ENGLAND'S DEBBIE CORNELIUS REACHES FINALS BUT BRITISH SUPREMACY IS CHALLENGED BY TWO NEW ZEALANDERS
by Bob Alman

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While Debbie Cornelius was winning the Medalist Round of block winners to assure her place in the finals, the resurgent Brits were battling their way up the elimination ladder, with only Toby Garrison and Steve Jones to prevent a complete British sweep of the top places.

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Three British players and one New Zealander qualified for the Medalist Round by winning their blocks - Jeff Dawson, Debbie Cornelius and Stephen Mulliner in addition to Tony Stephens of New Zealand - but it was Debbie Cornelius who claimed a narrow victory on points over the New Zealander, thus becoming the first woman ever to reach the finals of the Sonoma-Cutrer World Singles Championship.

Cornelius is the only woman to compete in the event in recent years, and this is her fifth try since placing fifth in 1990, her best showing until now. She has long been highly ranked in the world standings, the only woman to be ranked in the top fifty players in the worlld. Because of her unique status, she has become an Icon - proving in her 97-pound frame that women are fully capable of achieving the top ranks of the sport.

Midway through the penultimate day of the tournament, only seven players remained in contention for the title. Besides Cornelius, they are English players Stephen Mulliner (three times former champion), Chris Clarke (current world champion); Jeff Dawson and Steven Comish, both playing in the event for the first time. But 19-year-old-Toby Garrison and veteran player Steve Jones as well as Tony Stephens (who has one more chance in the elimination), all New Zealanders, could yet win the championship if they reach the final against Cornelius.

At the beginning of Saturday's play, only two of the eight U.S. players remained - Wayne Rodoni and Jerry Stark of Northern California - but they were eliminated in the second period, as had been Canada's Leo McBride in the first period. Last year's champion, Aaron Westerby of New Zealand, was also knocked out in the second round, by Steve Comish of England.

Australia's one surviiving hope, Jeff Newcombe of Perth, was also eliiminated early, after fellow Aussie Colin Pickering had failed to make the cut for the first time in nine starts in the championship.

European champion Simon Williams of Ireland, who had barely made it into the elimination ladder, survived one round but then fell to Aaron Westerby, who was then eliminated by England's Steve Comish. Lewis Palmer of Wales was beaten in the first round by Jerry Stark, who was then eliminated by Steve Jones.

PEELING TO VICTORY IN THE BLOCKS

Of the original 28 players in the tournament, only sixteen could qualify out of the blocks - the first four of the seven places in each block. The preliminary and unofficial statistics of completed block play reveal that a player's ability to complete the triple is a reliable indicator of success. Of 84 block games (21 in each of the blocks of 7), there were 43 triples - slightly more than 50 percent. Each of the block winners lead their block in triple peels. Dawson and Mulliner each had five out of six - entitling them to a "Western Killer Red Badge," a local award which honors players who achieve in tournament play an 80 percent peel record, a straight triple, a sextuple or better, or a 12-hoop 2-ball break

Both Corneliuis and Clarke achieved four triples in the Red Block, but Cornelius was undefeated, while Clarke lost two. (Two of Clarke's triples were TPO's).

Californian Wayne Rodoni, second in Mulliner's block, also made four triples in his six games, which is Rodoni's best peeling record so far and perhaps the best peeling performance ever of an American in an international competition. Of eight U.S. players in the tournament, only Rodoni and Stark survived the blocks this year, as they were favored to do among their compatriots. Each of them has reached the final in past years, and both are seasoned players on international teams fielded by the United States. Canada's Leo McBride squeaked into the bottom of the elimination ladder with good wins over three stong opponents - Mik Mehas, Toby Garrison, and Harley Watts.

There have been no sextuples completeed so far, although Mulliner attempted one which was abandoned after a couple of hoops.

GETTING SET FOR THE FINALS DAY SPECTACLE ON SATURDAY

The most notable statistics of the Sonoma-Cutrer World Singles Championship come not from the playing lawns, but from the lavishly produced final day, which includes upwards of 1200 paying guests, 150 volunteers, numerous sponsors, and a wine auction expected to once more break all previous records by raising more than $400,000 for the charities this event benefits - chief among them the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

But preceding the party, the semi-final round begins at 10:00 AM on Saturday, to be following by the final, in which the "holder" - winner of the Medalist Round (among the four block winners) - meets the lone survivor of the elimination round which began early on Friday. One of the 12 players who started the elimination ladder and the three losing Medalist could well win the championship. Indeed, having to play up through the elimination round could be considered an advantage, once the final is reached. That player is well "warmed up," while the "holder" has been idle since the end of the Medalist Round midday on Friday.

MEDALIST ROUND - COMPLETE RESULTS

Jeff Dawson Debbie Cornelius Debbie Cornelius Tony Stephens Tony Stephens Stephen Mulliner

26 TPO 26 TP 26 26 26 TP 26 TPO

v v v v v v

Stephen Mulliner Jeff Dawson Tony Stephens Jeff Dawson Stephen Mulliner Debbie Cornelius

16 0 0 9 6 13

BLUE BLOCK - FINAL RESULTS

Winner, Jeff Dawson, undefeated; second, Aaron Westerby; third, Lewis Palmer; fourth, Simon Williams.

Aaron Westerby Robert Rebuschatis Aaron Westerby Simon Williams Robert Rebuschatis	26 TP 26 26 26 22	v v v v v	Colin Pickering Rhys Thomas Rhys Thomas Colin Pickering Simon Williams	22 4 0 0 14
Jeff Dawson Jeff Dawson Lewis Palmer Lewis Palmer Rhys Thomas Aaron Westerby	26 26 TP 26 TP 26 26 26 TP	v v v v v v	Colin Pickering Aaron Westerby Colini Pickering Rhys Thomas Simon Williams Simon Williams	0 9 0 9 9 0
Jeff Dawson Jeff Dawson Lewis Palmer Colin Pickering Colin Pickering	26 TP 26 TP 26 TP 26 26 TP	v v v v v	Lewis Palmer Rhys Thomas Robert Rebuschatis Rhys Thomas Robert Rebuschatis	23 1 0 0 0
Jeff Dawson Jeff Dawson Aaron Westerby Aaron Westerby Simon Williams	26 26 TP 26 TP 26 26 TP	v v v v v	Robert Rebuschatis Simon Williams Lewis Palmer Robert Rebuschatis Lewis Palmer	9 2 6 1 2

RED BLOCK - FINAL RESULTS

Winner, Debbie Cornlius, undefeated; second, Steve Jones; third, Chris Clarke; fourth, Jeff Newcombe.

Debbie Cornelius Debbie Cornelius Steve Jones Steve Jones Jeff Newcombe	26 TP 26 TP 26 TP 26 26 TP	v v v v v	Ren Kraft Rod Williams Jeff Newcombe Rod Williams Ren Kraft	0 1 9 1 10
Chris Clarke Chris Clarke Steve Jones Ren Kraft Jeff Newcombe Rod Williams	26 TPO 26 TP 26 TP 26 26 23	v v v v v v	Steve Jones Ren Kraft Phil Arnold Rod Williams Phil Arnold Jeff Newcombe	13 0 1 24 17 21
Phil Arnold Phil Arnold Debbie Cornelius Debbie Cornelius Steve Jones	26 20 26 TPO 26 26	v v v v v	Chris Clarke Ren Kraft Chris Clarke Steve Jones Ren Kraft	23 17 14 25 4
Chris Clarke Chris Clarke Debbie Cornelius Debbie Cornelius Rod Williams	26 TP 26 TPO 26 24 TPOT 26	v v v v v	Jeff Newcombe Rod Williams Phil Arnold Jeff Newcombe Phil Arnold	0 19 0 23 22

BLACK BLOCK - FINAL RESULTS

Winner, Tony Stephens, with four wins; second, Toby Garrison; third, Steve Comish; fourth, Leo McBride.

Leo McBride Mik Mehas Tony Stephens Tony Stephens Harley Watts	26 24 26 26 TP 26	v v v v v	Harley Watts Erv Peterson Leo McBride Erv Peterson Mik Mehas	17 9 14 2 5
Steve Comish Toby Garrison Mik Mehas Tony Stephens Harley Watts Harley Watts	26 26 TP 26 26 TP 23 26	v v v v v v	Erv Peterson Mik Mehas Steve Comish Toby Garrison Tony Stephens Erv Peterson	4 0 21 0 22 4
Toby Garrison Leo McBride Leo McBride Mik Mehas Tony Stephens	26 26 TP 26 TP 26 26 TP	v v v v v	Steve Comish Toby Garrison Mik Mehas Tony Stephens Steve Comish	0 12 9 4 0
Steve Comish Steve Comish Toby Garrison Toby Garrison Erv Peterson	26 TP 26 TP 26 26 TP 26	v v v v v	Leo McBride Harley Watts Erv Peterson Harley Watts Leo McBride	0 1 12 6 16

YELLOW BLOCK - FINAL RESULTS

Winner, Stephen Mulliner, undefeated; second, Wayne Rodoni; third, Shane Davis; fourth, Jerry Stark.

Stephen Mulliner Stephen Mulliner Wayne Rodoni Jerry Stark Jerry Stark	26 26 TP 26 TP 26 26	v v v v v	Mohammad Kamal Wayne Rodoni Tony LeMoignan Mohammad Kamal Tony LeMoignan	0 0 0 2 15
Shane Davis Brett Hewitt Stephen Mulliner Stephen Mulliner Wayne Rodoni Wayne Rodoni	26 26 26 TP 26 TP 26 TP 26 TP	v v v v v v	Tony LeMoignan Tony LeMoignan Brett Hewitt Jerry Stark Shane Davis Jerry Stark	0 13 0 11 23 11
Brett Hewitt Brett Hewitt Tony LeMoignan Stephen Mullineer Stephen Mullineer	26 26 TP 22 26 TP 26 TP	v v v v v	Shane Davis Mohammad Kamal Mohammad Kamal Shane Davis Tony LeMoignan	23 2 21 9 14
Shane Davis Shane Davis Wayne Rodoni Wayne Rodoni Jerry Stark	26 TP 26 26 TP 26 TP 26 TP	v v v v v	Mohammad Kamal Jerry Stark Brett Hewitt Mohammad Kamal Brett Hewitt	0 0 9 0 12

Thanks to John Taylor and Mike Orgill for making possible these daily report in CROQUET WORLD ONLINE MAGAZINE. See our report on the final day on Tuesday.