FORMER Yallourn bowler Lisa Phillips and state teammate Judy Davey won the Sale Ladies Classic Pairs tournament at the weekend.
The event began with blue skies and an outstanding line-up of competitors, with entrants from across Victoria.
In the game of the opening round, Phillips, now from Coatesville, and Davey, Glenroy, prevailed against current Australian team member Carla Krizanic and her sister Kirsty Odgers (Sunbury).
After game three on the first day, with some teams completing their games in darkness, Phillips and Davey retained their lead from Gayle Edwards (Altona) and Mary Tragardh (Yarrawonga), with Gayle’s daughters Brooke and Blaine Edwards (Altona) in third. A few shots back lurked Jodi Neville (Bundoora) and Tristania Doolan (Kew Heights), with Leopold pair of Nicole Shortis and Jan Mcmennamen rounding out the top five.
After rain overnight, day two dawned looking overcast.
Game four was completed and Phillips and Davey held a commanding lead, but were coming up against seasoned local Helen Stephenson and former Sale player Jan Warr, in the final game.
There were only four pairs who had won all their games going into the final game, including Edwards and Tragardh, and Nevill and Doolan, who played each other in the last.
Shortis and Mcmennamen, who had dropped a game to Krizanic and Odgers, along with Canadian international Kelly McKerihen and Clayton teammate Lisa Williams, were all in the mix for the minor placings. Lilydale’s Courtney Gabb and Jan Thaggard were also in the money after game four.
Shortly after the final game began, the poor weather set in, with rain and strong winds making play difficult.
Phillips and Davey were not having their own way on rink five, with Stephenson and Warr using their local knowledge to best advantage, but they prevailed with a seven-shot victory, enough to secure the tournament.
Jodi Nevill and Tristania Doolan produced a 10-shot victory over Edwards and Tragardh to put themselves into second.
On rink 11, Shortis and Mcmennamen knew they needed to win against Melbourne mother and daughter pairing of Tayla and Louise Morrison to get them into the placings, and after killing several ends and playing in driving rain and high winds, they came away with a 10-shot victory.
