Cody Packer Crowned Men’s Masters Singles Champion
Cody Packer’s list of achievements just keeps on growing as he added the Mount Lawley Men’s Master Singles title to his already impressive resume. It is Packer’s second Masters Singles title and comes on the back of his State Singles victory earlier this year.
Once again, Mount Lawley attracted a strong field to its event which has a unique feel to it given the first day of play commences in the afternoon, before progressing into the night under the impressive lights installed by event sponsor Stiles Electrical.
Of the Friday qualifiers, Kyle McIlroy survived an early scare with a narrow loss in his first match, but still advanced to the knockouts, while Paul Knight did similar, advancing courtesy of a solid final sectional round win.
Saturday’s field saw perhaps the most difficult section of the tournament – Daniel Trewhella, Justin Opie and Brad Gillingham, all champions of singles events over the years, all in the one section. It was Trewhella that emerged from that pack, only to fall in a close one against Warren Holt in the round of 16.
Packer was dominant throughout the event, winning both his sectional rounds by double figures, and then showing similar form in the knockout rounds. Packer first defeated Sean Mawdsley 25-11, Chris Margin 25-18 in his closest match for the tournament, and then Warren Holt 25-10 to reach the final.
Knight worked his way through impressively, with his closest win coming against Rob Bowron. Bowron had previously eliminated one of the favourites in McIlroy, so his form was good, but it was a big four shots on the final end of the semi-final that saw Knight take his place against Packer.
Packer’s experience told in the final, bursting out of the blocks to lead 8-2, then 15-5. Knight attempted to rally but an in form Cody Packer is a difficult man to beat at the moment, and it was Packer that closed out victory 25-11, to be crowned 2023 Mount Lawley Men’s Masters Singles champion.
