Matthew Farquhar wins NZ Junior Singles Championship
Bay of Plenty's Matthew Farquhar aged 16 from the Lake Taupo Club won the national final of the 40th New Zealand Indoor Bowls Junior Singles held on Saturday, at North Wellington Indoor Bowls Association Hall, Onepoto Domain, Titahi Bay, Wellington.
He is the fourth Bay of Plenty junior to win this prestigious title and follows in the footsteps of Shane Taare who won in 1984, Joseph Taare 1985 and Keri Te Tamaki in 2007.
This capped of an amazing year for Farquhar who had won the North Island Secondary Schools Singles and Pairs recently at Mount Maunganui and he was a reserve for the North Island Academy team. He has also had an excellent year for his district.
In the final over 12 ends he defeated Jakeb White aged 17 from Counties 10-8. He led throughout the final and although White came back strongly he held on to win the title.
In the semifinals Farquhar defeated Jordan Keene, Hutt Valley 12-1 while White defeated Nicole Bennett, Taranaki 11-10.
In section play Farquhar drew Matthew Lansdaal, Thames Valley 7-7, then beat Hannah Marshall, Golden Bay-Motueka 16-1, and Kaleb Johnston, Nelson 10-7 to qualify. He lost his fourth game to Nicole Bennett, Taranaki who lost to White in the semifinal 9-12.
The Morrison Plate for non-qualifiers was won by Matthew Lansdaal, Thames Valley (16) who defeated 13 year old Mathew Foster, Poverty Bay in the final 10-4.
24 districts entered the championship and 9 players qualified for post section play.
