The Australian contingent had a mixed day at the 2023 World Champion of Champions at Robina. Karen Murphy remained undefeated, while Jono Davis won one out of two matches on the opening afternoon of the event.
Murphy, the 2013 champion, had a close contest against Teokotai Jim of the Cook Islands. They tied the first two sets, but Murphy managed to secure a 3-3 3-3 8-3 win in the end. Her second match was against Israel’s Irit Grencel and once again went to three sets. Murphy emerged victorious with a 5-2 4-4 3-2 score, placing her second in her section.
In the men’s field, Davis competed against Czechia’s Craig Hurry. Davis won the first set, but Hurry tied the second, leading to a decider that Davis won with a 7-2 4-4 9-4 victory. His second match was against England’s Ed Morris. Davis took the opening set, but Morris came back strong to win the second and third, resulting in a 2-10 4-2 8-3 victory for Morris. Davis currently sits in fourth place in his section.
The top two ranked players in each men’s section will advance to the quarterfinals. In the women’s draw, it will be the two best from each group and the two next best qualifiers. The tournament will continue from September 12-16 at the Robina Bowls Club on the Gold Coast, with live streaming available on Gold Coast Tweed District’s Facebook and YouTube pages.