The 2021 Over 60s Singles Championship took almost 18 months to deliver its winner following COVID lockdowns last year and a seemingly endless run of washouts this year.

Jones emerged from a strong field of 43 Falcons clubmates to defend his 2020 title with a 31-11 victory over two-time Zone 16 Seniors champion Robin Smith in the final. In glorious winter sunshine an in-form Jones was able to deny Smith his first Falcons club title following his move from Wiseman Park at the end of 2020.

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Smith rallied to only trail 15-11 on 14 ends before Jones won the last seven ends.

Jones hasn't just excelled in Figtree club events over the past 18 months but with partner Mark Kesby were victorious in the 2021 Zone 16 Senior Pairs.

Last month the duo went close to winning the State Over 60s Pairs, beaten in the final 20-18 by Sporties Tuncurry.

Jones says after 12 years in bowls he's never played better than the past year or so.

''I've found a real purple patch,'' Jones admitted.

''I've started to knuckle down and be a lot more consistent. Reaching the State final with Mark was fantastic, something I will always cherish.''

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Smith remains one of the region's elite bowlers having won the Zone Senior Pairs and Zone Senior Singles in a career which includes time at Dapto Huntley and Wiseman Park BC before joining Figtree 18 months ago.

Jones had to win five games to make the final which included outlasting Mark Sunderland 31-23 in his semi-final, while Smith edged past Bob Raine 31-30 in a thriller to reach the final.

In another Figtree Sports club championship, Karin Balmforth and Simon Garrity clinched the 2021 Mixed Pairs with an 18-12 victory over Dale Sheridan and her husband Doug in last Saturday's final.

Balmforth and Garrity were deserved champions with their run to the final including three wins by 14 shots or more.

Woonona Men's BC have spots available for its Over 50s Pairs tournament next Monday.

Contact Warren Hamilton on 0420 427161 for details.

The new 2022-23 season officially begins on Friday with some clubs already commencing Club Championship events.

Zone 16 has also released a draw for the Zone Men's pennants competition to feature four divisions and to begin on August 13.

Got an upcoming bowls event or function coming up? Email Mike at mikedriscoll@hotmail.com for publication in the Mercury.

In-form Warilla bowler Lee Stinson is among a host of Illawarra Zone 16 bowlers bidding for a spot in the NSW Blues squad after being named in the NSW State Selection Series at Cabramatta BC.

NSW selectors will run their eye over more than 170 bowlers this weekend and early next week ahead of naming their men's and women's state squads in Open, Seniors (Over 60s), Over 40s, Under 25s and Junior divisions for the 2022-23 season. Stinson will be joined by Jackaroo stars Aaron Teys and Corey Wedlock in the Selection Series Open squad this weekend, plus Figtree Sports recruit Matt Miles.

Figtree's Scottish international Kay Moran last played for NSW in 2017 and is part of a 20-player Open Women's squad.

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Illawarra's other NSW trialists are Robbie Warren (Towradgi) and Brian Suckley (Warilla) in the Men's Senior selection squad and Vicki Turner (Warilla) in the Women's Senior squad.

Dapto Citizens' Chris Green and Illawarra-based John Green (Taren Point) are part of the Over 40s selection series, with Tyson Arneman and Jayden Gebbie included in the Under 25s trials. The Girls squad includes Dapto Citizens Ricki-Rose Hampton and Zoe Davies (Windang), with Warilla recruit Travis Moran part of the Boys squad.

Warilla's Irish international Gary Kelly won the Fours, while clubmate Corey Wedlock and Fairy Meadow junior Dawn Hayman reached the Men's and Women's Singles final at the prestigious Australian Open on the Gold Coast.

Kelly and partners Wayne Ruediger, Nathan Pedersen and Carl Healey (skip) won through their section plus a number of knockout rounds before clinching the $10,000 prize with a 17-14 victory over Thor Shannon's team in the Men's Fours final.

Kelly's brilliant triumph was almost matched by Corey Wedlock and Dawn Hayman in their respective Singles championship.

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Wedlock and Jackaroo teammate Aron Sherriff went shot for shot in the Men's Singles final before Sherriff broke a 16-16 deadlock with a three and a two on the final two ends to win his fourth Open Singles.

Hayman won six knockout rounds on her run to her first Open Singles final and won plenty of admirers despite a 21-17 loss to Broadbeach local Kelsey Cottrell, who also won the Women's Fours.

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