26th March, K.Lumpur: Young stars stole the limelight at the ABF Tour - Canon Malaysia Leg 2005 on Day One when Singapore and Malaysia bowlers occupied three each of the eight semifinals slots.

Singapore National Champion, Jazreel Tan was joined by teammates, Amanda Ng and Carl De Vries while Malaysia's Zulmazran Zulkifli, Mustafa Yassin and Sarah Yap all rolled into the semifinals with newly-crowned Malaysian Open champion, Wu Siu Hong and Filipina Liza Clutario.

Top-seed, Siti Safiyah Amirah of Malaysia, who yesterday became the youngest-ever bowler to emerge as champion in the 28th Malaysian International Open, was pitted against her teammate and last year's Tournament of Champions winner Wendy Chai. Both bowlers chalked up

impressive scores but it was the more experienced Chai who managed to edge out her opponent by one pin, finishing 268-267.

Chai however was stopped in her tracks in the second round by Filipina, Liza Clutario, 178-225 to take up the first semifinal spot. Clutario had earlier dispatched Zandra Aziela of Malaysia, 249-238 in the first round.

Malaysian Bowler of the Year, Shalin Zulkifli played against third-seed, Liza Del Rosario of the Philippines and bowled to a nine pin win, 201-192. However, Shalin did not have the same success against ABF Tour debutant Amanda Ng of Singapore in the second round and was knocked-out, 206-232 in an exciting televised match.

It was a good run for the first-timers in this tournament as 15-year-old Jazreel Tan of Singapore also makes it into the semifinals after defeating ex-national, Lai Kin Ngoh 216-189 in the other televised match and then Malaysian junior Christyn Chew, 203-200. She will meet Liza Clutario tomorrow.

Second-seed, Sarah Yap of Malaysia also managed an easy win over Chinese Taipei's Wang Ya Ting, 204-167 before advancing into the second round to defeat the other contender from Taipei, Wang Yu Ling 240-207. Yap moves onto the semifinals tomorrow and is up against Singapore's Amanda Ng, as the only Malaysian woman left in the tournament.

In the Men's division, Tournament of Champion 2004 winner and yesterday's Malaysian Open champion, Wu Siu Hong from Hong Kong continued on his winning run as he defeated Qatar Leg champion Alex Liew of Malaysia, 242-233 in a thrilling televised match, and stormed through another Malaysian, Syafiq Ridhwan, 255-187.

2005 Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championship triple Gold medalist, Zulmazran Zulkifli of Malaysia, defeated teammate, Aaron Kong 258-214 in the first round, and Korea's Kim Ko Woon, 249-242 in the second round match to stay in the tournament and will face Wu Siu Hong in tomorrow's semifinals.

Yesterday's Malaysian Open runner-up, Mustafa Yassin took up the last

semifinals spot after beating Wicky Yeung of Hong Kong, 227-191, and Chinese Taipei's Cheng Chao-Sheng, 224-184 in Round 2. He will face Carl De Vries from Singapore tomorrow.

High games of the day belong to Wendy Chai's 268 first round game against Siti Safiyah, and Filipino Joonee Gatchalian's 269 in the first round against local bowler Jonathan Lim.

The ABF Tour will comprise eight Legs and a Grand Final, the Tournament of Champions. Each Leg will be staged over one or two competition days where the top 16 men and 16 women bowlers from the preceding International Open Masters Event (Open Grade) will compete in a one-game match play knock-out competition for the individual men's and women's titles.

The Tournament of Champions will be staged over four competition days where the top 16 men and 16 women bowlers (based on ABF Tour ranking points), will qualify to compete over four rounds of competition for the coveted men's and women's ABF Tour Champion titles.

ABF Tour - Canon Malaysia Leg is organized by ABF in association with Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress and sponsored by Canon Marketing, Sunway Lagoon Resort, Malaysian Airlines and supported by Pyramid Megalanes.

The ABF Tour Malaysia matches was telecast LIVE on Astro Supersport and televised later on local television stations of the eight countries where the tour is being held. It is also broadcast later from parts of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, central Asia, China and Australasia with an estimated audience of around 90 million.

For further information and details please contact ABF Tour Committee Marketing and Event Management Division at Tel: (852) 2810 5191; Fax: (852) 28105192; Mr. Ritchie Lai (Mobile: (852) 93598669; email: ritchie.lai@tndgroup.com) or Mr. Kelvin Pong (Mobile: (852) 9100 0958; email: Kelvin.pong@tndgroup.com).