After announcing his engagement last November in Sheffield, England's top-ranked bowler Greg Harlow - from Ely in Cambridgeshire - returns to the Yorkshire city this week to celebrate his honeymoon, while defending his title in the Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay Championship.
The World Bowls Tour event - featuring the top eight players in the WBT World Rankings - will take place at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, for the second year, from 10-11 July.
Harlow married his long-time partner Kay on Saturday in Ely, supported by many of his World Bowls Tour colleagues and leading figures from the world of indoor bowls.
The following day, the world number two celebrated his 40th birthday!
"The wedding date was planned well over a year ago," said Harlow, one of the few leading bowlers who does not play the outdoor game. "July is normally a quiet month for me - we've never played a WBT event this month before, and I never dreamt we would this year!"
So Mr and Mrs Harlow will be spending part of their first week of married life together in Sheffield before jetting off to Mexico for a delayed honeymoon.
Victory in the inaugural Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay Championship last year gave Harlow his fourth successive WBT title triumph in Sheffield.
"Having done so well in the city, I get a special feeling whenever I go to Sheffield now - you go with an extra spring in your step," conceded the title-holder. "I can't wait to get back onto the portable rink at Ponds Forge."
With the Co-operative Funeralcare-sponsored event joining last month's Matchroom Premier League Bowls as new televised events on the circuit over the past year, Harlow is upbeat about the state of elite indoor bowls today.
"There's a real 'feel-good' factor about the game at the moment with these two new events on Sky Sports - and the players are really responding," said the Ely ace. "Hopefully we can go from strength to strength."
But Harlow admitted that recent events may not have provided the ideal preparation for the defence of his Ponds Forge title: "Practice might have suffered a bit.
"But I'll be ready for a week in Mexico - it'll give us the chance to chill out!"
Action from the Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay Championship will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, followed by recorded highlights.
1st round draw:
[1] Greg Harlow (ENG) v [8] Andy Thomson (ENG)
[4] Jason Greenslade (WAL) v [5] Paul Foster (SCO)
[3] David Gourlay (AUS) v [6] Mark Royal (ENG)
[2] Alex Marshall (SCO) v [7] Mervyn King (ENG)
Play gets underway at 1.00pm on Thursday 10 July, with first round matches continuing at 3.00pm, 6.00pm and (approx) 8.00pm. Friday's semi-finals kick off at 2.00pm, with the final scheduled at 7.00pm.
Official website: www.worldbowlstour.com Watch all of the action live - and re-live the excitement of all matches as replays, downloads and on DVD - on www.247.tv
Thanks to Howard Harding