John Greenhalgh of Crosland Moor won the Jack Burgin Trophy and immediately set sights on reaching more finals days.
The 31-year-old jointer beat fellow three-handicapper Andrew Hoult of Moldgreen 21-16 in the showpiece, which was sponsored and staged by Lockwood Con.
Greenhalgh, who took up the sport as an 11-year-old over in Dewsbury before living in Newsome, made great use of a short mark over the crown throughout the rounds and explained how it came to his rescue in the final.
“I started off pretty badly in the final and went 10 ends without scoring because Andrew got me stuck on a long mark into the corners,” he said.
“I bowled the one mark all day and, once I got him on my short mark over the crown, I was able to come from 10-3 down to 15-14 up.
“Andrew got to 16 but I was able to run out for the win, and I was very pleased because it’s the first time I’ve entered it and wasn’t really expecting to win.”
A member at Broad Oak and then Milnsbridge BC before he joined Crosland Moor a couple of years ago, Greenhalgh beat Ryan Taylor of Hemplow (4) in the first round before taking out Harry Haigh (Linthwaite C&BC) convincingly in the last eight.
In the semi-finals he beat clubmate Trevor Boothroyd, again in impressive style.
“No-one else seemed to be bowling my mark, so I just stuck with it from the off,” explained Greenhalgh, who is now living in the Holme Valley and is a member of the Crosland Moor Subscription Cup team in the Huddersfield League.
“It was nice to come through the first match and then I was really happy that Harry scored only two points against me and Trevor three.
“It was only in the final that I really had to respond after going behind and produce a fightback, but I know the Lockwood Con green reasonably well because we play it in the league and I’ve also played there with the Colne Valley Federation team.”
So what does the rest of the summer hold?
“I’ve entered basically all the Huddersfield competitions this time and wasn’t really expecting to win anything,” he remarked.
“All you can do is look to get into the finals days and take it from there, so that’s what I’ll be aiming to do.”
First round: Richard Punshon (Lockwood Con, 6) 21 Peter Hopkinson (Lindley Lib, 3) 16, Patrick Carrig (Bradley & Colne, 5) 21 Darren Slattery (Lockwood Con, 5) 13, Kris Lunn (Waterloo, 3) 21 Colin Noble (Lockwood Con, 6) 8, Paul Winterburn (Netherton, 4) 17 Andrew Hoult (Moldgreen, 3) 21, Ryan Taylor (Hemplow, 4) 11 John Greenhalgh (Crosland Moor, 3) 21, Harry Haigh (Linthwaite CBC, 5) 21 Barry Tinker (Longwood, 3) 9, Steven Lunn (Waterloo, 3) 16 Trevor Boothroyd (Crosland Moor, 3) 21, Mick Fisher (Lockwood Con, 3) 14 Ross Mallinson (Crosland Moor, 3) 21.
Second round: Punshon 21 Carrig 19, Lunn 16 Hoult 21, Greenhalgh 21 Haigh 7, Boothroyd 21 Mallinson 15.
Semi-finals: Punshon 10 Hoult 21, Greenhalgh 21 Boothroyd 6.
Final: Greenhalgh 21 Hoult 16.
