The semi-final fields are set at the World Bowls Champion of Champions after a busy Friday brought the section stage to a close before the competition moved into knockout bowls at cluBarham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The final section round still had plenty riding on it, with positions across several sections changing before the post section draw was confirmed. From there, the pressure increased, with every game carrying the possibility of ending a player\u2019s week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New Zealand\u2019s Mandy Boyd produced one of the biggest turnarounds of the tournament. After sitting seventh in Women\u2019s Section 1 at the end of Day 1, Boyd had worked her way back into contention with four consecutive wins. On Friday morning she added another, ending Stef Branfield\u2019s unbeaten section run before moving into the post section stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boyd\u2019s finishing position meant she first faced Malaysia\u2019s Ain Nurnajwa, where another straight sets victory earned her a quarter-final against the Cook Islands\u2019 Tiare Jim. Boyd won again to complete a three-win Friday and move into the semi-finals. It continues a big year for the experienced Blackjack, who earned her place in Barham by winning her first New Zealand national singles title earlier in 2026, her tenth national title overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She will meet Malta\u2019s Rebecca Rixon, who progressed through her quarter-final against Canada\u2019s Joanna Cooper. Rixon has been around the top of the standings throughout the week and now has the chance to add another major result to a career which includes Commonwealth Games bronze and a World Bowls Junior Indoor singles title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other side of the women\u2019s draw, Branfield recovered quickly from her first loss of the week. The England international faced the Philippines\u2019 Vilma Greenlees in the quarter-finals and found herself under serious pressure after Greenlees dominated the opening set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Branfield responded to take the second and force a tiebreak, where she won all three ends to complete the comeback. After seven straight section wins and a dramatic quarter-final, she will now face Australia\u2019s Natalie Lewis, who defeated Wales\u2019 Ysie White to keep the host nation represented in the women\u2019s competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The men\u2019s competition also produced several big moments. India\u2019s Putul Sonowal finished section play at the top of his group before overcoming Singapore\u2019s Harriman Yuen in a close knockout match. The first set was tied at four all before Sonowal found a way through to reach the semi-finals, going one step further than his quarter-final appearance in Barham last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Waiting for him is Scotland\u2019s Iain McLean, who continued his unbeaten week with victory over Cyprus\u2019 Bob Manson. McLean won the Champion of Champions title in 2014 and returned to the podium with bronze last year. He also won the World Bowls Indoor men\u2019s singles title in Australia earlier this year, leaving him two wins away from a second World Bowls singles title in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Australia\u2019s Max Kleinig also remains unbeaten after progressing past Sweden\u2019s Pontus Palmkvist. Kleinig earned his place at the event by winning the Australian Champion of Champions and has carried that form through the week at cluBarham. He now meets Canada\u2019s Pat Bird for a place in the final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bird had to survive one of Friday\u2019s closest matches against England\u2019s Isaac Jenner. The first set finished five all before Bird opened a sizeable lead in the second. Jenner then mounted a huge comeback, including picking up a four on the penultimate end to bring himself right back into the match. It eventually came down to a measure on the final end, with Bird holding on 7-6 to secure his semi-final place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The semi-finals begin on Saturday, with Putul Sonowal facing Iain McLean and Pat Bird taking on Max Kleinig in the men\u2019s competition. In the women\u2019s draw, Stef Branfield meets Natalie Lewis, while Rebecca Rixon faces Mandy Boyd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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