Miranda takes charge in Phl Open singles

MANILA, Philippines - Former Masters champion Raoul Miranda of MTBA/Phl carded a three-game series of 717 to seize the Class O men’s singles lead in the 42nd Philippine International Open tenpin bowling championships at the Sta. Lucia Center in Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall in Cainta, Rizal last Wednesday.

Miranda, the 2009 PIO titlist and a member of the national team, shot 207, 257 and 253 to finish ahead of six-time world champion Paeng Nepomuceno of PBC/Prima, who posted 667 (246-215-206) and youthful teammate Collins Jose (664).

TBAM/Prima/Phl’s Rachelle Leon and teammate Ren Cremen also sparkled by taking the Open all events and Class A singles’ top positions, respectively.

Leon submitted 1416 on separate series of 577 in singles, 391 (doubles) and 448 (team) to tow Krizziah Tabora (1382) and defending Masters champion Liza del Rosario (1372), while Cremen came through with 751 on sizzling games of 267, 254 and 230 to pull away from Pabs Penalba (658) and Merwin Tan (639).

TBAM/Prima’s Odjie Guerrero and Mar Serac also shone Wednesday together with PBA’s Nelia Santos in the 15-day kegfest sanctioned by WTBA and ABF, organized by the Philippine Bowling Congress in cooperation with Sta. Lucia Mall, Boysen Paints, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission and the PCSO and supported by the Universityof Perpetual Help System, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas and the National Bowling Tour.

Guerrero showed the way in two events – the Senior Men’s Masters qualifying round and the Toti Lopa Memorial Cup Masters eliminations; Serac  moved ahead in men’s Class A all events and Santos assumed the top spot in ladies’ Class A singles.

Guerrero tallied 1309 to pace SLETBA’s Rody Soriano (1254) and Atty. Boy de Leon, the PBC deputy secretary general (1199) in the senior Masters event, and posted 2020 to check in eight pins ahead of Nepomuceno (l902) and 148 over Ren Cremen in the Lopa Cup in memory of the late PBC president Ernesto “Toti” Lopa.

Serac recorded 1412 to overtake SLETBA’s Jessie Cremen (1394) and TBAM’s Mon Camba (1356) in all events, while Santos rolled a three-game series of 617 to overcome Lynn Tan (551) and Susan San Diego (524) in singles.