Twenty-six-year-old Doody completed the biggest week of his career with a straight sets win - 9-5, 9-7 - before a vocal home crowd at Darebin International Sports Centre.
The rank outsider told his boss prior to the knockout tournament that he expected to be back at work on Tuesday. However, the smiling assassin Doody rode a wave of support to claim the nation’s top bowls title.
Doody dominated the first set of the final from the outset and held off a gallant Caundle late in the second to secure the match and $18,000 cheque with a superb final bowl.
“It’s definitely one of the best wins in my lifetime so far, that’s just awesome,” Doody said after the final.
“From the first end of the match things just fell into place for me and I felt so comfortable out there, it wasn’t quite the perfect match like my semi-final (against Queensland’s Mark Casey) but it was still a pretty good one.”
Caundle was left to lament his missed opportunity.
“I just really struggled to find the pace of the green,” Caundle said.
“He kept nailing the jack with one bowl and I couldn’t get back into it, before I knew it the first set was gone.”
But it was Doody’s delight for the second day in a row.
Despite having never won a singles title of significance – he lists his greatest achievement before today as his second place in a club singles tournament – Doody handled the big stage with aplomb.
He said his path to the final, which included wins over world No. 1 Greg Harlow and Australian star Casey, had instilled belief.
“I was definitely nervous just before the game but once we had roll-up things settled and I was fine,” Doody said.
“I feel like I can match it with any one now and that came from my win over Greg Harlow earlier in the week.”
Doody said the support from the stands was also a factor.
“They were inspirational,” he said.
“Yesterday I thought they would be cheering for Casey and today Caundle because they are really well known and respected players but they got behind me as the underdog.”
Earlier today Malaysian superstar Siti Zalina Ahmad enhanced her reputation as the best female bowler in the world with an awesome performance in the women's singles final.
Ahmad, who has won the past two Commonwealth Games singles gold medals, made a sensational start to the match against Kiwi Jo Edwards at the Darebin International Sports Centre in Melbourne.
After dominating the opening set with a seven shot advantage, the No.1 seed was forced into a tie-breaker as Edwards staged a gritty comeback to claim the second set.
Ahmad's perfect draw shot proved the difference as she took the match 10-3, 5-8, 2-1.
In the third final on ‘Super Saturday’ at the Open, Western Australia’s Therese Hastings and Noi Tucker held off Karen Murphy and Julie Keegan in the women’s pairs decider.