6th July, Hong Kong, China: Hong Kong's James Lui and Macau's Veronica De Souza stole the limelight at the 47th Hong Kong International Open Bowling Championships by capturing the Men's and Women's Open Masters titles with victory in the Stepladder finals.
2023 Macao China International Open champion and top-seed, Lui easily defeated second-seed and challenger, Lee Tak Man of Macau, China 278-212 to win his second career open title. The Hong Kong national bowler got off the match with a double strike and after a marked frame in the third, Lui fired six consecutive strikes to put the match beyond his opponent.
Lee had a costly single-pin miss in the fourth frame and another unlucky split in the sixth frame and never recovered from then on. Lee had dispatched third-seed, Jang Tae Joon of KNSU, Korea and team-mate, Keith Mark Siu Ki, 278-234-254 in the second semi-final match to face Lui in the final.
Men's Open top 3 winners, Lee Tak Man, James Lui and Jang Tae Joon
Fifth-seed Mark cruised to a comfortable victory over fourth-seed, Lim Seung Min of KNSU, Korea and sixth-seed, Jovan Chua of Singapore, 267-242-202 in the first semi-final match. Chua had tied with last year's first runner-up, Michael Mak on 1961 at the end of the Stage 2 finals earlier.
Chua won the one-game tie-breaker 277-233 to proceed to the Stepladder finals in sixth position. Lui topped the finals with 2075, just one pin ahead of Lee in second with 2074. The two Koreans, Jang and Lim finished third and fourth positions with 2061 and 2016 respectively followed by Mark in fifth with 1964.
The 28-year-old Lui picked up HK$60,000 (approx. US$7,800) as champion. Lee settled for HK$30,000 as first runner-up while Jang took home HK$16,000 as second runner-up.
In the Women's division, Veronica De Souza of Macau, China finally won her first international open crown after starting to bowl competitively almost 17 years ago. But she had to work doubly hard for the victory. De Souza won the first match, 253-235 against top-seed, Shinta Ceysaria Yunita of Jawa Timur, Indonesia to force a sudden deciding second match.
De Souza edged the Indonesian, 231-221 in the second match to capture the Women's Open Masters crown. Seeded third, De Souza ousted second-seed, Nora Lyana Nastasia of Malaysia and team-mate, Sharon Limansantoso, 245-222-223 in the second semi-final match.
Fourth-seed Limansantoso trashed fifth-seed and team-mate, Putty Armein and sixth-seed, Gigi Leung of Hong Kong, China, 267-215-207 in the first semi-final match to advance to the second match. Ceysaria Yunita topped the earlier Stage 2 finals with 2039, 68 pins ahead of Nastasia in second with 1971.
Women's Open top 3 winners, Shinta Ceysaria, Veronica De Souza and Nora Lyana Nastasia
De Souza finished claimed with 1957 while the two Indonesians, Limansantoso and Armein finished fourth and fifth with 1926 and 1892. Leung clinched the sixth and final Stepladder spot with 1874.
De Souza earned HK$32,000 as champion leaving Ceysaria Yunita HK$16,000 as first runner-up. Nastasia picked up HK$8,000 as second runner-up. Ms Camay Lee, Assistant Director of Leisure and Cultural Department was on hand to present the trophies to the Women's Open Masters winners at the victory banquet held at Courtyard by Marriot, Kowloon.
Mr Cheng King Leung, Chariman, Community Sports Committee member, Leisure and Cultural Department gave away the tropies to the Men's Open Masters winners.
Related stories:
Three Hong Kong nationals make Stage Two
Top three local qualifying positions changes
Hong Kong youth wins maiden title
Hong Kong national tops qualifying table
Cream of the crop to gather for the 47th Hong Kong International Open
Photos by Terence Yaw in Hong Kong.
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