2016 Victorian Open – Day 2
There will be new men’s and women’s pairs champions at the 2016 Victorian Open after the defending champions bowed out in a bruising round of Day 2 sectionals.
Curtis and Cain Hanley (Melbourne BC) and Lisa Phillips and Melissa Larcombe both failed to get through their sectionals and missed the knockout rounds, bringing their title defences to a premature close.
Kevin Armour (West Rosebud) and Victorian arm bowling rep Ray Arnold (Mentone) beat the Hanleys in their section – winning their final match 20-6 to advance to the knockout rounds.
Phillips (Melbourne) and Larcombe (Tweed Heads) missed out on shot difference in a tough sectional to Laureen Smith and Rhoanna Smith (Club Mulwala).
Phillips and Larcombe won their match against the Smiths 14-10. But a big second match loss to Suzanne Tyson and Jeanette Overall cost the 2015 winners dearly when all three combinations were locked on two wins each. It came down to shot difference, with Laureen Smith’s pair having a three-shot advantage.
The Smiths have also advanced through to the women’s pairs last 16.
Among those joining them after knockout wins on Sunday night are Gayle and Blaine Edwards (Altona), and Sandra Connolly and Marilyn Stephenson (Moama).
In the men’s pairs, Tasmanian rep Lee Schraner and Brad Marron won both their knockout matches to progress to the last 16 – beating Wayne Roberts and Alan Dove (Yarraville-Footscray) 15-11 in a blockbuster second round clash on Sunday night.
State players Dane McKinnon and Liam Garlick-Adams (Altona), and Nathan and Cameron Wilson (Essendon) also advanced to the last 16.
And also lurking ominously in the draw are Commonwealth Games medallist Matt Flapper (Ocean Grove) and 2014 Vic Medallist Brad Orr (Shepparton Golf), who marched through their knockout rounds to the tournament’s business end with a minimum of fuss.
Fixtures, men’s pairs sectionals
Results, men’s pairs sectionals
Fixtures, men’s pairs knockout
Results, men’s pairs knockout
Fixtures, women’s pairs sectionals
Results, women’s pairs sectionals
Fixtures, women’s pairs knockout
Results, women’s pairs knockout