As we were going to press yesterday (Thursday), Gold Cup fever was continuing to grip Tenby Bowling Club.
Since Sunday, over 100 bowlers from throughout Wales and beyond have been fighting it out to win two of the most sought-after titles in Welsh bowls, the Gold Cup and Percy Howells Silver Bowl.
Defending Gold Cup champion, Lee Williamson, of Barnwood, Gloucestershire, and Silver Bowl holder, Andrew Hopkins, of Resolven, have made bold bids to retain their titles, with former Tenby member and three times gold winner, Lee, who back in 1995 at the age of 19 was the youngest ever double winner, being one of a handful of competitors still in with a chance of lifting both trophies.
Others still maintaining an interest in both events are Pembrokeshire Bowler of the Year, John Roberts, of the host club, who won Silver in 2005, Welsh international Neil Rees, of Parc-y-Dre, who won Gold in 1999 and Silver in 2006, Five Arches Bowl holder, Brian Kingdon, also of Parc-y-Dre, Robin Burden, of Brynhyfryd, and Dilwyn Jones, of Skewen.
Meanwhile, local bowlers hoping to strike 'gold' are Whitland's Alan Whitehouse and Tenby's Jonathan Hubbard, while those seeking Silver Bowl glory are Tenby's Dave King Thomas, club treasurer Ashley Hooper and teenager Joe Richards.
Yesterday (Thursday) also saw play commence in the Five Arches Bowl for players knocked out of the main competitions in the early rounds.
Sponsored by Carlsberg/Tetley, the 85th Tenby Open, carries a total prize money of £2,090.
The semi-finals of all three contests take place tomorrow (Saturday) morning, followed by the finals in the afternoon.
Results of the opening rounds were as follows:
Gold Cup
Prelim round: Alan Whitehouse, Whitland w/o Andrew Muskett, Tenby scr; Cliff Hyde, Carmarthen 7 Colin Davies, Carmarthen 21; Steve Moore, Stoney Stratford 8 Jonathan Webb, Tenby 21; Paul Bancroft, Carmarthen w/o Aled Howells, Ammanford Park scr; Mal Griffiths, Llanelli Steel 10 Nigel Davies, Whitland 21; Phil Carpenter, Tenby scr Simon Williams, Resolven w/o; Peter Toomey, Guest Memorial 21 Wayne Webster, Kidwelly 0; John Roberts, Tenby 21 Mark Davies, Kidwelly 13; David St John, Carmarthen 18 John Rees, Whitland 21; Joe Richards, Tenby 21 Stuart Askew, Tenby 15; Robin Burden, Brynhyfryd 21 Brian Young, Brynhyfryd 13; Eric Davies, Blue Anchor 21 Rod Hugh, Brynhyfryd 16; Peter Day, Tenby 21 Huw Nicholas, Whitland 9; Tom Daniel, Beaufort scr Eilyr Lloyd, Tick Tock w/o; Phil Jones, Brynhyfryd 20 Brian Richards, Brynhyfryd 21; Sid Butler, Aberavon scr Chris Price, Ystradfechan w/o; Mike Oliver, Brynhyfryd scr Rob Bullen, Fox Lane w/o; Tony Duckfield, Old Landorians 21 Cameron White, Tenby 17; Nicky Jones, Ystradfechan w/o Jarrad Breen, Gilfach Goch scr; Sam Brown, Ammanford Park 21 Dai Newth, Ely Valley 16; Brian Kingdon, Brynhyfryd 21 Dai Jones, Troedyrhiw 16; Daniel Davies, Beaufort scr Dale McCarthy, Port Talbot scr; Emelio Garcia, Carmarthen 16 Peter Haines, Ammanford Park 21; Luke Rees, Tenby 21 Scott Williams, Ammanford Park 13; Matthew Partridge, Parc-y-Dre 21 Michael Newcombe, Cardigan 10; Phil Lewis, Welshpool 9 Keran Perigrine, Ammanford Park 21; Martyn Harries, Carmarthen 21 Peter Wills, Whitland 3; Steve Reese, Whitland 21 John Baggott, Tenby 20; Len Lacey, Oxford City 21 Mike Gouldingay, Tenby 16; Ken Vaughan, Morriston United 21 Tommy Nutt, Islwyn 13; Andrew Hopkins, Resolven scr Wyndham Petit, 3M's w/o; Colin Williams, Aberavon 21 Bill Warren, Broadway 3; Wyndham Rees, Brynhyfryd 21 Clive Coles, Crusaders 15; Simon Evans, Tenby 21 Joe Dennis, Saundersfoot 3; Tony Harries, Gorseinon 8 Lee Williamson, Barnwood 21; Tom Holmes, Brynhyfryd 21 Peter Jenkins, Brynhyfryd 12; Stan Harries, Carmarthen 21 Bert Barnikel, Tenby 20; Dilwyn John, Abertridwr 21 Dave King Thomas, Tenby 13; Ryan Thomas, Haverfordwest 16 Aaron Lloyd, Tenby 21; Ronan Breen, Gilfach Goch 13 Harry Phillips, Cross Hands 21; Colin Jones, Kidwelly 21 Vaughan Williams, Ammanford Town 15; Adrian Evans, Parc-y-Dre 21 Mark Osborne, Dinas Powys 20.
First round: Peter Toomey 12 John Roberts 21; John Rees 16 Joe Richards 21; Nigel Davies 13 Simon Williams 21; Robin Burden 21 Eric Davies 12; Alan Whitehouse 21 Colin Davies 12; Jon Webb 21 Paul Bancroft 17; Rob Bullen 7 Tony Duckfield 21; Brian Richards 12 Chris Price 21; Peter Day 12 Eilyr Lloyd 21; Nicky Jones 21 Sam Brown 15; Peter Haines 17 Luke Rees 21; Brian Kingdon w/o Daniel Davies scr; Len Lacey 15 Ken Vaughan 21 Wyndham Petit 5 Colin Williams 21; Lee Williamson 21 Tom Holmes 8; Wyndham Rees 21 Simon Evans 16; Martyn Harries 21 Steve Reese 6; Matt Partridge 15 Keran Peregrine 21; Aaron Lloyd 9 Harry Phillips 21; Colin Jones 15 Adrian Evans 21; Tim Jones 13 Richard Osborne 21; Stan Harries 11 Dilwyn John 21; Keith Evans 21 Darren Potock 20; Mike Rees 19 David Evans 21; Mal Owen w/o Alan Thomas scr; Gareth Thomas 21 Wayne Owen 11; Dai Spencer 18 John Morgans 21; Mel Williams 21 Ben Cloake 10; Neil Rees 21 Ashley Hooper 14; Phil Jones w/o Glan Evans scr; Joe Richards 6 Robin Burden 21; Eilyr Lloyd 16 Chris Price 21; Eddie Oliver 13 Jon Hubbard 21; Alan Whitehouse 21 Jon Webb 20; Simon Williams 13 John Roberts 21; Tony Duckfield 11 Nicky Jones 21; Dilwyn John 10 Harry Phillips 21; Brian Kingdon 21 Luke Rees 15; Wyndham Rees 8 Lee Williamson 21; Ken Vaughan 21 Colin Williams 16; Keran Peregrine 21 Martyn Harries 14.
Percy Howells Silver Bowl
Prelim round: David Evans, Parc-y-Dre 21 Rob Bullen, Fox Lane 14; Alan Whitehouse, Whitland 12 Huw Nicholas, Whitland 21; Brian Richards, Brynhyfryd 9 Peter Day, Tenby 21; Mike Rees, Brynhyfryd 21 Mal Griffiths, Llanelli Steel 18; Jonathan Webb, Tenby 21 Luke Rees, Tenby 13; Brian Kingdon, Brynhyfryd 21 Sam Brown, Ammanford Park 15; Mark Davies, Kidwelly 21 Eilyr Lloyd, Tick Tock 18; Vaughan Williams, Ammanford Town w/o Sid Butler, Aberavon scr; Alan Thomas, Parc-y-Dre 2 Peter Toomey, Guest Memorial 21; Nigel Davies, Whitland 21 Steve Moore, Stoney Stratford 7; Phil Carpenter, Tenby scr Dai Jones, Troedyrhiw w/o; Wyndham Rees, Brynhyfryd 21 David St John, Carmarthen 0; Neil Rees, Parc-y-Dre 21 Brian Young, Brynhyfryd 14; Gareth Thomas, Ammanford Park 21 Ryan Thomas, Haverfordwest 13; Jonathan Hubbard, Tenby 21 Joe Dennis, Saundersfoot 19; Dai Newth, Ely Valley 21 Bill Warren, Broadway 16; Thomas Holmes, Brynhyfryd 21 Tony Harries, Gorseinon 8; Darren Potock, Penhill, 20 Dilwyn John, Abertridwr 21; Dale McCarthy, Port Talbot scr Phil Jones, Brynhyfryd w/o; Harry Phillips, Cross Hands 21 Mike Gouldingay, Tenby 9; Wayne Webster, Kidwelly 17 Eric Davies, Blue Anchor 21; Andrew Muskett, Tenby scr Wayne Owen, Ammanford Park w/o; Glan Evans, Maesteg Welfare scr Colin Williams, Aberavon w/o; Mark Osborne, Dinas Powys 13 Dai Spencer, Tenby 21; John Baggott, Tenby 21 Colin Davies, Carmarthen 18; Steve Reese, Whitland 16 Rod Hugh, Brynhyfryd 21; Stan Harries, Carmarthen 8 Clive Coles, Crusaders 21; Len Lacey, Oxford City 21 Eddie Oliver, Brynhyfryd 13; John Rees, Whitland 21 Aaron Lloyd, Tenby 8; Phil Jones, Carmarthen 16 Bert Barnikel, Tenby 21; Stuart Askew, Tenby 2 Lee Williamson, Barnwood 21; Simon Williams, Resolven 21 Ben Cloake, Tenby 11; Joe Richards, Tenby 21 Matthew Partridge, Parc-y-dre 17; David Kingdon, Tenby scr Michael Newcombe, Cardigan w/o; Scott Williams, Ammanford Park w/o Daniel Davies, Beaufort scr; Ronan Breen, Gilfach Goch 21 Nicky Jones, Ystradfechan 19; Paul Bancroft, Carmarthen 21 Wyndham Petit, 3Ms 16; Martyn Harries, Carmarthen w/o Mike Oliver, Brynhyfryd scr; Robin Burden, Brynhyfryd 21 Richard Osborne, Dinas Powys 7; Keran Peregrine, Ammanford Park 21 Peter Jenkins, Brynhyfryd 20; Malcolm Owen, Tiverton 12 Keith Evans, Kidwelly 21; Simon Evans, Tenby 11 Jarrad Breen, Gilfach Goch 21.
First round: Peter Day 21 Mike Rees 8; Mark Davies 7 Vaughan Williams 21; Jon Webb 20 Brian Kingdon 21; Dai Jones 21 Wyndham Rees 11; Peter Toomey 21 Nigel Davies 9; David Evans 21 Huw Nicholas 6; Neil Rees 21 Gareth Thomas 5; Eric Davies 21 Wayne Owen 18; Jon Hubbard 20 Dai Newth 21; Phil Jones 21 Harry Phillips 8; Tom Holmes 10 Dilwyn John 21; Colin Williams 21 Dai Spencer 15; Joe Richards w/o Mike Newcombe scr; John Rees 21 Bert Barnikel 12; Clive Coles 16 Len Lacey 21; Scott Williams 14 Ronan Breen 21; John Baggott 16 Rod Hugh 21; Lee Williamson 21 Simon Williams 18; Tim Jones 12 Andrew Hopkins 21; Cliff Hyde w/o Aled Howells scr; Ken Vaughan 10 Colin Jones 21; Paul Bancroft 3 Martyn Harries 21; Keith Evans 21 Jarrad Breen 15; Robin Burden 21 Keran Peregrine 20; John Roberts 21 Mel Williams 6; David King Thomas 21 John Morgans 19; Adrian Evans 21 Tony Duckfield 8; Tommy Nutt w/o Peter Wills scr; Ashley Hooper 21 Cameron White 8; Phil Lewis 21 Emelio Garcia 10; Brian Kingdon 21 Vaughan Williams 20; David Evans 21 Peter Day 13; Tom Daniel 21 Peter Haines 18; Chris Price 21 Dilwyn Jones 21; Neil Rees 21 Dai Newth 11; Peter Toomey 21 Dai Jones 19; Joe Richards 21 Ronan Breen 2; Rod Hugh 21 Len Lacey 14; John Rees 7 Lee Williamson 21; Eric Davies 21 Colin Williams 16; Dilwyn John 20 Phil Jones 21; Martyn Harries 17 Robin Burden 21.