31st January 2010
Richard Corry

New Zealand number one Chris Lourie staged a magnificent fightback to take tenth seeded local Robert Weale to the wire but fell at the last hurdle in the first round of the Gravells Welsh International Open Singles in Swansea, Wales.

Lourie looked down and out after a one-side first set going down 9-3, and was down 5-1 in the second set after 4 of the 9 ends but then went on a scoring spree that lasted into the tiebreaker. The Waikato player won the last five ends of the second set taking it 9-5, and the first end of the tiebreak before Weale could troube the scorers again.

However, the run couldn't last and the Welshman was able to offer the home crowd some relief winning the second and third tiebreak ends.

This was Lourie's second visit venture onto the World Bowls Tour, having played in Sheffield three years ago. Weale has played New Zealanders four times and been successful each time. New Zealand has no more involvement in this season's WBT events so the next kiwi action will be this winter on New Zealand's Professional Bowls Tour where events are played in Pukekohe, Hamilton, Hastings and Dunedin.

The first events are traditionally played at Queen's Birthday Weekend at the beginning of June.