RP’s Yap rules Malaysian International bowl

The Philippines’ Cecilia Yap capped a remarkable campaign in the 24th Malaysian International Open Bowling Championships Saturday, nipping two-time World Cup champion Tseng Su-fen of Taiwan in sudden death to rule the Ladies Open crown in Kuala Lumpur.

Chester King nearly completed a sweep by the Filipino bowlers in this prestigious event as he lost to Swede Tomas Leandersson in another thrilling sudden death in the final of the men’s event.

The 23-year-old Yap, the overnight leader ahead of Malaysia’s Wendy Chai, maintained her tremendous form in the second block with lines of 188, 199, 206, 258, 200, 193, 190 and 216 for a 16-game total of 3,442 pinfalls. She averaged 215.13.

Yap won the sudden-death on 199-183 after losing the opening game 173-212 to win the top purse of $1,500.

"My performance today was a bit different from yesterday’s. I struggled a lot but hung on there to win the title. I’m happy that I was able to win a big tournament," said Yap, who won the Singapore Open as well as the Singapore Masters Cup last year.

Taiwan’s Wang Yu-ling ended in second spot with 3,292 pins while Lee Mi-young of South Korea finished third with 3,267.

In the men’s final, Leandersson ended Europe’s 13-year wait when the 35-year-old reigning AMF Bowling World Cup champion upstaged King in a sudden-death stepladder final 233-207, despite losing the first game, 202-212.

Leandersson, who was 19 pins behind Tore Torgersen of Norway after the final first block of eight games Friday, played consistently with lines of 249, 276, 216, 245, 214, 174, 214 and 206 in Saturday’s second block.

He collected 3,599 pinfalls, averaging 224.94, while Finn Tom Hahl, playing for Singapore, finished second with 3,465 pins, followed by Torgersen on 3,444.

"I think I was a bit lucky today. (King) bowled very well, but maybe he couldn’t cope with the pressure. It was really good to bowl against Asian top bowlers here and win the title for Europe," said Leandersson, who was the 1999 World Bowler of the Year.

It was Leandersson’s countryman, Tony Rosenquist, who won the last title for Europe back in 1988, while Swedish kegler Mats Karlsson bagged the title twice, in 1982 and 1983.

King, who finished fourth after the final second block with 3,370 pins, stepped up against last year’s Asian Bowling Tour Grand Slam Finals winner Wang Yu-jen of Taiwan and Thailand’s Mayura Siriphol in the first game of the step-ladder and won 232-203-192.

In the second game, he outclassed Torgersen and Hahl 247-211-181 before bowing out to Leandersson, who made two turkeys in the sudden-death en route for the 233 score.