16th July, Hong Kong: 2015 AMF World Cup champion, Wu Siu Hong was denied victory in 2017 ABF Tour Hong Kong after narrowly losing to newly-crowned 43rd Hong Kong International Open champion, Ammar Tarrad of Saudi Arabia in the final.
Both title contenders suffered a split but recovered with a strike in their first two frames of the men's final match. And when the Saudi stumbled to another split in the third frame, Wu was ahed by ten pins.
Ammar struck in the fourth to draw level but could not roll another strike on the tricky lane 35. The local crowd cheered on their favourite when Wu struck in the fifth frame to move ahead again. The match was leaning towards Wu until he failed to convert a single-pin spare in the sixth frame.
Both struck in the ninth frame but Wu needed another strike in the tenth frame to have any chance of taking victory. Wu delivered a seemingly perfect shot but left a stubborn pin 10 standing which he subsequently spare.
Wu receiving cheque from Ms Vivien Lau
Although Ammar did not spare his final frame, it was enough for the 29-year-old Saudi national elite team mamber to take victory, 202-201 for his second consecutive title in two days.
The champion had reached the final after ousting Aseel Alroomi, 232-198 in the first semi-final match. He also defeated Ernest Kwok of Hong Kong, 203-200 in the first round and Lee Gyo Hwan of Korea, 257-235 in the second round en-route to winning the title, a trophy and a prize of US$500.
Wu, who settled for the first-runner-up position to take home US$300, edged Annop Arromsaranon of Thailand, 236-232 in the other semi to progress to the final. Last year's men champion, Michael Mak crashed out in the opening round to the Kuwaiti.
Meanwhile any chance of a home victory for Hong Kong women was dashed when Milki Ng lost to 2017 ABF Tour Macau leg champion, Putty Armein of Indonesia, 212-265 in the second semi-final match.
2015 ABF Tour Indonesia leg champion, Nadia Pramanik defeated team-mate and 2017 ABF Tour Macau leg women's champion, Putty Armein, 243-211 in the all-Indonesia final to give her team a second women's title following Sharon Limansantoso's victory in the 43rd Hong Kong International Open yesterday.
Nadia beat another team-mate, Alisha Nabila, 234-208 in yet another all-Indonesia semi-final match to reach the final. The champion dispatched sole-Thai finalist, Angkana Netrvseth, 245-224 in the opening round before beating newly-crowned Chinese Taipei Open champion, Wang Ya-Ting, 232-197 to advance to the semi.
Milki Ng the second runner-up receiving cheque
Chan Shuk Han of Hong Kong was also eliminated in her opening round after losing to Alisha, 191-232. Ms Vivien Lau, ABF Tour Committee Chairman and World Bowling Secretary General was on hand to present the trophies to the champions and cheques to the top four winners of both the divisions.
The ABF Tour Hong Kong 2017 leg is the fourth of six legs to be staged in East Asia this year with the official host broadcaster, i-Cable TV providing live TV coverage from SCAA Bowling Centre to several countries in Asia. The next stop will be in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 15. For further information and details, please contact ABF Tour Committee at Tel: +852 2893 6039, Fax: +852 2893 6290; Email: hktbc@netvigator.com.
Photos by Terence Yaw in Hong Kong, China.
| Back |