Mike Cornell – the first New Zealand World Grand Master

By Anna Gudge In News On 21st June 2023

Congratulations to Mike Cornell on becoming the first World Grand Master from New Zealand and from Zone 7.

In a representative career spanning more than 40 years, Mike’s standout tournament (so far!) has been the 2016 World Bridge Games in Wroclaw. He and long-time partner Ash Bach made the quarterfinals of the Open Teams, and then stormed home with a spectacular 75.4% in the last 10 board segment of the Open Pairs to tie for first.

By winning the Zone 7 Playoff just completed in Hong Kong, Mike gathered the last 0.5 Placing Points he needed to gain the WBF’s highest title.