Bowls: Daily coverage of the women's Open fours

Thanks to Grant Hassall for providing the stories of the Taranaki women's Open fours event held this week. 

Day 7: Winners found

For the third time a team from Northland has won The Devon Hotel Taranaki women’s Open fours.

Mangawhai’s Wendy Sarjeant skipped Christine Lineham, Angela Moon and Diane Klomp to become the 74th holders of the Erceg Rose Bowl at West End yesterday.

In the final they beat the Royal Oak side of Sandra Taylor, Gail Clark, Robyn Fisher and Lesley McLinden 31-21 in the final. In doing so, Sarjeant’s team becomes the third team from Kauri country to triumph. Ann Muir QSM skipped teams to back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015.

The final was unusual insofar as McLinden’s side won 13 of the 24 ends completed. The 25th end was not played. But when Sarjeant did score, her side did so impressively.

That trend commenced on the fifth head. McLinden was leading 6-0, before Sarjeant took a four, with Royal Oak wayward. Three ends later, a second four gave Mangawhai the lead at 9-8 and while the Aucklanders replied with three singles, the match was blown apart on the following two ends.

Firstly, Sarjeant took a four, again with Royal Oak just too loose. Secondly, Sarjeant took a six to make the score 19-11 after 13 ends. Royal Oak were a trifle unlucky on the 13th, though.

The front three for Sarjeant drew superbly and held six. Fisher, with her last bowl, pushed through the head missing a number of the counting bowls by virtually nothing. McLinden, drawing with her first, was right on target, but just clipped the sixth shot, which straightened her turning bowl leaving the count unaltered.

Seeing the desperation of the situation, McLinden changed to a forehand drive with her last bowl but she was wide. Sargeant then took complete control by securing a five on the 15th end.

The winners, from left: Angela Moon, Christine Lineham, Wendy Sarjeant and Diane Klomp.

McLinden played two top bowls on the next end to generate a three for her side. But when they dropped a three on the next end, the deficit went back to 12 shots, which the Northlanders were able to protect until the end.

Sarjeant earned the moniker of “last bowl Wendy” during the tournament with a number of top shots, as befits a Northland Gold Star holder. Lineham, also a member of Mangahwai, holds four Northland titles, but the Open win is the first centre title for both Moon and Klomp. They are both members of the Kensington club in Whangarei.

Both finalists also benefited from being in what turned out to be a tough section play group, which was managed by Bowls Taranaki stalwart Kevin Gray. Sarjeant’s side lost its first game to Adele French but won the next four, including a fifth-round 29-23 effort over McLinden.

Sarjeant’s side was involved in a tense semifinal with the Carlton Cornwall quartet of Jeanie Browne, Paula Kempthorne, Helen Blick and Estelle Hicky, winning 23-20. Ultimately, it was a haul of five shots on the second-to-last end which was to prove decisive.

At that point, the scores were locked at 18-all. Mangawhai held a three, when Blick, running through the head, connected with the jack. It hit on the shot bowl and moved to the side. Sarjeant added another. Hickey drew up, touched the shot bowl, and flittered through. Sarjeant added a short counter.

Hickey, reaching through the head, connected to nothing, and the measure indicated a five. Hickey’s side could only manage a two on the last and so ended their week.

In the other semi, McLinden was a 30-9 victor over Bev Rogers, Val Mathews, Kathryn McGaughey and Adele French (Thames Coast). There were no indications early on of the match blowing out.

McLinden led 6-5 after five ends. Her side was three, maybe four, down on the next, when with her last bowl, McLinden pushed one of the shot bowls onto the jack for a count of three — a six shot turnaround.

McLinden killed the next end. On the replay, French was unlucky to spill the jack to go from one up to one down. McLinden added a splendid additional shot.

It became all Royal Oak then, with the Aucklanders shooting out to 20-5 after 13 ends. A four to Thames Coast made it 20-9. But with Royal Oak winning the next five heads, the game was abandoned after 20 ends.

Day 6: 

Just as the case was seven days earlier in the men’s event, all four semifinalists in The Devon Hotel Taranaki women’s Open fours come from the upper half of the North Island.  

After two further rounds at West End yesterday, the four surviving teams became those skipped by Wendy Sarjeant (Mangawhai), Estelle Hickey (Carlton Cornwall), Lesley McLinden (Royal Oak) and Adele French (Thames Coast).

Sarjeant meets Hickey in one semifinal, with McLinden playing French in the other this morning at West End.

McLinden, playing with Sandra Taylor, Gail Clarke and Robyn Fisher, defeated Napier’s Chris Telford 25-15 in 22 completed ends in their morning quarterfinal clash. Telford opened with a two and single, before McLinden got out to an 11-5 lead after eight ends. Telford, with Raelene Cronin, Kay Goldsworthy and Michelle Robinson, pulled that back to 12-10 after 12 ends. But the Aucklanders dominated the scoring to open up a 23-11 lead to settle the issue.

Sarjaeant’s side of Christine Lineham, Angela Moon and Diane Klomp were 24-12 victors over Lyn Rae (Kia Toa), who was skipping Jackie Morgan, Angela Rooker and Coral Lukies. Opening exchanges were even, with the sides locked at 5-all after eight ends. Sarjeant won the next five ends, including a six on the 12th, to surge to 16-5. Rae needed a late rally, trailing 18-9 after 18 ends, but instead it was Sarjeant with counts of 3-2-1 that took control.

Hickey was a 29-22 winner over Sheryl Wellington (Mairangi Bay). Jeanie Browne, Paula Kempthorne, Helen Blick and skip Hickey raced away to a 19-3 lead after nine ends. A quick finish looked likely. But by morning tea, that had been reduced to 19-9 and soon after it was 19-13. Then things heated up.

Aided by a four, Wellington’s crew of Theresa Rogers, Colleen Rice and Jan Gledhill brought the score back to 21-19 after 18 ends, but each time they got close Hickey sneaked a little further ahead. The contest remained tense after 22 ends, at 24-22 in Hickey’s favour, before Carlton Cornwall sealed the result with a two, a single and a further two on the last end.

French became the last semifinalist, winning the only afternoon match 33-16 over Tia Moka (Homai). Playing with Bev Rogers, Val Mathews and Kathryn McGaughey, the Thames Coast side advanced to their second successive semifinal. They raced away to a 19- 3 lead after 10 ends against Moka. A four and a three to Sheryll Brownlee, Joy Hall, Mary Korewha and Moka made in 19-10 and three ends later is was 20-13. The game had reached a critical stage. The movement went with French, her side taking a five to open up the margin again.

In the last 16 matches played in the morning, Moka beat Elaine Hodge (New Plymouth) 25- 18, while French ended the run of Marlene Alberino-Kay (Island Bay) 32-11. Hodge was left to rue dropping a six on the 14th end of the game. Her side of Val McEldowney, Anne Brophy and Margy Carey had led 9-4 after 10 ends. The New Plymouth quartet still battled after the momentum shifter and were in touch trailing 21-18 after 20 ends. But Moka’s side won the next four ends.

French’s side sailed in front 26-3 against Alberino-Kay, Carmela Ercolano, Robyn Lindsay and Assunta Ercolano and cruised home in 20 ends.

Taranaki v Whanganui pairs final

Tower’s Alethea Rowlands and Irene Taunt will appear in their second final in three years in the Marbles Restaurant pairs event, supported in association with Bowls Taranaki Board member Kevin Gray. The pair narrowly lost the 2024 final 22-18 to the Pine Rivers (Brisbane) team of Terry McAlary and Sue Brady. But they earned a second bite when they quickly won their two post section games at West End yesterday.

They have a tough assignment in the final, a Whanganui pair of Deb Garside and Dianne Patterson. Garside is a member of the Aramoho club and has three centre titles, while Patterson, of Gonville-Castlecliff, holds 45.

In the semifinals, Rowlands and Taunt, who have both just been named in the Taranaki senior representative side for the Octagonal fixture in two weekend’s time, thrashed Fitzroy’s Lesley Te Awa and Maree Gadsby 28-3, having earlier led 16-0.

The semifinal between Garside and Patterson and Australian Caite Roxburgh and Kristin Stampa (Stratford-Avon) was a close encounter. Generally, Garside and Patterson held the edge, but Stampa converted a number of heads, including on the drive. Roxburgh and Stampa levelled at 8-all, and after 18 of the 21 ends, at 13-all. Garside and Patterson finished the better, taking a single and two twos.

An unusual occurrence in the quarterfinals was Roxburgh and Stampa picking up maximums of six shots on both the second and fourth ends on their way to a 26-18 win over Opunake’s mother-and-daughter duo of Lois and Angela Debique.

Three teams share best Taranaki prize

In the final analysis, three Taranaki teams have shared the prize for the best-performed local team in the fours event. The three sides all exited at the last 16 stage: Lois Ritson, Denise Banks, Denise Cottam and Susan Cottam (West End), Carolyn Harris, Debbie Smith, Marlene Barrowman and Heather Johns (Paritutu), and Val McEldowney, Anne Broiphy, Margy Carey and Elaine Hodge (New Plymouth).

Semi and final live on YouTube

In association with Bowls New Zealand, one semifinal and the final will be broadcast live on YouTube this morning. The coverage can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZMXto9KhL8

Day 5:

Marlene Alberino-Kay and her Island Bay team are loving their first experience of The Devon Hotel Taranaki women’s Open fours.

And there is still more to come for Alberino-Kay, Carmela Ercolano, Robyn Lindsay and Assunta Ercolano as they contest the third round of post section this morning at West End.

Alberino-Kay is a vastly experienced player in the Italian-strong Island Bay club and community. She holds six Wellington centre titles in total — three were won under her former surname of Kay — and the most recent, the Easter pairs, was won in 2025 with Lindsay.

The Ercolanos are third-year players, with mother Assunta playing No 3 this week, while daughter Carmela, who will represent Wellington in the under-eights Hexagonal representative fixture next month, leads.

“We are loving the 25 end games,” Alberino-Kay said. “The other tournaments are getting too short now and are more like galas.”

After sitting out a morning round bye, the Island Bay side was involved in one of three grandstand finishes in the afternoon. They ended up on the right side of the ledger, beating Fitzroy’s Rhonda Adams 24-23.

Adams had stated the match well, leading 10- 3 after seven ends. But the Wellingtonians turned it around to such an extent that seven ends later it had become 19-11.

Adams then got on a roll, closing the margin to one point after 20 ends, and a two on the penultimate head levelled the scores.

Ercolanos junior drew the shot, before Fitzroy outdid it. Ercolanos senior then turned out that bowl to hold the advantage. Adams, with a weighted bowl, dislodged the jack but it left Island Bay still with the shot and the game.

This morning Alberino-Kay will meet Adele French (Thames Coast), who went through after lunch 32-11 over Hazel Littlejohn (Darfield).

French clearly had benefitted from playing tin the morning, when Littlejohn sat out the bye. French’s morning win, though, 23 -22 over Cindy Nicoll (Inglewood) became much more tense than was anticipated.

French had led there 17-7 after 12 ends, before Nicoll won six successive ends to level at 17-all. French led by two playing the last with Nicoll only managing a single.

The other two titanic afternoon matches saw victories to two Hawke’s Bay teams — Chris Telford (Napier) and Lyn Rae (Kia Toa).

Telford’s side in fact had two nailbiters on the day. Firstly they edged Trish Howard (West End) 21-19, having trailed 18-14 with four ends to play, and then nosed Rachelle Morrison (Omokoroa) 20-18.

Morrison had a 6-2 lead in the early exchanges before Telford’s side applied the pressure to open up a 17-8 after 17 ends.

Morrison chipped away but was still in the cactus at 18- 12 in arrears after 22 ends. However, a four, followed by a two, levelled the scores.

It was the Napier side that drew the better on the last end, and Morrison’s last attempt on the draw, with perfect weight, was just a little narrow to miss out.

Rae has taken over the skipping of the Kia Toa side, with Jackie Morgan now leading. They beat Paritutu’s Heather Johns 22-21.

Johns led 8-2 before the game tightened and from the 15th end onwards they were never separated by more than two shots.

Johns led by one playing the last end, before Coral Lukes joined the party, setting up the Bay side to grab a brace and secure their last eight berth.

The only other Taranaki side, in addition to Adams and Johns, to feature in the afternoon, was West End’s Susan Cottam.

After her side had beaten Tracy Fickling (Allenton) 22-9 in the morning round, Cottam made a promising start against Northland Gold Star holder Wendy Sarjeant in the afternoon, leading 8-4.

Sarjeant got in front on the 11th head. It was to be a lead her side was not to relinquish.

Five successive ends took the visitors from 17-15 after 18 ends to 24-15 after 23 heads, to sew the game up.

It means that the sole survivor from Taranaki is New Plymouth’s Elaine Hodge. Her side comfortably beat Lynn Clifford (Mercury Bay) 23-11 to earn the afternoon off.

This morning they meet Tia Moka (Homai). The winner of that match will then meet the victor of the Alberino-Kay/French contest in a quarterfinal this afternoon.

The other three quarterfinals will be played this morning at West End — Sarjeant plays Rae, Telford meets Lesley McLinden (Royal Oak), and Sheryl Wellington (Marigani Bay) squares off with Estelle Hickey (Carlton Cornwall).

McLinden, who won the national club pairs in 2024 and formerly of the Bridge Park club, ran away from Pat Dixon (Naenae) 29-3 in the afternoon.

McLinden had ended the title hopes of Wendy Green (Ngongotaha) 23-19 in the morning. One point separated the teams with two ends remaining, but McLinden finished with a brace and a single.

Hickey defeated Marilyn Constantine (Tauranga), the defending champion, 22-9 in a consistent team effort, pulling away from 10- 7 after 11 ends.

Wellington’s side eliminated the last remaining south island team, Marilyn Fletcher (Lumsden), 20-14 in the afternoon.

The North Harbour quartet sit with a 7-0 record for the week, which is no surprise considering both Wellington and Jan Gledhill hold gold stars, while lead Theresa Rogers has a bar to her star. Colleen Rice completes the side.

Day 4: 

A proportionally higher number of qualifiers in two sections has seen a total of 33 teams advance to post section play today in the 74th Devon Hotel Taranaki women’s Open fours.

Section three, with 12 teams in it, had six advance, while section six, with 10 sides in it, had five qualify.

The other sections, all with 12 teams in them, had a sprinkling of four or five qualifiers.

Sunday afternoon final the upshot of those numbers is that six rounds will be required to be completed before a winner can be found.

As is tradition in Taranaki, as many games as possible will be played in advance. Section one, with 16 teams in it, will be reduced to four teams tonight, and the winners of tomorrow morning’s quarterfinals will observe their byes tomorrow afternoon, before returning on Sunday morning for the semifinals.

It is the same scenario for the top half of the second section. But the bottom half of that group requires a catch-up game, which means that teams will play only one match today, except the winner of the Cindy Nicoll (Inglewood) and Adele French (Thames Coast).

In total, 10 teams will be left tonight. Southland sides through Both of the Southland sides in the field, skipped by Marilyn Fletcher (Lumsden) and Sharon Siegruhn (Northend), were successful yesterday.

They join the two Canterbury teams, headed by Tracy Fickling (Allenton) and Hazel Littlejohn (Darfield), in post section, giving the south island a 100% strike rate.

Fletcher went through 30-14, eliminating Kristin Stampa (Stratford-Avon), who in fact led for her team in that game.

A five on the first end to Fletcher set the tone of the match. Siegruhn needed to win in the last game. After losing to Hetty Bolscher (Pukekohe) 24- 12 in the morning, Siegruhn beat Chris Commane (Opunake) 25-9 in a game that both needed to win to qualify.

A six on the fifth end gave the impetus to Siegruhn. Even though it was only 12-8 after 12 ends, Siegruhn scored freely after that.

There were other stories of success. Wendy Sargeant (Mangawhai) earned the afternoon off after her side got the fourth win in the morning, beating the already-qualified Lesley McLinden (Royal Oak) 29-23.

Sargeant pulled a six on the 11th head to lead 16-8. But after 22 ends, the Aucklanders were in front by two. A five on the next end put Sargeant ahead once again and they ensured the victory with a one and a two.

French and Barbara Harvey (Paritutu) also went through comfortably, although the former was restricted by Denise Heaven (Lepperton) to 12-11 through 15 ends, before winning 26-11.

Rachelle Morrison (Omokoroa) qualified in the morning, too, 23-18 over Ange Debique (Stratford-Avon) although it was looking dubious for a long time. Morrison, after leading 11- 5, found herself 15-12 in arrears after 19 ends.

However, a three, followed by a six, swung the game Morrison’s way. Marlene Alberino-Kay (Island Bay) was in no mood for mucking around, trouncing Trish Howard (West End) 29-9 in the morning.

Fay Jones (North End) got the nod over Maree Gadsby (Fitzroy) 27-16 with both teams needing a win in the last game.

Gadsby, after a six, led 12-6. But after it was locked at 14-all, Jones pulled away to complete the transformation of four wins after two losses on Tuesday.

Disappointment But the other two teams attempting that feat just missed out in round six. Karen de Jongh (Hinuera) was edged 22-20 by Howard, after she was in front 11-9 after 13 ends. Howard hit the lead after that, although the margin was only one shot playing the last end.

While Brenda Rowe (Waitara), also after three wins, lost 25-12 to Pam Mulford (Plimmerton). Lee McDonald (Mercury Bay) went down 27- 18 to Jackie Morgan (Kia Toa) in the last game.

Morgan had already made it through 22-14 over Commane in the morning. McDonald led 8-1 and 13-8, before Morgan reined them in.

It was 18-all after 21 ends. But Morgan took a single and consecutive fours to dash McDonald’s hopes.

Debique, searching for a fourth, battled bravely in the last round against six winner Wendy Green (Ngongotaha) but fell just short 26-23, while Robyn Wilkinson (Waikanae) denied Tereska Knap (Miramar) 23-19.

Irene Taunt (Tower) opened with three wins, but three losses followed, the last one to Tina Jakes (Tokoroa) 20-13.

*Since the reintroduction of the Marbles Restaurant pairs in 2022, the event has grown in entry numbers. Thirty-two took part last year and that has grown to 40 duos today.

Draw for post section play in The Devon Hotel Taranaki women’s Open fours today: Section 1, West End 3, round 2 (9am start — 2 rounds for the day): Diane Strawbridge (Kensington) v Wendy Sarjeant (Mangawhai), Tracy Fickling (Allenton) v Susan Cottam (West End), Ngaire McKinley (Omarunui) v Heather Johns (Paritutu), Ruth Spittle (Taradale) v Jackie Morgan (Kia Toa), Marilyn Fletcher (Lumsden) v Anne Mahon (Katikati), Sheryl Wellington (Mairangi Bay) v Linda Kape (Okato), Marilyn Constantine (Tauranga) v Fay Jones (North End), Hetty Bolscher (Pukekohe) v Estelle Hickey (Carlton Cornwall).

Section 2, West End 2, round 1 (9am start — 2 rounds for the day): Cindy Nicoll (Inglewood) v Adele French (Thames Coast).

Round 2 (9am start — 2 rounds for the day): Pat Dixon (Naenae) v Sharon Siegruhn (Northend), Robyn Fisher (Royal Oak) v Wendy Green (Ngongotaha), Barbara Harvey (Paritutu) v Rachelle Morrison (Omokoroa), Trish Howard (West End) v Chris Telford (Napier).

Round 2 (9am start — 1 round for the day): Elaine Hodge (New Plymouth) v Lynn Clifford (Mercury Bay), Kathy DempsterRivett (Whakatane) v Tia Moka (Homai).

To report at 12.30pm: Rhonda Adams (Fitzroy) v Marlene Alberino-Kay (Island Bay), Hazel Littlejohn (Darfield) v Nicoll/French winner.

Draw for section play in the Taranaki women’s Open fours-pairs event, commencing at 8.45am (three wins from four games required to qualify):

Section 1, Paritutu A: Angela Debique (Opunake), Bronwyn Hunter (Blockhouse Bay), Colleen Short (Blockhouse Bay), Judy Fox (Manaia), Anne Trembath (Kia Toa), Maree Gadsby (Fitzroy), Bev Bromfield (Taradale), Shelley Baldwin (Lepperton), Maureen Druly (Taradale), Helen Chitty (New Plymouth), Chrissy Chilton (Kia Toa), Shona Lawn (Manaia), Pauline Davy (StratfordAvon), Diane Chapman (Okato).

Section 2, Paritutu B: Irene Taunt (Tower), Gail Burrows (Inglewood), Pip Rawson (Miramar), Viv Hall (West End), Sue Carroll (Howick), Rita Davey (Opunake), Cheryl Simpson (Taradale), Jill Dyett (West End), Lana Dowdell (Howick), Ronnie Crone (Levin), Di Patterson (Gonville), Diane Dunlop (Levin), Barbara Hewitt (Taradale), Els Maas (Bluff Hill).

Section 3, West End 1: Viv Borrie (Miramar), Tina Quilter (Lepperton), Tereska Knap (Miramar), Dannell Davis (Lepperton), Vicki Jones (Taradale), Janelle Dunce (Lepperton), Ellice Hona (Okato), Kristin Stampa (StratfordAvon), Julie Inwood (Taradale), Pania Reed (Te Kuiti), Kere Matthews (Te Kuiti), Mihi Hona (Stratford-Avon).

Day 3: 

Hazel Littlejohn is back with a vengeance.

The Darfield stalwart missed the 2025 Devon Hotel Taranaki women’s Open fours and has made up for it this time by skipping her side to four-successive wins during the first two days of the 2026 competition.

Littlejohn’s side of Liz Hamilton, Annie Simpson and Diane Currie — who bettered the efforts of her husband, Bruce, in last week’s men’s Open — scored two fine wins on the Paritutu back green yesterday to be among the 11 early qualifiers.

The Canterbury crew beat Marlene Foster (Wanganui East) 26-13 and Lynn Clifford (Mercury Bay) 29-19. Against Foster, Littlejohn raced ahead 16-1 after eight ends.

The closest Foster got was 20-12 behind after 16, before Littlejohn, pictured, moved away again.

The afternoon score against Clifford was inflated late in the match. A brace of fours mid-game took Littlejohn from 11-8 down to 19-12 in front.

But the Thames Valley quartet rallied, closing to 21-19 behind with three to play. Littlejohn, though, settled the issued with counts of 3-1-4.

Littlejohn is the current President of Deaf Lawn Bowls New Zealand. She competed at the 2023 world deaf championships in Scotland, winning gold in the singles and silver in the pairs.

Illustrating the quality of the performance of her side so far this week, three of their opponents so far have recorded three wins — Chris Telford (Napier), Foster and Clifford — while the other five sides on the same side of the draw in section seven as Littlejohn are already out of contention.

Littlejohn’s Canterbury cohort Tracy Fickling (Allenton) is also among the qualifiers after two more comfortable wins.

There are six other visitors through: Wendy Green (Ngongotaha), Tia Moka (Homai), Estelle Hickey (Carlton Cornwall), Robyn Fisher (Royal Oak), Diane Strawbridge (Kensington) and Sheryl Wellington (Mairangi Bay).

The three Taranaki qualifiers to date are Elaine Hodge (New Plymouth), Trish Howard (West End) and Cindy Nicoll (Inglewood).

There are a host of other teams lurking nearby.

Twenty-six have won three games and 12 are on two wins.

It means that 33 are already eliminated, some of who will take the second bite of the cherry in the Marbles Restaurant pairs, which starts tomorrow.

Green has received a work-out in section play.

That occurred again in the fourth round yesterday against Petone Central’s Sandy Booth, a past Wellington open pairs winner. Green took the match 23-16. Green led 14-7 before Booth closed to 16-15 behind after 17 ends.

However, Green won seven singles thereafter to take the match. Moka joined Green as the first of the qualifiers from section two when her well-balanced side defeated Te Kuiti’s Pania Reed 29-15, having beaten three-winner Ange Debique (StratfordAvon) 27-17 after finishing strongly.

One of the outstanding finishes of the day 2 Open News - Taranaki Open Fours came in the morning at Waitara when Hodge squeaked past Marlene Alberino-Kay (Island Bay) 25-24.

Hodge had looked powerful early, leading 13-2 after seven ends, before the Wellingtonians clawed back into it.

The scores were even playing the last end, and the shot changed four times there before Hodge got the nod. Hodge rounded out the day by eliminating Gayle Melrose (Tauranga) 28-17.

Alberino-Kay kept her best hopes alive, beating Pania Roberts (Opononi) 27-24, but the fourth win today won’t come easy.

Both their opponents, Howard and Fickling, have already attained their qualification.

Melrose wasn’t alone in exiting, with some other well-known names also incurring loss No 3, including Dianne Patterson (Gonville-Castlecliff), Anne Lomas (Far North RSA) and Cathy Andrews (Paritutu).

The majority of the three winners should qualify. Included in that group is defending titleholder Marilyn Constantine (Tauranga), her loss coming 28-16 to former Whanganui representative teammate, Patterson.

But Constantine replied in kind after lunch.

Her side stopped the unbeaten run of Rhonda Adams (Fitzroy) 27-20. Maree Gadsby (Fitzroy) raised two wins to sit comfortably on three.

That included a commanding 29-14 victory over Rachelle Morrison (Omokoroa) in the morning.

Morrison won well in the afternoon to also sit on three.

Heather Johns (Paritutu) is also in that category.

After a win and a loss on Tuesday, Johns certainly didn’t want to drop her round three match against Kathy Dempster-Rivett (Whakatane).

But it was heading that way at the commencement of the last head, the BOP side leading 20-18.

Johns, though, with a drawn five, took the match 23-20. Dempster-Rivett put the disappointment to one side in securing a third win in the afternoon.

Both Southland teams in the field, Sharon Siegruhn (Northend) and Marilyn Fletcher (Lumsden), finished the day with three wins as well.

Three teams performed the perfect reversal and after two losses on Tuesday won twice yesterday.

They were Fay Jones (North End), Karen de Jongh (Hinuera) and Brenda Rowe (Waitara).

Day 2:

Twenty-eight sides will have an extra spring in their step this morning after they navigated through the first day’s play without defeat in the 74th Devon Hotel Taranaki women’s Open fours yesterday.

After the two wins, those teams are halfway to qualifying, with four further rounds being played today and tomorrow.

There were 26 teams that had one win and one loss, while the remaining 28 sides lost both games. Inevitably most of the favoured sides won both.

Defending champion Marilyn Constantine, who has Ruth Lynch in her Tauranga side, was untroubled in both games.

Lynch’s daughter, Rachelle Morrison (Omokoroa), despite still being a junior, was impressive on the green and the scoreboard, as her side notched up two big wins as well.

But there were exceptions, with three of the most experienced skips in the Open all losing twice — Gayle Melrose (Tauranga), Anne Lomas (Far North RSA) and Karen de Jongh (Hinuera).

However, they do not need to look too deep into the history books for inspiration. Liam Hill, runner-up in the men’s Open on Sunday, also lost both matches on day one before commencing his winning run.

Lomas possesses one of the best attitudes in the sport and following yesterday’s two defeats, still held herself with the poise of a double world champion.

Her side lost 26-15 to Jackie Morgan (Kia Toa) and 21-20 to Vivienne Hall (West End). Lomas had led 19-7.

There was joy for Bowls Taranaki Patron, Patty Symes. Playing No 2 in a Tower side skipped by her daughter, Irene Taunt, the team recorded two handsome wins — 32-16 over 2020 champion Hetty Bolscher (Pukekohe) and 39- 10 against Gail Burrows (Inglewood), which included an eight on one end.

Bolscher did recover well, though, beating Morgan 30-20 in the afternoon. Ruth Spittle (Taradale) emerged as the only two-winner from the Hawke’s Bay stable of 10 sides — but that included some anxious moments, especially in the morning round, with the team beating Tina Jakes (Tokoroa).

Jakes had led 13-5 after nine ends, before Spittle returned the favour to lead 22-16 after 19. But the momentum kept moving.

Jakes got in front 23-22 with two to play, before Spittle, with a two and a three, got the win 27-23. Both were comfortable victors in the afternoon.

Sharon Siegruhn’s Northend (Invercargill) scored the biggest score of the day, 51-7 over Burrows, in a match that was played out to the full quota of 25 ends.

But the Southlanders were undone 28-22 in round two by Lee McDonald’s unbeaten Mercury Bay quartet. McDonald led 14-1 and 20-8, and while Siegruhn reduced the deficit, the margin was too great.

The other three south island sides all did the double — Marilyn Fletcher (Lumsden), Hazel Littlejohn (Darfield) and Tracy Fickling (Allenton), whose side was in fact skipped by Denise Taylor.

Fletcher’s side did initially wonder what they had got themselves in for, failing to score on the first eight ends in the morning against four second-year players from the Bluff Hill club in Napier, skipped by Els Maas.

It was 10-0 at that junction, but Fletcher turned it around to win 24-21 and that was even after dropping five shots on the last two ends.

Despite their inexperience, the Maas side rebounded after lunch to win and will be a team to watch in time.

Wendy Green (Ngonotaha), who was runnerup in the Bay of Plenty fours last weekend, was another of the favoured teams to end with two wins.

The morning game was secured 24- 21 against Maree Gadsby (Fitzroy). Gadsby had led 17-10 after 16 ends.

But Green dominated the match after that and led by two shots playing the last head. Gadsby did at least salvage something from the day, coming from behind to beat Bridget Fletcher (Paritutu) 25-24 in round two.

There were noteworthy performances from two local teams skipped by Taranaki representatives, Rhonda Adams (Fitzroy) and Trish Howard (West End), both winning twice with relative comfort, even though the former was chased hard at the end by Denise Cottam (West End) in the afternoon.

Pam Mulford (Plimmerton) was one of the unlucky teams, dropping both games.

The Wellington rep lost 21-20 on an extra end to Cindy Nicoll (Inglewood) in the morning, after an outstanding 25th end saw Nicoll score the two points required to put the game into overtime. Mulford was then nosed out 27-24 by Lynn Clifford (Mercury Bay).

Clifford had produced some excellent deliveries during her morning 21-18 hard-fought win over Fay Bird (Central Cambridge).

Marlene Foster (Wanganui East) returned the best net-differential of the day of plus-58 after two big wins.

But another prominent team from the river city, Dianne Patterson (Gonville -Castlecliff), never got going and lost both.

In section six, which gave great comments of the Oakura green, Anne Mahon (Katikati) upset Paritutu’s Heather Johns 23-19 in an even afternoon encounter.

Mahon won twice, as did Kathy Dempster-Rivett (Whakatane) and the looming Diane Strawbridge (Kensington).

One of the less known names in Taranaki to also win twice with some class was Marlene Alberino-Kay (Island Bay).

Alberino-Kay is a competitive player with three Wellington crowns, plus a couple of over-60s titles.

Day 1 preview:

Brighter conditions await participants in The Devon Hotel Taranaki Women’s Open Fours, than those enjoyed by their male counterparts, when the event commences in North Taranaki on Tuesday.

After the men encountered what seemed like constant rain, organisers and players will be hoping for a smoother run this week.

The 74th edition of the Women’s Open has attracted 82 teams, four fewer than last year. There are 55 visiting sides and 27 teams from Taranaki.

Originally, there were 86 sides entered but withdrawals, as recently as last week when a Thames Valley side pulled out after the weather events there, had reduced the number down.

Notwithstanding that, a big week awaits and, much like the Men’s Open, picking a winner remained a tough task.

Last year’s champion, Marilyn Constantine (Tauranga), is entered again, albeit with only Carolyn Tasker returning alongside her from the side 12 months ago.

Constantine this year has wily veteran Ruth Lynch, a three-time Open winner, and Lynne Bodger in her side.

Omokoroa’s Karen Pickering and Rachelle Morrison return with the objective of making a third-straight Open final. As part of teams skipped by Sue Hodges, they were the winners in 2024 and runners-up in 2025.

This time, though, they will need to do it without Hodges. Morrison has taken over the skipping duties of the side made up of players of five or fewer years experience.

Visiting sides have dominated the event in recent years and it is likely that this trend will continue, with a number of quality teams entered.

There are four teams from the South Island, with Tracy Fickling (Allenton, Ashburton) and Sharon Siegruhn (Northend, Invercargill) likely to provide stern opposition.

A strong Hawke’s Bay contingent is headed by Ruth Spittle (Taradale) and Chris Telford (Napier), while from Northland comes Diane Strawbridge (Kensington).

Other visitors to keep an eye on include Dianne Patterson (Gonville-Castlecliff), Adele French (Thames Coast), Lynn Clifford (Mercury Bay) and Wendy Green (Ngongotahā).

Of the Taranaki sides, Rhonda Adams (Fitzroy), Heather Johns (Paritutu) and Trish Howard (West End) could be among the qualifiers.

Teams play two games of 25 ends each day, with those winning four or more of the six qualifying games by the end of Thursday advancing to post section play.

That starts on Friday, with the final scheduled for Sunday at West End.

The teams taking part, in order of skip to lead are:

Auckland

Blockhouse Bay: C Short, B Hunter, B Munro, B McGregor (section 4).

Carlton Cornwall: E Hickey, H Blick, P Kempthorne, J Brown (3).

Howick: L Fenton, L Dowdell, N Sadgrove, S Carroll (2).

Royal Oak: R Fisher, L McLinden, G Clarke, S Taylor (4).

Bay of Plenty

Katikati: A Mahon, C Burns, R Johnstone, J Scott (6).

Ngongotaha: W Green, L McIntosh, P Wilton, H Ratana (2).

Omokoroa: R Morrison, E Cairns, K Pickering, H Lyons (2).

Tauranga: G Melrose, M Davies, L Eagleton, C Hunia (5); M Constantine, R Lynch, C Tasker, L Bodger (3).

Whakatane: K Dempster-Rivett, M Carpenter, K Hubbard, C Allan (6).

Canterbury

Allenton: T Fickling, C Burrows, D Taylor, T Hannah (5).

Darfield: H Littlejohn, D Currie, J Will, L Hamilton (7).

Counties Manukau

Homai: T Moka, M Korewha, S Brownlee, J Hall (2).

Pukekohe: H Bolscher, K Lister, S Perry, G Allen (1).

Far North

Opononi: P Roberts, F Hau, P Sigley, T Harris (5).

Far North Kaitaia RSA: A Lomas, A Muir, D Owens, N Wilson (1).

Hawke’s Bay

Bluff Hill: E Maas, E Mackay, M Brislane, P Squibb (4).

Kia Toa: A Trembath, C Chilton, B Caccioppoli, T Brownell (6); J Morgan, C Lukies, L Rae, A Rooker (1).

Napier: C Telford, M Robinson, M Wright, R Cronin (7); D Durham, I Hunt, D Bentley, J Van der Weele (3).

Omarunui: N McKinley, S Brown, B Exeter, M McLean (6).

Taradale: B Hewitt, C LeClaire, C Simpson, J Pedersen (5); J Inwood, N Anderson, O Deridder, K Laurant (2); L Bowcock, B Bromfield, M Drury, G Lamason (4); R Spittle, S Weeks, A Denton, S Glock (1).

Kapiti

Levin: I Poletti, R Crone, C Eastham, D Dunlop (7).

Waikanae United: R Wilkinson, C Henshilwood, F Vessey, C Rolton (3).

Waitarere Beach: J Olliver, G Michael, M MacDonald, M Van der Velden (2).

Manawatu

North End F Jones, S Scott, R Burroughs, J Brown (2).

North Harbour

Mairangi Bay: S Wellington, J Gledhill, C Rice, T Rogers (7).

Northland

Kensington: D Strawbridge, S Wightman, M Gluttenbiel, K Cooper (6).

Mangawhai: W Sarjeant, D Klomp, A Moon, C Lineham (4).

Southland

Lumsden: M Fletcher, A Adams, V Whangapirita, A Johnstone (4).

Northend: S Siegruhn, G Paisley, T Johansen, K Matthews (1).

Taranaki

Fitzroy: M Gadsby, L Te Awa, J Ravji, A Murray (2); R Adams, V Kelly, J Crawford, L File (3).

Inglewood: C Nicoll, L Ropitini, M McCallum, J Forbes (7); G Burrows, S Miles, V Kennedy, D Erb (1).

Lepperton: D Heaven, M Dent, E Kidney, A Chambers (4); J Dunce, D Davis, L Ingram, M Doidge (6); T Quilter, J Haggerty, L Clarke, H Hughes (3).

Manaia: S Lawn, J Fox, S Clark, D Young (5).

New Plymouth: E Hodge, M Carey, A Brophy, V McEldowney (5); V Symes, S Edwards, L Donovan, G Keighley (4).

Okato: D Chapman, E Phillips, E Hona, P Niwa (5); L Kape, C Gray, F Liddall, S Price (3).

Ōpunake: C Commane, J Merrick, R Davey, L Debique (1).

Paritutu: B Fletcher, A Quay, M McArthur, A Crehan (2); B Harvey, C Sharrock, V Keightley, J Stevenson (4); C Andrews, B Batley, M Farmer, K Barber (7); H Johns, M Barrowman, D Smith, C Harris (6).

Stratford-Avon: A Debique, G Barnard, T Needham, S Taylor (2); K Stampa , M McEwen-Shepherd, P Davy, C Roxburgh (4); M Hona, C Hodges, T Watson, M Warren (5).

Tower: I Taunt, A Rowlands, P Symes, E Smailes (1).

Waitara: B Rowe, A Rona, A Hinton, D Voss (7).

West End: D Cottam, S Cottam, D Banks, L Ritson (3); J Ropitini, J Dyett, H White, A Peters (6); T Howard, L Heal, L Halls, M Bastin (5); V Hall, M Lister, C Earley, D Clark (1).

Thames Valley

Mercury Bay: L Clifford, S Roberts, S Rossiter, J Campbell (7); L McDonald, N Reddy, I Goss, C Sexton (1).

Thames Coast: A French, K McGaughey, V Mathews, B Rogers (4).

Waikato

Central Cambridge: F Bird, M Hughes, N Beercroft, D Balloch (7).

Frankton Junction: J Bishop, R Chalklen, N Hancock, M Moir (6).

Hinuera: K de Jongh, J Walker, K Wintle, L Wintle (5).

Raglan: E Stephens, B McDavitt-Whyte, S Moa, M Wahanga (6).

Te Awamutu: J Cato, D Sharpe, C Ball, C Osment (3).

Te Kuiti: P Reed, M Tapara, K Matthews, K Norman (2).

Tokoroa: T Jakes, V Coll, G Dwane, J Logan (1).

Wellington

Island Bay: M Alberino-Kay, A Ercolano, R Lindsay, C Ercolano (5).

Miramar: C Gosling, A Northcott, M Des Forges, P Rawson (7); T Knap, S Green, J Rouse, V Borrie (3).

Naenae: P Dixon, L Gough, A Robinson, K Cross (3).

Petone: S Booth, B Smith, J Henderson, S Young (2).

Plimmerton: P Mulford, V Hadfield, C Thomson, P Christie (7).

Silverstream: S Critchlow, V Packer, J Lockwood, D Walden (4).

Whanganui

Gonville-Castlecliff: D Patterson, L Bourke, C McLeod, D Garside (3).

Wanganui East: J Raymond, A Richdale, A Morgan, T Ward (1); M Foster, J Johnson, B Gadsby, S Tasker (7).

Section 1

Tuesday: West End 1

Wednesday: Inglewood

Thursday: New Plymouth

Section 2

Tuesday: Paritutu A

Wednesday: Oakura

Thursday: West End 1

Section 3

Tuesday: West End 2

Wednesday: Lepperton

Thursday: Oakura

Section 4

Tuesday: Paritutu B

Wednesday: New Plymouth

Thursday: Lepperton

Section 5

Tuesday: New Plymouth

Wednesday: Waitara

Thursday: West End 2

Section 6

Tuesday: Oakura

Wednesday: Paritutu A

Thursday: Waitara

Section 7

Tuesday: Waitara

Wednesday: Paritutu B

Thursday: Inglewood