MANILA, Philippines - Defending ladies’ Masters champion Liza del Rosario of TBAM/Prima/Phl and young Collins Jose of TBAM/Prima produced high games to show the way in the Class O singles event of the 42nd Philippine International Open tenpin bowling championships Tuesday at the Sta. Lucia Center in Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall in Cainta.
Del Rosario carded 622 pinfalls on lines of 233, 188 and 201 to lead MTBA/Phl’s Liza Clutario (613) and TBAM/Prima/Phl’s Madeline Llamas (582) in the ladies’ division.
Twenty-one-year-old Jose, a fresh management graduate from San Beda-Alabang and a member of the national team pool, collected games of 233, 175 and 256 for 664 to inch ahead of TBAM/Prima/Phl’s Enzo Hernandez (659) and BALP’s Angel Tolentino Jr. (650).
Six-time world champion Paeng Nepomuceno of PBC/Prima saw action for the first time in the Open Masters qualifying event, but his 1140 series was good only for fifth spot, behind the 1366 of MTBA/Phl’s Raoul Miranda, 1247 of PBAP/Bowlmart/Phl’s Jeff Carabeo, 1174 of TBAM/Prima’s Richie Poblete and 1143 of PBAP/Bowlmart’s Gene Basa.
Other leading singles scorers in the 15-day tourney sanctioned by the WTBA and ABF, organized by the Philippine Bowling Congress in cooperation with Sta. Lucia Mall, Boysen Paints, the Philippine Olympic Committee, the Philippine Sports Commission and the PCSO and supported by University of Perpetual Help System, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas and the National Bowling Tour were Pabs Penalba, Lynn Tan. Rody Soriano and Dina Granada.
SLETBA’s Penalba tallied 658 (186-218-254) to pace TBAM/Prima’s Merwin Tan (639) and SLETBA’s Dennis Ramirez (616), while Tan posted 551 (179-179-193) to move ahead of PBA’s Nelia Santos (525) and SLETBA’s Susan San Diego (524) in Class A, and SLETBA’s Soriano submitted 651 (202-231-218) to lead teammates Ted Victorino (542) and Tony Gamo (609) while TBAM/PSB’s Granada shot 567 (173-201-193) to finish ahead of TBAM/Prima’s Jasha Jaron (553) and MTBA’s Tess Eusebio (539) in Class B.
SLETBA’s Jessie Cremen put together scores of 533 in singles, 461 in doubles and 400 in team to dislodge TBAM’s Mon Camba (1356) as Class A all-events frontrunner. Camba slipped to second while PBA’s Nilo Penado dropped to third with 1325.
More than P600,000 is up for grabs in the tourney, according to PBC president Ronnie Mendoza.