Oxfordshire's Nick Rae-Welsh revelled in his first appearance for England in an international tournament in the United States – and is hungry for more.

The 29-year-old Headington bowler missed out on a place in the last four of the singles and pairs at the Michael Ashton-Phillips ‘MAP’ International Lawn Bowls Challenge in Southern California.

But he emerged with plenty of credit from the competition at the Newport Harbor and Laguna Beach clubs, recording three wins from his nine group matches in each discipline.

In the singles, he beat USA’s Phil Dunn 15-9, Israel’s Zvika Hadar 15-13 and Wales’s Andrew Fleming 15-14.

His defeats included a 15-10 loss to eventual winner Charlie Herbert, of the USA.

Playing with Surrey’s Ian Honnor in the pairs, Rae-Welsh defeated Herbert and his American partner Bill Brault 8-6, Israel’s Hadar and Danny Slodownik 14-6 and Ireland’s James Talbot and Mark McPeak, who finished runners-up, 12-6.

They also drew 9-9 against Canada’s Michael Larue and Steve McKerihen, while their five defeats included a 13-5 loss against eventual winners Iain McLean and Thomas Mann, from Scotland. “It was tough,” said Rae-Welsh. “I played quite well out there, but results didn’t quite go our way.

“It was a great experience as well. The guys that ran the competition and the hospitality was amazing.

“Nothing was too much trouble. They would do anything for you.

“People who have been before told me what it was going to be like. They told me I would enjoy it, but what they told me didn’t do it justice.

“It was an absolutely brilliant trip with the hospitality and the players over there.

“The Laguna Beach green was fantastic – on top of a cliff looking out over the ocean, so it was really good.

“I would love to go back again next year and give it another go.”

RESULTS

Singles

N Rae-Welsh (Eng) – bt P Dunn (USA) 15-9; lost to C Herbert (USA) 15-10; lost to S McKerihen (Can) 15-5; bt Z Hadar (Isr) 15-13; lost to J Wong (China) 15-14; lost to KK Yeung (HK) 15-11; lost to J Talbot (Ire) 15-9; lost to T Mann (Sco) 15-10; bt A Fleming (Wal) 15-14.

Pairs

N Rae-Welsh & I Honnor (Eng) – lost to M Isaacman & P Dunn (USA) 14-7; bt C Herbert & B Brault (USA) 8-6; drew with M Larue & S McKerihen (Can) 9-9; bt Z Hadar & D Slodownik (Isr) 14-6; lost to J Wong & YS Ying (China) 12-6; lost to J Keung & KK Yeung (HK) 9-7; bt J Talbot & M McPeak (Ire) 12-6; lost to I McLean & T Mann (Sco) 13-5; lost to A Fleming & C Blake (Wal) 11-8.