De Faria joins elite company

A new name but a familiar face won the Brebner Print-sponsored Taranaki men’s open singles title at West End on Monday.

West End’s Craig De Faria, formerly Johns, took out the event for a fifth time, becoming only the fifth person to accumulate 20 Taranaki titles.

It was just reward for one of the most reliable performers of this generation – and based on the form he exhibited throughout the three-day tournament, he has plenty more titles left in him.

De Faria beat clubmate, and the champion of the previous two seasons, Dean Elgar 21-17 in a final that absorbed the crowd throughout.

An early three to De Faria gave him a 5-2 lead, but for the remainder of the match the duo were never more than two shots apart – until the final end.

De Faria and Elgar were in excellent touch, with both drawing and converting heads consistently.

Elgar got to 17 first, but three consecutive braces to De Faria saw him prevail.

In the semifinals, De Faria beat Paritutu’s Ian Andrews 21-12, while Elgar edged Paritutu’s Darren Goodin 21-19.

De Faria joined both Elgar and Goodin on five wins apiece in the event. Further highlighting the domination of the trio, they have between them won the crown 14 times in the last 17 years – De Faria’s first coming earlier in 1993.

Meanwhile, the star of Fitzroy’s Rhonda Adams continues to shine brightly after she claimed the Jean Sandel-sponsored Taranaki women’s open singles title at West End on Sunday.

Adams won a tough final 21-17 over New Plymouth’s Anne Brophy and in doing so took the singles crown for a second time. She now has eight Taranaki titles in total.

The first half of the final was dominated by Adams. She led 8-4, 11-5 and 15-10, with Brophy largely keeping in the game thanks to two threes.

But then Brophy won the next four ends to take the ascendancy 17-15.

However, a three to Adams on the next head turned the momentum once again. Three consecutive singles then confirmed Adams as the champion.

In the semis, Brophy beat Chris Commane (Opunake) 21-15 while Adams defeated Susan Cottam (West End) 21-13.