A grand birthday for Callum
Callum Wraight celebrated his 20th birthday today £1,000 better off after winning his first open bowls competition outside Shropshire. The Castlefields cracker took the top prize in the £3,360 St Josephs Deans Open in Chorley after claiming three prized scalps on Sunday.
It all added up to a memorable last few days as a 19-year-old for Wraight, who picked up £350 for reaching the semi-finals of the Talbot Trophy in Blackpool on Thursday, beating All England and Champion of Champions winner Andrew Spragg in the process.
Finals day at Chorley saw him start by beating Peter Hawkes 21-11 and then title favourite Andy Cairns to 16 in the semi-finals.
The bookies then made Wraight the even money favourite to beat 2001 All England winner Matt Gilmore of Merseyside in the final - and he duly did, a run of 10 taking him to 19-12 up before he hit the jackpot 21-17.
"I really enjoy playing against the top bowlers, it's such good fun," said an elated Wraight, from Shrewsbury.
"I was nervous in the final but I found this shortish mark and nobody seemed to handle it against me.
"Next year I'm really going to take it seriously because I want to push on and try to get to the top of the sport."
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