WAYNE HOGG bowled his way to the Scottish Singles Championship title with a series of excellent performances that climaxed with him taking the scalp of British Isles and defending champion Sandy Wotherspoon at Ayr Northfield.
The 27-year old banker was quite magnificent with his combination of well-judged aggression and consistent drawing ability but the margin of his 21-8 victory in 20 ends reflects the surprising lack of resistance by his Port Glasgow opponent.
Hogg
now plays under the Markinch and Fife banner but as a former member of the ELCO club in East Lothian has spent almost all his bowling years playing with and against the likes of Alex Marshall, Willie Wood, Angus Blair and Graham Robertson.
Whilst Wotherspoon's current title status earned him the position of joint-favourite with David Peacock (Midlothian) for the title, the claims of Hogg were always strong having international status and a 2008 World Bowls gold medal on his CV.
The opening end of the Singles was an absolute cracker with Hogg decorating the three-quarter length jack with two side touchers but losing two shots to a fantastically delicate split-bowl turn out by Wotherspoon. Hogg's response to this potentially confidence-shattering conversion was boldly aggressive and spectacularly accurate.
"My chances to influence the course of the game came early and I opted for the positive approach as you don't know if you will ever be back for another go at the title," said Hogg.
Daniel Jackson of the Edinburgh Club put up a strong show in his semi-final against Wotherspoon and led 15-12 but the 24-year old slipped to a 21-15 defeat.
Hogg beat Alex Kelly of Burnbank-Hamilton 21-7.
The full article contains 293 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
