BAGUIO CITY – One of the top bowling events in the country that attracts the best bowlers who carry Philippine colors in international competitions enters its second decade when the 11th SCTBA Prima Pasta Open Masters Championships will be staged on March 17-22 at the Puyat Bowling Lane at the Baguio Center Mall, organizers said on Thursday.
The tournament will have the national matchplay champions in Merwin Tan and Lara Posadas who are expected to give defending champion Kenneth Chua a run for his money in the event which offers PHP50,000 to the winner from the close to PHP500,000 purse.
Co-organizer Nikko Jayson Go said some 150 players from all over the Philippines will be in Baguio for the six-day annual event presented by Prima Pasta.
“Definitely the Philippine team members will be here,” said the college professor, now Baguio’s top ten-pin bowler who placed eighth last year and half of the organizing Go brother tandem, with brother John Paul, a banker, and considered two of the city’s best bowlers.
They are sons of Kafagway Sports Awards top lifetime male bowler Peter Go.
The elder Go’s female counterpart is Bec Watanabe.
Chua topped last year’s masters tournament by beating Tyrone Ongpauco of Tenpin Bowling Association of Makati – Prima 194-167 in the finals, Ongpauco wound up second after finishing ahead of Philippine Youth member Kayle Abad in the semifinals 187-181 who landed on the third.
Chua finished the 10 game-elimination round with a total of 2,341 pinfalls on an average 234 pinfalls. He actually finished 26 pinfalls ahead of Ongpauco, whose late charge fell short.
Abad wound up third with 2,297, denying Asian Youth Champion Tan the last slot to the step ladder finals as the latter came up with a 10-game total of 2,260.
Tan helped the Philippine bowling team to a silver finish in the four-man team competitions in the recent South East Asian Games.
Abad actually needed a 10th game charge to take the last finals slot and outbowled Tan 235-190, a 45 pin advantage to overtake the latter who was leading by eight pins after the penultimate game.
The semis saw Abad taking on Ongpuaco, with the winner advancing to the finals against the waiting Chua.
Rounding up last year’s top eight were GJ Buyco of Bowling Tenpin Association – Prima with 2,259 pinfalls; followed by Krizzia Tabora of Sta. Lucia East Tenpin Bowling Association with 2,188; Alexis Sy, who helped salvage a bronze medal for the foursome in the SEAG, with 2,183 and Go of the organizing Summer Capital Tenpin Bowling Association – Prima with 2,145 pinfalls.
Posadas managed to land 11th with 2,114 pinfalls.
The masters first runner up will get PHP25,000 plus a trophy, with the second runner up and third runners-up getting PHP13,000 and PHP5,000 each.
The top female player if none gets to the top three will get PHP6,000 for her effort.
Meanwhile, PHP40,000 will go to the graded champion, with the losing finalist banking in PHP20,000.
The third placer will get PHP10,000, while the rest in the top six get PHP4,000, PHP2,000, and PHP1,000 each.
The top female player gets PHP5,000 if none gets into the top three.
The same prices will be given in the associated and seniors division. The top youth player, on the other hand, will get PHP15,000, while the first runner up will go home PHP8,000 the richer.
The third and fourth placers receive PHP4,000 and the top junior goes home with a PHP2,000 reward.
A PHP10,000 purse awaits those who make a perfect 300 score.
Tan and Posadas will go to the SCTBA hosted event fresh from winning the National Matchplay Championships held last January 5 at the Coronado Lanes at Starmall in Mandaluyong City. (PNA)
