Scotts on the verge of victory
With just one round left of the Australian Champion of Champions defending title holder Scott Thulborn and Australia’s number one ranked female bowler Natasha Scott are looking like claiming the spoils in 2015. Scott Thulborn has one hand on the Australian Champion of Champions trophy after defeating the only other five game winner North Sydney’s Kenta Treacher in a high quality match at Coolum Beach Bowls Club this morning.
Thulborn wasn’t just playing for national glory but to the chance to write his names into the history books as the only player since the re-introduction of the Australian Champion of Champions to claim back-to-back titles.
Thulborn will take a one game and 42 shot margin advantage into the deciding round meaning the most miraculous turn of events would have to occur for Treacher to steal the trophy back off the defending champion.
Thulborn is set to represent Australia at the World Champion of Champions in November courtesy of his victory in last year’s Australian Champion of Champions and a win here today would confirm the Messenger News Adelaide Endurance star as one of the country’s leading singles players.
In the battle for second, Treacher is one win and only nine shots in front of Solargain Perth Suns inaugural member Clive Adams who will be hoping to win his last against QLD’s Harold Whitman and hope results in the other match slide his way.
Natasha Scott is just one win away from claiming an Australian Champion of Champions title and taking her place in the 2016 World Champion of Champions event at Club Helensvale wearing the green and gold.
Scott has had one blemish to her Champion of Champions campaign yesterday against QLD’s Debbie Logan; however the current Australian Open Fours Champion bounced back with a victory over Australian Jackaroos team mate Rebecca Van Asch to put her back into contention.
Another strong win this morning against South Australia’s Renata Callisto has extended Scott’s lead at the top of the ladder with the only player likely to contest Scott’s margin is Van Asch who defeated another three game winner Therese Hastings.
Scott goes into the final round with a nine shot advantage over Van Asch; Scott will face off with Northern Territories Carolyn Smolski in the final round whilst Rebecca Van Asch will need to accumulate a big margin over Victoria’s Jody Nevill in her final match of the event.
Scott will still need to win her last game to secure the title despite the shots advantage and with the win would come a further 18 ranking points to extend her dominance at the top of the Aero Bowls National Rankings.
Whilst the powerhouse names of the sport are fighting it out for top spot the likes of Northern Territories Mark Malogorski is having a fantastic tournament with two wins already under his belt.
“I was hoping to get a couple of wins, I knew the competition was going to be tough but I didn’t want to leave here without winning a game,” Malogorski said.
ACT’s Jeff Rankin has also been flying the flag high for the Territories winning three out of six matches and now sitting in fourth position.
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