Jose, Yap top Masters qualifier in International Open bowling

MANILA, Philippines - Youth bowler Collins Jose and comebacking Cecilia Yap produced their finest forms Friday to top the men’s and ladies Class O Masters qualifiers of the 38th Philippine International Open Tenpin Bowling Championships at Paeng’s Midtown Bowl at the Robinsons Place in Malate, Manila.

The Asian Youth Games-bound Jose, a bronze medalist in last month’s Asian Schools Championships, racked up a six-game series of 1,420 pinfalls in moving past overnight leader Biboy Rivera (1,417) in the local pool in the event sponsored by the University of Perpetual Help System, Department of Tourism, Amway Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission, Chowking, Colgate-Palmolive, The City Bowling Shop, USAct, Pearl Garden Hotel, Nestle Philippines, Paeng’s Midtown Bowl, Goldbridge and Pan Pacific Manila, the tournament’s official hotel. Erstwhile leader Richie Poblete (1407) dropped to third behind Rivera, the 2006 world masters champion.

Four-time World Cup titlist and International Hall of Famer Paeng Nepomuceno, carrying the colors PBC-Prima-Nutrilite, also qualified for Open Masters finals checking in ninth with 1372 in the kegfest organized by the Philippine Bowling Congress and sanctioned by the World Tenpin Bowling Association and Asian Bowling Federation.

Hong Kong’s Wu Shiu Hong, who scored the tournament’s second perfect game last Wednesday, led the overseas pool with 1504, followed by Kuwait’s Rakan Al Amiri (1,438) and another Hong Kong kegler, Wicky Yeung, (1,422) in third.

In the distaff side, Yap, who won the trios gold medal with Liza del Rosario and Liza Clutario in the 2003 World Championships, was in vintage form in carding a six-game series of 1,357 to bag the No. 1 ranking in the ladies’ Class O masters, relegating youth bowler Lara Posadas into second place (1,348). Defending Ladies’ titlist Krizziah Tabora checked in third with 1337, Two-time RP Open winner Liza Del Rosario was closing out at fourth place (1304).

The Malaysian juggernaut continued to hold sway in the Ladies’ Open overseas pool when all top three positions were occupied by the visitors. Tang Joh Six and Tengku Emania shared top spot with similar 1,328 cards, while Sin Li Jane came in third with 1308.

The leaderboard in other divisions remained unchanged as the tournament goes into its penultimate day with the Graded Masters finals and Round 1 of the Open Masters taking place. The stepladder finals in both the men’s and ladies’ Class O masters are scheduled today. The men’s masters champion bags a whopping P250,000 while the ladies’ masters champ pockets P100,000.