15th May, Bangkok: Cheered on by a capacity crowd at SF Bowl, MBK Center, Yannaphon Larpapharat of Thailand clinched the ABF Tour Thailand title after edging Malaysia's challenger, Azidi Ameran, 187-158 for his first-ever tour title.

Yannaphon set course to claim the title after he knocked down a double in the second and third frame to take a 20 pin lead in the early stages. Azidi Ameran meanwhile, failed to get a grip on the lanes with two early open in the second and fourth frames.

Things began to look Yannaphon's way but then a 6-10 split in the sixth frame gave his challenger a chance to make a comeback. But Azidi failed to capitalise on the opportunity opening another frame in the eighth to hand the title to the Thai.

Despite another having another split in the eighth frame, Yannaphon struck in the tenth and eleventh to seal the well deserved win. With three making the semifinals, Malaysia went home empty handed after their women also crashed out in Saturday's rounds 1 and 2.

Azidi reached the finals knocking out Alex Liew, 222-199 in a closely fought semifinal match while Aaron Kong lost to the champion, 192-216 in the other semifinals. Alex Liew finished third ahead of Aaron Kong in fourth position.

It was a one-sided match in the women's finals. Singapore's Jennifer Tan outclassed her challenger, Park Jin Hee, 226-150 to capture the Thailand leg. The win is Singapore second successive ABF Tour title after Amanda Ng had taken the Malaysia leg title in March.

Tan had to work harder in the first semifinal match when she edged Chinese Taipei's Tsai Hsin Yi, 213-205 for a place in the finals and a crack at the title while Korea's Park Jin Hee ended Chinese Taipei charge after Park defeated Wang Yu Ling, 189-157 in the second semifinal match.

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 - Thailand Leg is organized by ABF in association with Thai Tenpin Bowling Congress, supported by Asian Bowling Digest, SF Strike Bowl and the local TV station, UBC.

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).