KIRKLISTON has provided the last four Green Jacket winners in the West Lothian Bowls Masters and have five of the 16 seeds in the 237-strong field chasing the £1000 first prize when the tenth playing of the tournament gets underway tonight.
Four are in the top five with holder Andrew Dunnett (No.1), Neil Speirs (2), John Aitken (3), and Grant Logan (5), followed by former national singles champion Raymond Logan (10).
Tonight's first-round action involves 26 venues around greater Wes
t Lothian, and Bathgate sets the scene for the appearance of 34-year old Dunnett, who opens his bid for a third Masters title against G Keery of Linlithgow, in Section One.
Each venue plays host to four ties and other achievers in action at Bathgate include Kenny Black of East Calder – a champion of champions runner-up – and twice County champion Mike Nelson of Broxburn.
Neil Speirs won the WLM in 2002 and the 29-year old twice-losing finalist is the major figure in Section Eight where he opens against J McKendrick of Stoneyburn at Whitburn.
This section is a hotbed of solid grassroots challengers but over and above there are notable figures like title-winning national fours skip Ian Laverie and his teenage Broxburn colleague Calum Logan.
Also, there's former Champion of Champions Scott Murphy of Linlithgow while lurking in the shadows is former Edinburgh starlet Eddie Christie, now of Bankton Mains. Stewart McMaster of Broxburn is the No.15 seed.
John Aitken faces Jimmy Smith of Philpstoun at Bankton Mains while others in the section with form include Sandy McDougall (Glenmavis), Stuart Affleck (Newbridge), Gary Orr (Linlithgow), and Glenn King of Bankton Mains.
Grant Logan opens against notable Pumpherston player Ally Greer at Bo'ness in Section 3.
Raymond Logan has come back into the limelight this season as the District Singles champion and opens against John Anderson of Bo'ness at Uphall Station.
The challenge to the Kirkliston dominance is led by No.4 seed Ewan Shearer, the 35-year old Bo'ness man, who won the Masters in 2001 and also has three Champion of Champions titles to his credit. He plays in Section Four and faces a tough opening teat at Kinneil tonight in the shape of Blair Mackie of Newbridge, who is the current District Under-25 champion and last year's winner of the WLBA Junior Open.
Graeme Munro of Middleton Hall, who operates in the Capital under the Tanfield banner, can make an impression, as can gold medal champion Kenny Logan of Buchan Park.
Graeme Archer (No.6) is a major threat to all and the former Sighthill ace opens in Section Six against S Lawrie of Bathgate at Newbridge. Others to note include No.11 seed Frazer Muirhead, Frank Barker (Oakbank) Steven Forrest (Kirkliston) and Gerry Duggan (Bathgate).
Scotland's 58-year team manager George Sneddon (No.8) opens in Section Two against DP Frew of Bridgeness at Bellsburn while No.9 seed Thomas Mann of Newbridge tackles D Welsh of Glenmavis at Bo'ness.
Brian Saunders (Bathgate) has good Masters form while junior cap Cameron Greer (Whitburn) also figures.
