28th November, Doha: Newly-crowned QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup champion, Wu Siu Hong topped Squad 7 with a stunning 1448 to qualify for Step 2 finals of the PBA-WBT #3 15th Qatar Bowling Open underway at Qatar International Bowling Centre on Saturday.
Fresh from becoming the first-ever Hong Kong bowler to win the prestigious World Cup in Las Vegas last week, Wu started off moderately with 198 in his opening game of his first attempt as Daniel Fransson of Sweden led with 248.
The Hong Kong national picked up his pace with a splendid 261 but continued to trail the Fransson by 69 pins after the Swede rolled a stunning 280 in the second game. Wu gradually reduced the lead to just 35 pins before the sixth and final game.
Wu ended stronger with 248 while Fransson managed only 207 to share top spot in the squad with 1448. Martin Larsen of Sweden and Osku Palermaa of Finland rolled the tournament's second and third perfect game in Game 4.
Wu Siu Hong topping Squad 7 to share second overall
Larsen finished third with 1363 while Palermaa managed only seventh with 1271. Wu's team-mate, Joshua Chow did well to finish fifth with 1295, just two pins behind Jassim Al-Muraikhi of Qatar in fourth position.
Rickle Kam took 13th in the squad with 1233, Eric Tseng 22nd with 1197 while two debutants, Jimmy Cheung and Lau Kwun Ho managed 36th and 41st respectively with 1120 and 1079.
Squad 6 leader and two-time 2015 ABF Tour champion, Ryan Lalisang of Indonesia took over the lead in the overall standings with 1467 after seven squads contested. Wu and Fransson tied second while Day 2 high series award winner, Mohammed Al-Merekhi of Qatar slipped to fourth with 1413.
Day 1 high series award winner and early leader, Mohammed Janahi of Bahrain rounded out the top five with 1405.
The cut for Step 2 finals is held by Hazeem Al-Muraikhi of Qatar with 1338. First perfect gamer, Zakareya Al-Zoqari of Qatar headed the second bracket in 11th position with 1335 and the cut in 34th position went to Taisier Al-Qusei of Palestine with 1252.
Six Hong Kong national bowlers at Qatar International Bowling Center
Qualifiers positioned 1 to 10 will earn one bye and qualify for Step 2 finals. Qualifiers positioned 11 to 34 (24 players) will qualify for Step 1 finals together with the top three from the desperado squad.
The top two qualifiers from Day 1, top two from Day 2 and top two from Day 3 not in positions 1 to 34, will also make the cut for the Step 1 finals. The 15th Qatar Bowling Open, a major World Bowling Tour, is the third stop of the 2016 PBA-WBT.
The champion will walk away with the top prize of US$40,000 and PBA bowlers will be awarded an international PBA title Qualifying will continue with three days and will end on December 1 followed by the one-game desperado squad for the top finishers to join the Step 1 finals.
Photos by Terence Yaw in Doha, Qatar.
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