8th July, Saigon: Experience proved to be the deciding factor for the experienced Kim Eun-Jung of Korea and Purvis Granger of the USA as they emerged as Women and Men champions of the 4th Superbowl Vietnam International Open just concluded Saturday afternoon.

Top-seed, Kim Eun Jung easily defeated challenger, Cecilia Yap of the Philippines in just one match, 238-172 to win her first international open title since leaving the Korean national team two years ago.

Yap started off well in the final stepladder match with a strike, a spare and a double in the third and fourth frames but an unlucky split in the fifth proved to be costly. While Kim really did not get into her strides, Yap could not take advantage of it with another split in the eighth frame. When Kim finally struck out from the seventh frame onwards, the match was sealed giving the champion an easy victory.

"The lane condition on the last pair of lanes we bowl on were very different and both of us had problems on lane 15," said Kim. "My coach, James Kim told me to make an early adjustment and it paid off.

"This is my belated birthday present as I just celebrated my 34th birthday yesterday," said the newly-crowned champion. "This win is also my first international open title although I have won many titles in official championship as a national bowler.

"The earlier match on lanes 17 and 18 were much more even and when we were on lanes 15 and 16, they were very different," said the runner-up. "Although I made the necessary adjustments, it was a bit too late. Overall I'm happy with my performance after having reached this far.

Despite eliminating third-seed, Lee Eun-Ock of Korea and first match winner, Liza Clutario, 235-214-226, Cecilia Yap had to settle for second and a prize of US$750 while the champion took home US$1,500.

The men's stepladder matches were however more keenly contested between top-seed, Purvis Granger and challenger, Surasak Manuwong of Thailand. Surasak, the winner of the second match, forced Granger to the decider after winning the first match, 225-212.

Nerves proved to be the deciding factor as soon as the second match got underway with Sarasak missing a pin-10 spare while Granger started with a double. Although the challenger came back strongly with a double in the fourth and fifth frames, his opponent had pull away for a comfortable margin with four strikes-in-a-row from frame 4 onwards.

Granger crusied home to a convincing victory, 257-212 to earn his first title since winning the AVIVA Asian Bowling Tour Grand Slam in 2003.

"I must admit that this is one of my best performances in the last five years or so," said Granger. "I've been bowling well the whole week and considering that I only missed four spares throughout the championship is quite an achievement for me personally.

The runner-up earned a crack at the title after he knocked out teammate, Yannaphon Larpapharat and winner of the first match, Tosrin Kunawat in an all-Thai match, 259-235-215 before going down to the champion. Granger won the top prize of US$5,000 with Saurasak settling for US$2,500 and Yannaphon US$1,250.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

7th July, Saigon: Ex-PBA bowler, Purvis Granger of the USA, proved too good for the field leading from start to finish in the Men's Open Masters first block finals of the 4th Superbowl Vietnam International Open which ended Friday evening.

The American set a cracking pace with a 279 opener followed by a 238 and then another 279 building up a healthy lead. The leader almost scored the tournament's fourth perfect game after Thailand's Sithiphol Kunaksorn posted his second and the tournament's third perfect game, with a 299 in the fifth game.

The scores were so incredably high that Granger had to continue posting massive games to stay in the lead. But things didn't look good for Granger as he began to suffer cramps with two games to go.

"I was going great guns and was pleased with my bowling throughout until I felt something in my arm," said Granger after the grueilling 10 games. "I felt a hugh cramp in my right arm as I started to miss some single pins. I guess I sufferd cramps from not consuming enough fluid but fortunately I was still able to last through the final two games.

Granger ended the block with a total of 2508 and an awesome 250.8 average. ABF Tour Philippines leg champion, Surasak Manuwong and this year's Thailand Open champion, Yannaphon Larpapharat of Thailand were hot on Granger's heels finishing second and third with 2487 and 2316.

Lee Young Jun of Korea and Hong Kong's Ming Leung did extremely well to take up fourth and fifth positions with 2258 and 2242 to make up the top 5. Sithiphol Kunaksorn could only manage seventh despite shooting his the perfect game in the second game.

The top 16 made the cut for tomorrow's second block of another 6 games with pinfalls carried forward. The top 6 at the end of the block will qualify for the stepladder finals which will begin at 1.30pm.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

7th July, Saigon: Kim Eun-Jung of Korea scorched the lanes at Saigon Superbowl to take a 26-pin lead in the Women's Open Masters first block finals of the 4th Superbowl Vietnam International Open.

The 33-year-old ex-national from Kyungki City chalked up lines of 226, 218, 234, 268, 183, 225, 258, 203, 238 and 267 for a 10-game total of 2320 to lead the field of 24 finalists into the next round. Apart from the sub-200 game in the fifth, Kim also posted two high games of 268 and 267 for the top spot.

Manila SEA Games Masters Gold medalist, Liza Clutario did well to stay with the leader in second on a total of 2294 ahead of teammate, Cecilia Yap in third spot with 2226. The only Chinese Taipei women, Chien Hsiu-Lan finished fourth with 2225 while Thailand's Angkana Netvriseth completed the top 5 in fifth, a further 2 pins away.

Malaysia's best performer was Malaysian Games Masters Gold medalist, Wan Nur Atiqqa taking sixth position with 2136 followed by Singapore's Rena Teng seventh with 2106.

Australia's Natalie Shelly, Korea's Lee Eun-Ock and Ili Syazana of Malaysia took eighth to tenth positions respectively. Thailand's Vilailux Sanguansat and Malaysia's Nur Syakirah Yeo squeezed into the next round as 11th and 12th-place bowlers with 2038 and 1994.

The top 12 made the cut for tomorrow's 6-game second block finals at the end of which the top 6 will proceed to the stepladder finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

7th July, Saigon: Hazel Lam of Hong Kong ans Jason Tan Kok Leong of Singapore, captured the Ladies' and Men's Graded A Masters titles of the 4th Superbowl Vietnam International Open Friday morning.

As the masters finals got underway at the end of a week-long grueilling qualifying rounds, Hazel Lam from Hong Kong edged Malaysia's Ili Syazana in the 8-game Ladies' Graded A Masters finals with a total score of 1598. Syazana settled for second, just 8 pins adrift in second with 1590.

"I'm so surprised to have won my first-ever international title," said the 27-year-old clerk with an educational institute back in Hong Kong. Lam was only just seconded into the national team this year under the watchful eyes of national coaches, Pedro and Andrew Fung.

"I hope to do well if given the opportunity to compete internationally and maybe I have a chance one day to represent my country in an official championship," added the champion. Filipina, Sheena Goh claimed third spot with a total of 1507.

The men's title went to last year's Graded B Masters champion, Jason Tan Kok Leong of Singapore. Tan was unstoppable reeling off lines of 247, 256, 238, 236, 194, 247, 254, 213, 201 and 204 for a total of 2290, 102 pins ahead of his nearest opponent and fellow-countryman, Jeremy Fang in second with 2188.

"When someone told me that I was leading after the fourth game, I knew I had to remain focus and just enjoy the game," said the 27-year-old centre manager for Cathay Bowl SAFRA Tampines. "I was under no pressure since this is my first competitive championship after being promoted to Grade A," added the champion.

"I'll come back next year and I'll try my luck in the Open division. Who knows, I may be third time lucky. 1st Ampang Superbowl International Masters Challenge champion, Suhaimi Rahmat of Malaysia finished third with 2123.

The Ladies' Open Masters first block finals will commence at 1.30pm while the men will contest theirs at 5.00pm later today. The ladies' field will be cut to 12 and the men from 30 to 16 to move into the second block tomorrow.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

6th July, Saigon: Australia's Natalie Shelley impressed at her first appearance in the 4th Superbowl Vietnam International Open by making the Women's Open Masters finals on the final day of qualifying.

Shelley, twice winner of the Queensland Ladies Classic in 2004 and 2006, posted an impressive lines of 252, 278, 183 and 179 for a total of 892 to make the masters finals in fifth position i the mixed pool. The Aussie also won a gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals in the 2002 Commonwealth Championship in Scotland.

Korea's Kim Eun-Jung remained top of the leaderboard with 997 posted two days ago ahead of Thailand's Angkana Netvriseth in second with 964 while Malaysia's Ili Syazana, who is a member of the STBA 04 team, posted a superb 959 this afternoon to take up third spot.

In the local pool, Huynh Ngoc Diem Thuy of Ho Chi Minh City remained in front with 752 ahead of Nguyen Thi Huyen in second with 696. These two were the only women capable of competing in the open division.

Meanwhile, Thai bowlers dominated the men's qualifying table to occupy the top 3 positions. Perfect gamer and last year's Sithiphol Kuanksorn led the table with a score of 1029 ahead of teammates, Suarasak Manuwong and Tosrin Kunawat in second and third on 1016 and 1005.

Lee Youg Jun of Korea and the fourth bowler to surpass the 1,000-mark with 1001, finished fourth followed by fellow-countryman, Peter Yoo Chung Hee in fifth with 999. American, Purvis Granger and another Thai, Yannaphon Laparpharat made up the top 7.

The top 29 men together with the defending champion, Gene Basa of the Philippines and the top 24 women will bowl 10 games in Stage I on Friday. The top 16 men and top 12 women will make the cut for Stage II on Saturday with scores carried forward. The top 6 from each division will qualify for the stepladder finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

5th July, Saigon: Asian Youth Gold medalist, Jonathan Lim of Malaysia, shot the tournament's second perfect game to make the Men's Open Masters finals of the 4th Superbowl Vietnam International Open on Wednesday afternoon.

The 21-year-old member of the team that won the 2003 World Tenpin Team Cup in Odense, Denmark was on fire when he blazed the lanes at Saigon Superbowl with lines of 199, 300, 256 and 225 for a 4-game total of 980 and becoming the second bowler to shoot the perfect game.

For his effort, Lim stand a chance to pocket the US$1,000 cash award if no one else acheive the feat. The highest 4-game scored however, belong to Korea's Peter Yoo just missing the 1,000-mark by a single pin on a score of 999 to take up third spot in the overseas pool.

Overnight leader and scorer of the first perfect game, Sithiphol Kunaksorn of Thailand continued to top the leaderboard with 1029 posted yesterday. Another Korean, Lee Young Jun took second spot with 1001 ahead of Yoo.

Ex-PBA American, Purvis Granger was at his usual best scoring 997 to finish fourth in the table while Thailand Open champion, Yannaphon Larpapharat of Thailand, Jonathan Lim and ABF Tour Philippines leg champion, Surasak Manuwong completed the top 7.

Meanwhile, Korea's Kim Eun-Jung continued to hold pole position in the Women's division with an overnight score of 997 with Thailand's Angkana Netvriseth in second with 964. Filipina, Cecilia Yap stromed into contention with a superb 947 to take up third.

Malaysian women began to make their mark with ABF Tour Malaysia leg first runner-up, Syakirah Yeoh leading the her teammates with 896 and taking up top spot in the mixed pool. SUKMA XI Doubles Gld medalist, Noor Hanizah Abu Bakar finished second with 894.

Singapore's best performer was Rena Teng occupying third with 879 ahead of SUKMA XI Masters Gold medalist, Wan Nur Atiqqa in fourth and Manila SEA Games Masters Gold medalist, Liza Clutario fifth.

Qualifying will end tomorrow and the Masters finals will take place on the 7th and 8th July oer two blocks of 8 games. The top 6 at the end of the finals will make the cut for the stepladder finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

4th July, Ho hi Minh City: 2005 Thailand International Open champion, Sithiphol Kunaksorn of Thailand shot the first perfect game of the 4th Superbowl Vietnam International Open en-route to taking the lead in the Men's Open Masters qualifying table.

The 20-year-old Sithiphol whose previous best qualifying score was sixth in the table with 883, put in a superb performance in his sixth attempt Tuesday afternoon to become the first bowler to surpass the 1,000 mark with 1029.

The Thai started off with a moderate 212 and then picked up his pace with 259 in the second game of the 4-game qualifying round. Sithiphol brought Saigon Superbowl to a standstill as he reeled off 11 consecutive strikes and going for the perfect game.

A nervous and cautious approach paid off and as the crowd cheered on his delivery to the pocket on the 12th and final frame and a perfect strike. It was Sithipho's first career perfect game and it came at a right time as he won for himself a Rosanna Sofa worth US$3,000.

Second in the table came Dao Danh Hung of Vietnam with 974, who also saw the youngster topping the local pool. Newly-crowned ABF Tour Philippines leg champion, Surasak Manuwong of Thailand took third spot with 952.

Meanwhile, this year's Malaysian International Open second runner-up, Kim Eun-Jung of Korea topped the Ladies' Open Masters qualifying table in only her first attempt on a 4-game total of 997. World Youth Gold medalist, Angkana Netvriseth of Thailand finished second with 964 ahead of teammate, Vilailux Sanguansat third with 918.

The Thais, who were the first overseas bowlers to arrive Ho Chi Minh City, occupied fourth and fifth with 816 and 793 respectively followed by the only Australian, Natalie Shelly sixth in the table with 777.

The 4th Superbowl Vietnam International Open had its grand opening in the evening officiated by the Superbowl Vietnam Group Chairman, Arthur Tay and attended by dignitaries and distinguished guests. The elaborate and colorful opening, meticulously co-ordinated by Leon Lim, the General Manager of Saigon Superbowl saw a laser show and a parade of international All Stars cast.

Teams from Australia, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, USA and home team, Vietnam competed in the Special Mixed Doubles event after the opening. Manila SEA Games Masters Gold medalist, Liza Clutario and four-time AMF World Cup champion, Paeng Nepomuceno emerged the champion.

American, Purvis Granger took top honours in the Men's individual category while Clutario also walked away with the Ladies' top prize. Qualifying

continues through to the 6th July with the Masters finals taking place on the 7th and 8th July.

Photos by Terence Yaw, MTBC.