Serious lawn bowling

The Laguna Beach Lawn Bowling Club in Heisler Park is filled with visiting champions this week, as Mert Isaacman and Sam DeLisle host the fifth annual Michael Ashton-Phillips International Challenge.

Teams from Hong Kong to Wales participate. It has grown in prestige and now attracts top players.

Singles play ended this week with Canada’s Ryan Bester taking first place, Grant Logan, second; Wayne Hogg of Scotland, third; and Ireland’s Jim Baker, fourth. The teams are dueling in the doubles competition, which ends Saturday at the Newport Harbor Lawn Bowling Club.

English-born Ashton-Phillips, of Beverly Hills, was a champion lawn bowler who was selected to the U.S. National Team from 1994 to 2001.

— Candice Baker