For just the second time in Australian Open history, a Western Australian won the Australian Open women’s singles crown, with 32-year-old Butler saluting in a final to remember. 

Before the tournament commenced, just one player outside of the Jackaroos had also only ever clinched the player of the tournament honour in the form of Ryan Bester in 2018. 

But Butler was able to make her own history by enjoying a run that will go down in the event’s folklore for decades to come which saw her clinch that title too. 

But let’s focus on the coveted singles. 

The Switzerland international and Western Australian was inspiring in her run to the title, eliminating the likes of Lynsey Clarke and Chloe Stewart before taking down Kelsey Cottrell in the decider. 

Butler went head-to-head with Club Helensvale’s Cottrell in a rematch of their 2023 singles semi-final, with Butler flipping the script on that result. 

The Manning, WA star jumped out of the blocks to settle her nerves against the newly crowned world number one, leading 4-0 after two ends. 

Cottrell settled into the contest with five consecutive singles to take the lead. 

Shots went back and forth during the middle stages of the game, but six shots on the run took Cottrell to a 19-16 lead. 

Butler held her nerve and fought back with an immediate three to level scores at 19-19. 

Butler would go on to collect the winning shots on the next end to hand Cottrell a second consecutive singles final loss and collect her second Australian Open title after winning last year’s fours. 

Following this win, Butler is now ranked No. 9 Female bowler in the world under the new World Bowls Series rankings. 

The victory was made even more special for Butler, playing the final while pregnant. 

So, who is Laura Butler? 

Occupation? I currently work as a nanny; I do book-keeping, and I am the WA Drakes Pride sales representative.  

Club? Manning Bowling Club, Western Australia  

Bowls used? Drakes Pride Adrenalines, size 3  

How and when did you start playing bowls? I started playing when I was 14 with my dad at North Perth Bowling Club just across the road from our house.  

First bowls achievement? It’s difficult to remember, but one that stands out is when I won my first state event (WA state pairs) when I was 19 years old.  

Other bowls achievements? Representing WA and Switzerland have been a highlight in my bowls career. Being able to play with and against some of the best players in Australia has been great for my own development as a player.  

Life after winning the women’s singles at the Australian Open? As an amateur bowler, life hasn’t changed that much. I’m back at work and happy to be back home with my husband and dog after a whirlwind two weeks away on the Gold Coast.  

What’s the feeling like of winning the pinnacle event in the women’s tournament? It’s definitely not something I ever thought I would achieve. I am still very much on cloud nine and can’t quite believe it. To have my name on a trophy with the likes of Kelsey Cottrell is unreal.  

Thoughts going into the tourney and more importantly the final against the legend that is Kelsey Cottrell? I didn’t have great expectations going into the singles competition this year, being more focussed on the fours and pairs. However, once I got a few games under my belt I felt like I had a good rhythm and a game plan that had worked against some strong opposition. This gave me confidence going into the final and I felt if I could continue to play consistently like I had been I could hopefully have a competitive game against Kelsey, and with some luck maybe even win.  

And what about the other competitions you were involved in? I was very pleased with our campaigns in the fours and pairs. After having won the AO fours last year we were all excited to get back and try our best to defend our title. Unfortunately, we fell short against a strong opposition skippered by my good friend Kristina Krstic. Playing the pairs with Olivia Cartwright was great fun. We were very happy to have reached the semi final this year. 

And all while you are pregnant too. Congratulations! When is the baby due and how did you find bowling with a bump? Thank you! The baby is due at the end of October. I think I’m pretty lucky in that the bump wasn’t too big to be a problem for me at the Australian Open. But I did use a lifter to help me get through a really tough two weeks!  

How many times have you played in the AO? I have played in the AO for a few years now that it is played on the stunning Gold Coast. Its such a fantastic event, with so many great clubs to visit as well as there being plenty to do on the Gold Coast on a day off from bowls.  

Born in Switzerland, how have you come to live on the other side of the world? My family moved to Australia when I was 7 years old. My parents were attracted to Australia because of the weather and also the work life balance they could achieve owning their own business.  

Your success in the AO has seen you jump up the World Bowls Series ranking list. How does it feel to be the ninth seeded player now? Wow! When I started playing, I never could have imagined my name next to a world ranking. To be in the top 10 is surreal.  

How important is the ranking list for the future of bowls? I don’t feel I’m in a position to comment on the impact that the ranking list will have on the future of bowls. Of course, I hope that bowls continues to grow in popularity around the world and can be enjoyed by players of all abilities.  

What’s next on the bowls calendar? Moving into the later stages of pregnancy is having an impact on how much I will be playing in the near future but I’m looking forward to a new chapter in life. I’m sure I will be back to playing competitively soon.  

What are your aims in bowls? I would love to be able to achieve a medal at a World Bowls Championship one day. Playing at World Bowls for the first-time last year was a great experience and has definitely made me more hungry to work on my skills and be more competitive against the world’s best.  

What’s your advice to anyone taking up bowls? Bowls is a fantastic sport for anyone of any age. My advice would be to start playing young! That way you get to be part of this great sport for so many more years.