Aside from multi-world champion Steve Glasson, Garvey and Sargeant went into the singles draw as arguably the two best players and will now meet for the title.

Between them, the pair have won an incredible seven Player of the Carnival awards since 2001, with Garvey earning a record four top player awards, and Sargeant on track to equal Garvey if he can win the singles final and do better in fours than Garvey in the pairs.

Already this event, Sargeant knocked Garvey out in the fours and Garvey responded by eliminating Sargeant in the pairs.

Garvey and former top Australian player John Bezear are into this morning's pairs quarter-finals, while just a few rinks away Sargeant will skip his fours team in a semi-final against Bob Johnson.

Yesterday, Garvey was too strong for Bulli's Warren Hamilton 31-12 in their semi-final after Hamilton played an excellent match earlier in the day to knock out Steve Glasson.

Sargeant beat giant-killer Jamie Nabbe 25-15 in their quarter-final, then withstood a fighting effort from Troy Somerville 31-28.

The strong nor'easter made it tough on all players, with Somerville down 30-24 before saving the match with a drive which earned him two shots and then on the next end - with Sargeant cuddling the jack - Somerville drove to kill the end and stay alive.

Somerville picked up two shots on the next end to only trail 30-28, before Sargeant's precision draw bowls earned him victory.

Garvey said he hadn't played this well in eight years.

"I put it down to my new Greenmaster bowls and off the green being really settled with two beautiful daughters, a wonderful family environment and being established in my job," he said.

Garvey has already won three South Pacific singles crowns - in 2005, 2004 and 2001 - and is into his fifth final, having lost just one singles decider, to New Zealand international Russell Myer in 2002.

Sargeant is the defending Player of the Carnival, after triumphing in fours and singles in 2011, while he also won the singles crown in 2006.

With Player of the Carnival honours a real possibility as the sub-plot, stakes could hardly be higher tomorrow.