Devon bowlers strike early success at National Championships

Devon secured wins in the Ladies Senior Pairs, Men’s Senior Pairs and the Walker Cup, with local players at the heart of the action

Reporter:

Tim Lock

22 Aug 2025 12:07 PM

There was early success for local bowlers as the National Bowls Championships got underway at Royal Leamington Spa.

Firstly Paignton's Liz Lock teamed up with Val Davis of Kings to win the Ladies Senior Pairs after beating Wiltshire by the narrowest of margins 13-12 after previously disposing of Sussex Hampshire and a very strong Worcestershire pair.

And within minutes it became a Devon Double as Rob Honeywell playing with his Kings club mate Phil Hackett trailed the jack with the last bowl of an extra end against Northumberland to win the Men’s Senior Pairs.

They had previously beaten Lancashire also on a nail biting extra end as well as Sussex and a very strong Northants duo.

Saturday evening saw Devon Ladies victorious in the Walker Cup team event defeating Oxfordshire with a squad including nine players from Kings Bowling Club.

There was heartbreak for father and son combo Alan and Gary Routledge of Torbay Country Club, who fell at the final hurdle in the Family Pairs. Small consolation was they were defeated by Devons Gary Howland, from the Topsham club, playing with his son Grant who now bowls out of Lancashire.

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