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Sports reports: Lawn bowls season starts with an upset

Plus the latest in golf, lawn bowls, lawn tennis and more.

The 2026-27 lawn bowls season has started. Photo: Getty Images.

This story includes contributions from Derek Vanderzon and Michael Potts.

Tailem Bend have started the new Lower Murray lawn bowls season with a 61-51 win over reigning champions Murray Bridge at Tailem Bend, in an early sign of what promises to be a much more even competition than the previous.

RSL have also started well with an away win over Mannum, while a revitalized Karoonda were too strong with a home win over Jervois.

Although Murray Bridge won on two rinks, a 29-13 win by Travis Schenke, Merv Stevens, Ian Shepherd and Matt Kowald over Bruce Attrill, John Pohl, Helen Lindner and Brian Leckie was enough to cover the other losses.

Attrill started with a three on the opening end, but was completely dominated over the next 11 ends as Schenke added 26 shots to one, with fives on the second and 11^th ends to go with four twos and a pair of threes as the lead blew out to 22 shots.

Attrill responded by then winning the next six ends, but four singles, a two and a three weren't enough to close the gap.

Schenke finished off with three singles for an emphatic win.

David Kempe, Brian Traeger, Ben Traeger and John Bubner were never headed in their 17-14 win over Duane Edwards, David Hoare, Keith Wood and Bernard Naulty, but were never far enough in front to feel comfortable.

This was a much lower scoring contest, with Kempe scoring nothing better than twos, while aside from a three and a four Edwards was restricted to just singles.

After conceding a three on the first end, Darren McIntosh, Tony Trewren, Troy Penhall and Paul Smart immediately responded with a four and a three to overtake Sam Shepherd, Rob Hales, Michael Thorne and Grantley Byrne, and went on to win 21-18.

A four on the 11^th end gave McIntosh a decisive eight-shot buffer, and although Shepherd had the better of the second half, a series of ones and twos wasn't enough to bridge the gap.

The contest at Mannum was characterised by huge momentum swings on all rinks, but RSL did enough to get up by seven shots with wins on two rinks.

Jason Sipos, Charlie DiSanto, Greg Hopgood and Gary Daniel were RSL's biggest winners with a 25-20 win over Graham Wakefield, Tom Towns, Jack Vinck and Gary Odgers, but were very nearly the villains when they let a 17-shot advantage after 14 ends get whittled down to the final margin of just five shots.

Sipos had earlier led 18-2, and later 23-6 and would have been relieved Wakefield ran out of ends to complete the comeback.

Terry McDonnell, Andrew Hammence, Scott Bennier and Todd McDonnell were well in control of their contest against Noel Kneebone, Anne-Marie Kuchel, David Newell and Ian Schubert when they led 18-6 after 13 ends, but they only just hung on to win by a single shot, 22-21.

Kneebone was storming home and got within two shots after 17 ends, but a four to McDonnell, his only score in the final eight ends, was the circuit breaker he needed.

Kneebone took the final three ends, adding another five shots, but was still one short.

David Thiele, Max Wilkin, Michael Walker and Phil Day stormed home to defeat Gavin Pfeiffer, Martyn March, Graham Leathers and Colin Campion 19-16.

Their comeback not only snatched the win for their rink, but also gave RSL the win overall.

Pfeiffer led 13-3 at the break, and despite dropping a four upon the resumption was still comfortably ahead 16-8 after 15 ends.

On the adjoining rinks Sipos' lead was evaporating, but this was being countered by Kneebone's comeback.

Thiele needed a response, and his team executed perfectly, winning the final six ends while adding 11 shots to take a memorable 19-16 win and securing 10 points for his team.

At Karoonda, the return of Josh Porker and acquisition of Andrew Stasinowsky have helped the home side as they eased to a 74-52 win over Jervois.

Porker, Malcolm Waechter, Belinda O'Malley and Barry Cornish overcame a sluggish start to totally overwhelm Graeme Herbert, Garry Mason, Graham Schenke and Shane Fromm.

Herbert led 7-2 after five ends, and by one shot at the break, but was in disarray just three ends later as Porker added two, four and six.

With 22 shots to seven after the break, Porker won 31-17.

Stasinowsky, Erin O'Malley, Ray Rudiger and Malcom McKenzie were out of the blocks with a 7-0 lead over Jeremy Scannell, Graham Fromm, Bruce Smith and Stuart McCulloch after three ends, and were largely untroubled in their 28-16 win.

The lead was 11 shots at the break and the visitors were unable to make any inroads at any stage after that.

Shawn Hicks, Derek Vanderzon, Heather Fromm and Neil Morris put in a strong second half to overhaul Rowan Zadow, Ian Symonds, Len Symonds and Tarryn Turner 19-15.

Turner set his side up well as they took a three-shot lead to the break, and extended this to five shots with singles on the next two ends.

But the visitors lifted to take the next six ends and a seven-shot lead with two ends to go.

Zadow finished with a one and a two to reduce the margin.

Mark Bolton has taken out this week's Stableford at Murray Bridge. Photo: Michael Potts.

Brilliant Bolton goes on a birdie blitz

On a gorgeous spring Saturday, the Murray Bridge golf course was well and truly tamed by many players, but none more so than power-hitting A-grader Mark Bolton.

Bolts played par golf until the eighth hole, then cut loose with five birdies on the last 11 to shoot a stunning three-under-par 67 off the stick, earning an outstanding 43 Stableford points to win the day's competition.

Gobbling up the par three holes with ease and with the putter not letting him down, the four handicapper showed why he is probably rated, on his day, the club's most brilliant player.

There was plenty of competition though.

C-grade winner Mark Lewis reversed his recent form to blaze 41 points to hold off last week's winner, Lucas Ackland, who showed it was no fluke seven days earlier by returning 40 more points this time.

The consistent Barry Preston won A grade with 39 points but said with a bit more luck he would have been a chance to win the day with his five "lip out" putts not helping his cause.

If Baz thought he was unlucky, he should have had a word with fellow A-grader Matt Kowald, who later claimed to have had nine lip outs – independently verified by his playing partner – during his round.

That's gotta be some sort of record.

Bolton deservedly won the pro comp for his 23-point back nine, although was perhaps a touch fortunate in that a visiting golfer who shot 24 points on the front nine had decided not to enter this competition.

The coveted yabby went to popular C-grader Troy Penhall, who put his second shot to the par four 10th hole closest to the pin to grab the winnings.

It's the third Saturday of the month coming up, so it will be time for another par competition this weekend.

Tailem Bend Golf Club holds Stableford competition

Congratulations to Vicki Stokes, who took out a Tailem Bend Golf Club Stableford competition over the weekend.

Stokes was the only woman in the field of 25 players and ended her round on 41 points.

Runner-up Ash Hensel was on 35 and Mick Parker took out third place on 34.

Lorraine Vickers is presented with her trophy by Club President Rod Williams Photo: Lorraine Daish

Murray Bridge senior tennis hits off

The Murray Bridge senior tennis season has hit off on Sunday.

The Murray Bridge lawn tennis courts were in ideal condition, although the weather was slightly windy.

Fourteen players took to the courts for men's and women’s competition in the morning with lots of laughter and joking being heard.

After lunch the AGM was held with all committee positions filled enthusiastically.

The Annual Mort Daly Memorial Trophy recipients were acknowledged, although their trophies were presented at the end of last season.

Winners were Lorraine Vickers for the women and John Owens for the men.

At the completion of the AGM, players again took to the courts for mixed doubles.

The next seniors tennis event will be on Sunday, November 8 from 10am, when players from the Riverland, South East and Fleurieu regions are invited to take part.

Everyone aged 30-plus is welcome to get involved.