12th October, Shanghai: Top seeds, Shayna Ng of Singapore and Sam Cooley of Australia took victory in the Women's and Men's Open Masters title matches of the China International Open 2016 to emerge as champions.

Ng needed only one match to defeat compatriot and challenger, Cherie Tan 223-205 in the all-Singapore women's championship tie. Both started cautiously picking up spares in their first two frames. Tan then had a split in the third frame while Ng struck to take a 12 pin lead.

Then Ng suffered a split in the sixth frame allowing Tan to draw level. Tan struck in the seventh frame but had another split in the eight. Ng doubled in her next two frames to open up a 20 pin lead again.

The top seed rolled four consecutive strikes thereafter and although Tan responded by striking out, Ng had sealed the match and the title.

"It's always going to be a close match when you are bowling against a strong challenger like Cherie," said Ng after her victory. "But I guess I had the better carry and was able to string together more strikes than my opponent.

"It's nice to come here for the first time and win but I have to give credit to Cherie as she fought well and kept me on my toes. I have to thank our federation, my coach, Francis Tan and our sponsors for giving us this opportunity to come to Shanghai and I'm glad to have come away with the title."

Ng pocketed 30,000 RMB (approx. US$4,450) for the win. Tan, who had reached the final after ousting two Indonesians second-seed, Sharon Limansantoso and winner of the first match, Tannya Roumimper, 199-167-194.

Tan picked up 18,000 RMB as first runner-up. Roumimper, who took home 12,000 RMB as second runner-up, defeated two Chinese, fifth-seed, He Xiaoli and sixth-seed, Li Aijun, 232-171-194 to advance to the semi-final match.

Ng had topped the earlier Round 2 final with 1295 to advance to the stepladder final as top seed, just 11 pins ahead of Limansantoso in second with 1285. Tan finished third with 1264, Roumimper fourth with 1206, He 1203 and Li 1190. Huang Liqin of China missed the cut by 4 pins to finish seventh.

In the men's division, top seed, Sam Cooley was forced into the second deciding match after he lost the the first match to challenger, Wang Shizhen of China, 154-212. A switch of bowling ball after the fifth frame of the first game, gave a life-line for the Aussie in the second game.

In the decider, Wang struck twice in his first two frames but failed to spare his third. Cooley rolled four consecutive strikes from frame four to open up a gap of 26 pins.

Although Wang responded with a double in the sixth and seventh frames and Cooley had a split in the eighth frame, the top seed struck out to clinch the match and the title, 232-199.

"The TV lanes were so different from the earlier Round 2 final and I was totally caught out," said Cooley. "The switch to another ball was crucial and it did the job for me in the second match.

"I hope this victory would boost my confidence for QubicaAMF World Cup which I will be competing here in Shanghai. There is also the ABF Tour tomorrow and I hope to do well too.

The champion won the top prize of 68,000 RMB (approx. US$10,000) while Wang, who made the final match after beating second-seed, Tsai Chih-Yuan of Chinese Taipei and winner of the first match, Michael Mak of Hong Kong, 207-188-197, settled for 48,000 RMB.

Mak, who has three titles this year - one at the Chinese Taipei Open in July and two ABF Tour titles, sailed past fifth-seed, Shi Guangming of China and compatriot, Eric Tseng of Hong Kong, 212-196-179 in the first match. Mak took home 38,000 RMB.

Cooley advanced to the stepladder final as top seed after winning the Round 2 final with 1356. Tsai and Wang tied second spot with 1334 but Tsai was seeded second after a one-ball roll-off to break the tie.

Mak finished fourth with 1299, Shi fifth with 1292 and Tseng sixth with 1290. The top 16 women and top 16 men qualified for the inaugural ABF Tour China leg scheduled for tomorrow at the same Hao's Bowling Centre.

Photos by Terence Yaw in SHanghai.

11th October, Shanghai: The Women's Open Round 1 final of the China International Open 2016 was again dominated by spinners with Yang Liyan, Zhang Chunli of China and Chan Shuk Han of Hong Kong occupying the top three spots.

Li Hui took the early lead with a superb 235 in her opening game to lead Yang and Zhang by ten pins with another Chinese, He Xiaoli and Putty Armein of Indonesia in the top five. He Xiaoli added a 228 to her 216 first game to take over the running, 15 pins ahead of Zhang.

When He rolled a poor game of 171, Zhang took the opportunity to move into the lead, 13 pins ahead of He. Armein stayed close to the leading duo in third, a further nine pins away. Zhang kept her momentum well to stay in the lead with her next two games.

Yang trailed her compatriot in second but was able to reduce the gap from 35 pins after the fourth game to just 16 pins by the fifth game.

Zhang managed 193 in her sixth and final game for a total of 1211 but Yang ended stronger with 213 to win the round with 1215. Chan Shuk Han also ended well with 204 to snatch third spot with 1202.

Two Indonesians, Armein and Tannya Roumimper rounded out the top five with 1200 and 1196 respectively. He took sixth position with 1172. Chan's team-mate, Milki Ng made the cut by sharing eighth position with Huang Liqin of China on 1148.

Novie Phang of Indonesia, who was in 14th position before the final game, shot a big game of 236 to make the cut in 12th position with 1136. Sun Jinfeng missed the cut by 15 pins to finish 13th while Singapore's Jazreel Tan suffered a low game of 174 to end in 14th.

The top 12 finishers will be joined by the three local and three overseas seeded qualifiers from the general standings for another six games in Round 2.

The top six will advance to the stepladder finals. The top 16 women from the final standings will qualify for the ABF Tour China leg which will be held on October 13.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Shanghai.

11th October, Shanghai: Spinners Zhou Chaoxuan of China and Tsai Chih-Yuan of Chinese Taipei finished one-two in the Men's Round 1 final of the China International Open 2016 ahead of left-hander, Qi Wankang of China in third.

2016 Asian Championships Team bronze medallist, Eric Tseng got off to a superb start with 254 in his opening game to lead Zhou by six pins and Indonesia's 52nd QubicaAMF World Cup representative, Hengki Susanto in third.

A second Chinese spinner, Zhang Cheng added 244 to his opening game of 226 to take over the lead as Tseng slipped down to second, 14 pins adrift. Zhou managed only 189 to drop down to third. But Zhou recovered with a stunning 255 to regain the lead at the halfway mark.

Zhang trailed in second by seven pins and Tseng third, a further 34 pins away. The leader kept a blistering pace with another splendid 245 to stretch his lead to 73 pins as Tsai Chih-Yuan moved up to second.

Zhou knocked down 237 and 232 to end the final with 1406, 114 pins ahead of Tsai, who settled for second with 1292. Newly-crowned Men's Grade A Masters champion, Qi Wankang stormed home to clinch third spot with 1272.

Lee Tak Man of Macau finished fourth with 1267 followed by early pace-setters, Zhang and Tseng rounding out the top six with 1258 and 1248 respectively. China's Zhang Lijun made the cut for Round 2 final in 20th position with 1175.

Linas Sasnauskas of Lithuania and Diwan Rezaldy of Indonesia, both missed the cut in 21st and 22nd positions by 17 and 35 pins. The top 20 will be joined by the top five local and top five overseas seeded qualifiers for another six games final in Round 2 tomorrow.

The top six finishers at the end of Round 2 will advance to the stepladder finals. The top 16 men in the final standings will also qualify for the inaugural ABF Tour China leg scheduled for October 13.

The women will contest their Round 1 final later today. ROund 2 for men will be contested tomorrow morning at 9.00am local time.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Shanghai.

11th October, Shanghai: Singapore national bowlers dominated the Women's Open Masters qualifying rounds of the China International Open 2016 by occupying the top three spots while Asian champion, Michael Mak of Hong Kong topped the men's division.

Block 1 and 2 leader, Shayna Ng completed her third block of five games series and comfortably remained atop the overseas pool with 3195. Her team-mates and Tan siblings, Daphne and Cherie tied in second with 2948. A fourth Singaporean, Jazreel Tan missed earning an automatic qualification into Round 2 final to head the mixed pool with 2928.

Putty Armein of Indonesia, who was second after the second block, stumbled to a lowly 898 series in her final block to drop out of the top three spots and down to tenth with 2901. First block leader, Tannya Roumimper continued to slide down and eventually managed only 14th position with 2872.

2008 ABF Tour Thailand champion and China's 52nd QuabicaAMF World Cup female representative, Zhang Yuhong of China remained in the lead with 3031.

Sun Xiaoping and Li Aijun joined Zhang in second and third with 2977 and 2964 respectively. The top three local and top three overseas qualifiers earned a bye and will contest Round 2 final tomorrow.

Qualifiers from the mixed pool positioned 7 to 30 will bowl six games Round 1 later this evening. The top 12 finishers will join the seeded qualifiers for another six games in Round 2.

Meanwhile, 2016 Asian Championships triple gold medallists, Michael Mak of Hong Kong snatched top spot in the Men's Open overseas pool with 3255 from another splendid third block series of 1126. Ryan Lalisang of Indonesia improved to second with 3209.

Overnight leader, Remy Ong of Singapore slipped down to third with 3208 while first perfect gamer, Sam Cooley of Australia and a second Indonesian, Hardy Rachmadian made up the top five seeded qualifiers with 3145 and 3122.

Taiwanese Cheng brothers, Hsing-Yueh and Hsing-Chao both missed the top five bracket by five and six pins to head the mixed pool for Round 1 final with 3117 and 3116 respectively.

China's male representative to the 52nd QuabicaAMF World Cup, Wang Hongbo remained atop the local pool with 3270 followed by Zhang Min in second with 3228 and Wang Zhizhen third with 3155.

Zhang Haitao and Liu Shaoyi completed the top five. The top five overseas and top five local qualifiers earned automatic qualification into Round 2 final. Qualifiers from the mixed pool positioned 11 to 42 will contest Round 1 final this afternoon. The cut at 42nd position went to Xu Yufu of China with 2824 (average 188.27).

The top 20 finishers in Round 1 final will join the ten seeded qualifiers for another six games in Round 2 tomorrow. The top six men and top six women at the end of Round 2 will advance to the stepladder final.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Shanghai.

10th October, Shanghai: 2016 Asian Championships triple gold medallist, Michael Mak of Hong Kong made the top bracket of the Men's Open Masters qualifying leaderboard of the China International Open 2016 after taking up second position in the overseas pool.

Mak, who was one spot off the top five overseas qualifiers after the first block of five games, started off poorly with 179 but recovered with 228, 247 and 215 in his next three games before ending the second block with 235 for a score of 1104.

His ten-games total of 2129 put the 23-year-old into second position and could earn him a bye into Round 2 final. Mak finished 65 pins behind leader, Remy Ong of Singapore, who totalled 2194, despite a lower second block of 1048 to his first block of 1146.

Indonesia National Interstate Trios gold medallist, Ryan Lalisang of Team Jaya Ancol, Indonesia, improved from fifth overnight to third with 2110.

Chinese Taipei's Cheng Hsing-Yueh also improved from 12th position in the first block to take up fourth in the overseas pool with 2094 while 2015 Singapore Open Masters champion, Vincent Lim of Singapore made up the top five with 2039.

Mike Chan of Hong Kong headed the mixed pool with 2032 ahead of a second Taiwanese, Tsai Chih-Yuan in 12th position with 2030. Hardy Rachmadian of Jaya Ancol, who was second overnight, slipped down to 13th position. Current cut at 42nd position held by Linas Sasnauskas of Lithuania with a total of 1853.

In the local pool, Wang Hongbo swapped top spot with Wang Shizhen with 2206 and 2155 while Zhang Min moved up one notch to third with 2097. Newly-crowned Senior Masters champion and national bowler, Mi Zhongli also improved one spot to fourth with 2052. Liu Shaoyi completed the top five with 2000. The top five local and top five overseas qualifiers will automatically qualify for Round 2 final.

In the women's division, Singapore's Shayna Ng took over the lead of the WOmen's Open overseas pool with 2112. Jaya Ancol Bowl's Putty Armein of Indonesia improved from 12th overnight to second position with 2003.

Ng's compatriot, Daphne Ng remained in third position with 1996 while 2016 PWBA Storm Sacramento Open champion, Cherie Tan again finished fourth and missing the automatic Round 2 qualification by nine pins on 1987.

Overnight leader, Tannya Roumimper of Indonesia stumbled to a poor 895 to drop down to ninth position with 1978 behind Hong Kong's Milki Ng taking up eighth with 1979. Chan Shuk Han amd Joan Cheng finished 13th and 19th respectively.

Sun Xiaoping became the new leader of the local pool with 2017 after posting a much improved 1041 in her second block. Li Aijun dropped to second with 1996 while Zhang Yuhong got herself into the top bracket in third with 1984.

The top three local and top three overseas qualifiers will automatically qualify for Round 2 final. Squads A and B will complete their third block of five games later today and Squads C and D tomorrow finalising the list of qualifiers.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Shanghai.

9th October, Shanghai: Ex-international, Remy Ong of Singapore averaged 229.20 in the first block of five games qualifying round to lead Men's Open standings of the China International Open 2016 while Tannya Roumimper of Indonesia topped the women's division.

Ong got off the block with a moderate 212 before picking up his pace with 225 and 234. The Singaporean managed only 198 before ending the first block with a stunning 277 for a five-game total of 1146. Hardy Rachmadian of Jaya Ancol Bowl trailed Ong all the way to finish second with 1102.

Huang Teng-Wei of Chinese Taipei took third spot in the squad with 1070 followed by first pergect gamer, Sam Cooley of Australia in fourth with 1046. A second Indonesian, Ryan Lalisang of Jaya Ancol Bowl completed the top five with 1042.

With scores combined from yesterday's Squad A, B and this morning's Squad C and D, Ong and Rachmadian occupied the top two spots. Huang third with 1070, the Aussie fourth and Lalisang fifth. 2016 Asian Championships triple gold medallist, Michael Mak headed the mixed pool with 1025.

The top five overseas qualifier would earn a bye and automatically qualify for Round 2 finals. Chinese Taipei's Cheng Hsing-Yueh headed the mixed pool with 1024, missing only by a single pin. Qualifiers positioned 11 to 42 will contest Round 1 finals.

Wang Shizhen of China topped the local pool with 1155 ahead of Huang Teng-Wei of Chinese Taipei in second. Wang Hongbo, newly-crowned Men's Grade A champion, Qi Wankang and Zhang Min made up the top five who would also earn automatic qualification to Round 2 finals.

Meanwhile, recent Indonesia Interstate Championships mixed doubles champion, Tannya Roumimper of Jaya Ancol Bowl, led from start to finish in Squad C to top the Women's overseas pool with 1083. The Indonesian posted 231, 267, 202, 181 and 202.

Singapore's Shayna Ng and Daphne Tan trailed in secons and third with 1060 and 1038 respectively. In the local front, Li Aijun led with 1065, 52 pins ahead of Chinese national bowler, Zhang Chunli in second with 1013.

Sun Jinfeng finished third earning the automatic qualification to Round 2 finals together with the top three overseas qualifiers. PWBA Storm Sacramento Open champion, Cherie Tan headed the mixed pool with 1026, just 12 pins behind her compatriot.

A fourth Singaporean, Jazreel Tan was another 11 pins behind in eighth position. Qualifiers positioned 7 to 30 will have to contest Round 1 finals.

The bowlers will resume with their second block of five games tomorrow before completing the qualifying rounds with the third block on October 11. The finals will be held on October 12.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Shanghai.

3rd October, Shanghai: Chinese national veteran, Mi Zhongli won the Senior Masters title of the China International Open 2016 underway at Hao's Bowling Centre defeating challenger, Song Jingwen, 217-190 in the stepladder final.

Mi, who topped the qualifying rounds with two four-games series of 881 and 791, to take top seed for the stepladder finals with 1672. Compatriots Lee Heng Ping and Song Jingwen finished second and third with 1643 and 1601 respectively to join the finals.

Li Fuqing of China missed the cut by 4 pins to finish fourth with 1597 and a further four pins was Singapore's Hairon Awang completing the top five with 1593.

Third-seed, Song defeated second-seed, Lee 194-181 to face Mi in the final over a beat-twice format. Mi needed just one match to beat Li, 217-190 to claim the title and pocket 8,000 RMB (approx. US$1,200). Li settled for 5,000 RMB as first runner-up and Song 4,000 RMB as second runner-up.

Eight-five senior men and women bowlers bowled two blocks of four games each series with handicap ranging from 2 to 17 pins depending on their age to qualify the top three stepladder final spots.

Meanwhile, Singapore's Jarron Lake Wei Ming captured the Youth Under-18 Masters title after edging second-seed, Chi Mingyu of China, 190-188 in the stepladder title match. Chi had earned a crack at the title by beating third-seed, Nikhil Gangaram of Singapore, 181-164 in the semi-final.

The champion had topped the two blocks of four-games qualifying rounds with 1553 in the morning to advance to the stepladder finals as top seed. Chi and Nikhil finished in second and third positions with 1514 and 1433 respectively.

Lake won 5,000 RMB for his victory with first and second runner-ups taking home 3,000 and 2,000 RMB. Thirty-seven youths aged 18 and under bowled the qualifying rounds to detemine the top three advancing to the stepladder finals.

The China International Open 2016 comprises of Men's Open, Women's Open, Senior, Men's and Women's Grade A, Men's Grade B, Youth Under-22 and Youth Under-18 divisions. Qualifying rounds for Grade A will commence October 6.

Qualifying for Men's Open division will commence from October 8 over three blocks of five games on each day. Qualifiers positioned 11 to 42 from the mixed pool will bowl six games Round 1 finals on October 11. The top 20 finishers together with the top five local and top five overseas automatic qualifiers will bowl another six games scratch in Round 2 finals.

The top six will proceed to the stepladder finals. The Women's Open qualifying rounds will also commence on October 8 over three blocks of five games each day.

Twenty-four qualifiers from the mixed pool will contest the six games Round 1 finals on October 11. The top 12 finishers will advance to Round 2 finals together with the top three local and top three overseas automatic qualifiers for another six games scratch. The top six will proceed to the stepladder finals.

The Men's Open division champion will stand to win 68,000 RMB (approx. US$10,000), first runner-up 48,000 RMB and second runner-up 38,000 RMB. The Women's Open will earn 30,000 RMB as champion, 18,000 RMB and 12,000 RMB for first and second runner-ups.

The top 16 men and top 16 women from the Masters finals standings will qualify for the inaugural leg of the 2016 ABF Tour China, which will be held on October 13 at the same bowling centre.

Photos courtesy of Chinese Bowling Association.