Club hosts champion bowlers at classic fours tournament

OCEAN Shores Country Club hosted some of the best lawn bowlers from across NSW and south-east Queensland for its annual XXXX Classic Fours tournament.

It has become a popular tournament on the Northern Rivers calendar with a host of champion bowlers competing this year for a prize pool of $12,560.

Burleigh Heads bowlers Clinton Bailey, Scott De Jongh, Gary Pearson and Beau Sampson were crowned winners after playing six games throughout the day.

The event featured 112 competitors, including women’s world singles champion Shae Wilson and Commonwealth Gold medallist Cameron Curtis.

Dual Commonwealth Games gold medallist Carmen Anderson also took part in the event.

The Northern Rivers was represented by bowlers from Byron Bay, Ocean Shores, Lennox Head and Tweed.

Tweed bowlers Ellen Joselin, Craig Larcome, Shane O’Toole and Peter Pollock finished third.

Ocean Shores Country Club general manager Ian Wills said the tournament highlighted the quality of the club’s greens and the Northern Rivers region as a sporting destination.

“It’s fantastic to see bowlers of this calibre playing on our greens,” he said.

“The Northern Rivers has so much to offer in terms of sport, scenery and country hospitality, and events like this showcase the region beautifully.”

“Ocean Shores Country Club continues to strengthen its reputation as one of the region’s premier sporting and social venues, fostering a vibrant community for both elite and social bowlers alike.”

Bowls Queensland chief executive Brett Wilkie also played in the tournament with Helensvale.

Wilkie has spent nine years in the role and plays in a select number of tournaments throughout the year.

He took on the role after winning medals at the Commonwealth Games and World Championships between 2009 and 2016.

His team finished seventh in the fours, while Brisbane club Red Hill were runners-up with Steve Hayden, Stuart McCosh, Greg Rolls and Ben Walsh competing.