Burnett prepares for ‘tough’ draw at Perth

Arbroath bowler Darren Burnett admits the draw for the Scottish International Indoor Open, which gets under way at Dewars Centre in Perth today, did him no favours.

The former world champion, seeded five, has been paired with the highest-ranked unseeded player, world number 17 Wayne Willgress, from Norfolk, in round one tomorrow.

“I probably couldn’t have got a much tougher draw, to be honest,” conceded the 42-year-old policeman.

“He beat me in a tiebreak in Perth two years ago and reached the World Championship semi-final last year.

“It’s going to be tough for me, but you don’t expect any easy draws at this event.”

This will be Burnett’s first tournament since winning the Broughty Masters in September, and even for a bowler of his experience, making the switch from outdoors to indoors is always a challenge.

“It was great to win the Broughty Masters, but that meant I finished the outdoor season quite late,” he said.

“I then had a short family holiday, so I didn’t play my first indoor game until mid-October.

“The transition from outdoor to indoor is always very difficult.

“It’s actually easier going from indoors to outdoors in April, but I feel I’m up to speed now, so I’m quite happy.

“I won this title so long ago I can’t remember when, but I lost in the semi-finals last year in a close game with David Gourlay, who went on to win it.”

Glasgow’s Gourlay is the top seed in Perth and opens his title defence against Israel’s Zvika Hadar on Monday.