SOUTH PACIFIC TITLES
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Shane Garvey clinched a record fifth player of the carnival award ahead of a bid for an unprecedented clean sweep of South Pacific titles today.
The first player in the carnival's 54-year history to reach the singles, pairs and fours finals, Garvey will complete an epic 10 days by playing three finals today and an incredible 25 matches in the tournament.
Officials were happy to move one of the finals to tomorrow but ironman Garvey wanted the tournament completed on one day.
"There's a tradition of a finals day and you don't want to change that," Garvey said.
"There'll be a good crowd to watch the three games and it's in everyone's interest to get the three games in."
Garvey ensured a run at the hat-trick of titles after he and partner Robin Smith beat John Green (Taren Point) and Michael Clarke (Cabramatta) 17-12 in their pairs quarter-final yesterday morning.
Garvey and Smith then beat St Johns Park giant-killers Robert Cook and Kevin Cashman 24-14 in the afternoon semi-final.
On Thursday Garvey spent almost nine hours on the green at tournament headquarters Fairy Meadow playing a singles quarter-final, then a semi-final and finally a lengthy fours semi-final.
"I'm not feeling too bad. The knee is a bit tight but overall I'm OK," Garvey said ahead of his pairs semi-final win, his 21st victory in 22 matches at the carnival.
No player in carnival history has made all three finals and no player will have played in 25 matches, which Garvey will complete after the pairs final today ends the tournament.
To ease Garvey's workload today the fours final will now be 18 ends and begin at 8.30am, followed by Garvey taking on John Green in the singles final (31-up) and then Garvey and Smith will face Chris Macauley and Scott Bateup in the 18-end pairs decider.
Garvey will be keen to add to his eight carnival wins - one pairs (2004), four singles (2001, 2004, 2005, 2012) and three fours crowns in 2002, 2006 and 2009.
He has also now won a record five player of the carnival awards after also being the MVP in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005.
Green is looking to claim his second singles crown in four years and has had a great run at the South Pacific, winning the pairs in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010 and fours in 2003 and 2011.