THREE Rankin Park bowlers emerged on top in Ardgowan Bowling Club’s annual open triples competition.
Jim McElwee, Mark McLees and skip Paul McElwee defeated Martin Woodrow, Peter Johnstone and Alex Cunningham in the final of the tournament.
The standard of play in the final was worthy of any that will be played in the district this year, with both teams playing with confidence.
Rankin Park scored a two at the first end, and Wellington Park hit back with a single, only for Rankin Park to win their own single on the third end for a 3-1 lead.
The Wellington Park trio hit back to finish with two singles to peel the tie and take the final to an extra end.
In the extra end, with Wellington holding shot and each skip having one bowl remaining, Paul McElwee played to turn the shot bowl out, which he did, leaving Alex Cunningham with a draw to win the game, but Alex’s bowl fell short and Rankin Park were declared winners.
The fine weather brought out the best in the players and at the completion of the group stages two teams from Rankin Park and two from the host club along with one team from each of Rothesay, Wellington Park, Gourock Park and Kilmacolm all made it through to the quarter finals.
Two of the quarter-finals were settled by an extra end and the other two by a single shot, while the semi-finals were also tense affairs, with Rankin Park defeating Ardgowan and Wellington Park overcoming Gourock Park.
At the close of play Ardgowan vice president Jim Robertson thanked all the club sponsors for their generous sponsorship, and the clubs for supporting the competition and with the aid of the ladies’ match secretary Evelyn Robertson he presented the winning Rankin Park team with the trophy.
Results as follows.
Quarter-finals: G. McCracken (Ardgowan) beat E. Johnstone (Rankin Park); P. McElwee (Rankin Park) beat T. Leisk (Kilmacolm); A. Stark (Gourock Park) beat J. Gilchrist (Rothesay); A. Cunningham (Wellington Park) beat W Leslie (Ardgowan).
Semi-finals: P. McElwee beat G McCracken; A Cunningham beat A Stark
Final: P McElwee beat A Cunningham.
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