11th December, Seberang Prai: 2018 ABF Tour Chinese Taipei leg first runner-up, Syaffique Ikhwan of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia set the qualifying pace by leading the Masters Mixed Open standings of the 46th Penang Pesta International Bowling Championships underway at Megamall Bowling Centre.

Syaffique posted a sizzling three-game series of 750 and added a superb 657 to lead the qualifying table with 1407. Malaysian national youth, Ameera Dato Anzel finished a distant second with 1315. Muhammad Syazirol of Kedah took third spot with 1305.

The top three qualifers will earn a bye and automatically advance to Round 2 finals on December 15. Two-time Asian School Masters silver medallist, Aizudeen Mustaqim of Malaysia missed the top bracket by 26 pins to take up fourth position with 1279.

Last week's 19th MILO Storm U22 "the Masters" first runner-up, Ahmad Adil of MBI/DV8, Malaysia rounded out the top five of the local pool with 1252. Safwan Anwar of Brunei/PBSPDB rolled the tournament's first perfect game during his qualifying rounds in the Men's Grade B division.

2017 ABF Tour Macau leg women champion, Putty Armein gave Indonesia the first three spots in third with 1362. Like the local pool, the top three qualifers will earn a bye and automatically advance to Round 2 finals on December 15.

Two more Indonesians, Aldila Indryati, who missed the cut to take up fourth with 1331 and Novie Phang completed the top five with 1324. Qualifying for the Mixed Open Masters will end on December 13. Local qualifiers positioned 4 to 13, overseas qualifiers positioned 4 to 13 and qualifiers positioned 1 to 25 in the mixed pool together with the defending champion will contest the 8-games Round 1 finals on December 14.

The top 18 finishers based on the highest pinfalls plus the six seeded qualifiers will contest Round 2 finals on December 15. The top three will then proceed to the Stepladder Shootout finals to determine the champion.

Earlier in the morning, Muhammad Hariz Adlan of Penang/MBI captured the Youth Boy's Under-16 Masters title with 1861 pinfalls. Brandon Lau of Penang/PTT and Singapore Sport School's Gerald Teng finished second and third with 1676 and 1668 respectively.