last week.
Scotland’s Dareen Gualtieri will aim to join the likes of his compatriots in Darren Burnett and Iain McLean as a title winner, and 2022 finalist Izzat Dzulkeple will strive to go one better for Malaysia after being defeated in an epic final by Tolchard in Naenae.
The tournament will run from September 12-16 at the Robina Bowls Club on the Gold Coast, with live streaming to be done by Gold Coast Tweed District on their Facebook page.
