New Zealand's Shannon McIlroy leads the way in men's section one after the first day of competition at the World Bowls Singles Champion of Champions event in New South Wales in Australia ©Getty Images

Reigning world champion Shannon McIlroy of New Zealand leads the way in men’s section one after the first day of competition at the World Bowls Singles Champion of Champions event in New South Wales in Australia.

The 31-year-old made a perfect start to his campaign at St Johns Park Bowling Club, winning all three of his matches.

He firstly beat Fiji's Surend Prasad 10-3, 10-7 before defeating Canada's Jerome Kirby 9-3, 13-6 and Argentina's Ralph Goodliffe 18-2, 13-4.

Rounds four to six, out of a total of 13, are scheduled for tomorrow.

Wales' Roger Jones will be looking to continue his impressive start to men’s section two having moved himself into first place with an unbeaten record from his three outings.

Jones had wins today against Spain's Brian Robertson - 12-8, 15-5 - as well as Switzerland's Thomas Schneiter - 15-5, 20-2 - and the United States' Charlie Herbert - 9-5, 9-8.

Just behind him in the rankings is home favourite Lee Schraner, who has also yet to lose a match.

Norfolk Island's Carmen Anderson, pictured here on the right during the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, occupies first place in section two of the women's event ©Getty Images
Norfolk Island's Carmen Anderson, pictured here on the right during the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, occupies first place in section two of the women's event ©Getty Images

In the women’s event, Singapore's Tammy Tham and the Norfolk Island's Carmen Anderson top the section one and two standings respectively.

Tham started the day by overcoming Botswana's Deliwe Kitsiso 11-3, 15-0 and then went onto beat Australia's Colleen Orr 9-7, 14-2 and Argentina's Alicia Olaverria 12-4, 14-2.

Anderson, meanwhile, opened with a 10-3, 18-0 victory over Cyprus' Hazel Bagshaw and followed it up by defeating Malaysia's Nurul Alyani Jamil 17-3, 3-12, 5-0 and Macau's Hilda Tam 10-5, 14-2.

An elite field of 54 players from 32 countries are competing at the 16th edition of the event, which was first held in Australian town Moama in 2003.

The field is made up of 28 men and 26 women.

Qualifying rounds will take place over the first five days, with the semi-finals scheduled for Saturday (November 3) and the finals for Sunday (November 4).

"It's very exciting to have enthusiastic players from around the world competing on our greens," David Marsh, the chief executive of St Johns Park Bowling Club, was reported as saying by the Fairfield City Champion.