12th August, Bangkok: Top-seed, Jesper Svensson of Sweden needed only one game to defeat challenger, Same Cooley of Australia, 237-213 in the TV final of the 2016 PBA-World Bowling Tour Thailand to win his fifth PBA tour title.

The two-handed Swede started off with a double after Cooley failed to spare his opening frame. The Aussie struck in his second frame by Svensson struck again in the third frame to open up a 30 pins lead.

Although the second-seed got going with a double in the fourth and fifth frames to reduce the gap to 20 pins, the challenger just could not string together more strikes to stake a geniune claim on the title.

Cooley managed to roll three consecutive strikes in the ninth and the first two throws of the tenth frame, Svensson sealed the match by striking out for a convincing victory to win his fifth PBA tour crown.

Svensson managed only two bronze medals at the 2016 World Youth Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska after he winning the 2016 Brunswick Euro Challenge in March but made amends with his triumph here and picking up the top prize of 1 million Thai baht (approx. US$32,000).

The Aussie, who settled for 500,000 baht, had earlier ended local crowd favourite and third-seed, Yannaphon Larpapharat of Thailand, 222-205 to advance to the title match. The second runner-up, who earned 300,000 baht, had dispatched fifth-seed and 2016 World Youth Championships triple gold medallist, Anthony Simonsen, 199-170 in the third stepladder match.

Simonsen, who had edged fourth-seed, Martin Larsen of Sweden and winner of the first match, Jason Belmonte of Australia, 210-195-202 in the second match, took home 200,000 baht.

Belmonte won the first match by defeating two Thais, sixth-seed Annop Arromsaranon and Peerawich Rungcharoen, 195-181-188. Belmonte, Larsen, Arromsaranon and Rungcharoen earned 100,000, 90,000, 85,000 and 80,000 baht respectively.

The champion advanced to the TV finals a top-seed after ending the earlier Round 4 finals with the tournament's second 300 for a total of 1468. Cooley also ended the round with the third 300 but settled for second with 1428.

Yannaphon, who made the TV finals for the first time since 2011, took third spot with 1323 ahead of Larsen in fourth with 1311. Simonsen, Arromsaranon and Belmonte all posted big games to finish fifth, sixth and seventh positions.

Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong, who finished eighth with 1299, had to give up the TV final spot to the next highest Thai finisher, Peerawich. As a PBA member, Svensson will be awarded a PBA tour and a PBA title.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.

11th August, Bangkok: Round 2 winner, Francis Tan of Malaysia surprised a star-studded field to win Round 3 finals of the 2016 PBA-World Bowling Tour Thailand and lead Phumin Klanbida of Thailand and Jesper Svensson of Sweden in second and third.

2016 Brunswick Euro Challenge winner, Jesper Svensson of Sweden got off the block with a cracking 267 to lead 2015 QubicaAMF World Cup champion, Wu Siu Hong of Hong Kong by three pins and three-time ABF Tour winner, Sam Cooley of Australia a further nine pins away in third.

The 2015 PBA Rookie of the Year added another superb 232 to remain in the lead as Thailand's Phumin Klanbida moved up to second and eight pins behind as Wu dropped off the pace with a lowly 185. Japanese pro, Shota Kawazoe and Round 2 winner, Francis Tan trailed in third and fourth.

The lead changed hands after Cooley posted a big game of 265 in the third allowing the Aussie to lead Roonie Sparks Jr. of USA and Phumin sharing second spot.

Svensson suffered a set back with 160 to drop down the field. Cooley kept the lead with another splendid 245 in the fourth game with the Thai and the Malaysian still in hot pursuit. Svensson recovered with 246 to share fourth place with Wu and Kawazoe.

Tan set the lanes ablazed with 268 in the fifth to take over the running and then ended the round with another stunning 278 to win the round for a second time with 1460, averaging an impressive 243.3. Phumin also finished strongly to clinch second spot with 1398.

The two-handed Svensson settled for third with 1376 while 2011 champion and a third two-hander, Jason Belmonte of Australia stormed home to take fourth spot with 1349. Wu rounded out the top five with 1329.

A second Thai, Annop Arromsaranon also had a big game of 268 to finish sixth with 1328 as Cooley faded off to seventh position with 1325. Martin Larsen of Sweden took eighth place with 1321 and Kawazoe ninth with 1318.

Sparks Jr., the only women competitor left, Danielle McEwan of USA and Cameron Weier completed the top 12 to advance to the next round. Defending champion, Osku Palermaa of Finland missed the cut by two pins in 13th position.

Round 2 second and third place finishers, Pawat Ungtrakul of Thailand and Kamdron Doyle of USA failed to advance ending in 14th and 19th positions respectively.

The top 12 will be joined by the eight seeded qualifiers from the general standings for another six games Round 4 finals from scratch. The top seven plus the top Thai finisher outside the top seven would proceed to the TV Knockout finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.

11th August, Bangkok: 2015 Euro-Med Storm Masters Challenge winner, Francis Tan of Malaysia surprised a strong field to win Round 2 finals of the 2016 PBA-World Bowling Tour Thailand and led nine other finalists into the next round.

2015 Qatar Open champion, Cameron Weier of Federal Way, Washington, USA set the early pace with 258 in his opening game, 33 pins ahead of Tan and Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong tieing second and two Thais, Phumin Klanbida and Kritsanakorn Sangaroon tieing third.

Wu streaked into the lead after Weier suffered a lowly 146 in the second game as Tan remained in second, just one pin adrift. Pawat Ungtrakul of Thailand, who had made the finals from last night's desperado squad moved into third, a further six pins away.

2016 World Youth Championships team gold medallist, Kamron Doyle picked up his pace with 233 and 216 in the second and third game to take over the running past the halfway mark followed by Phumin and Pawat sharing second.

Doyle continued to lead the field after another strong game of 232 as Wu dropped out of contention and Pawat staying close to the American. Doyle too suffered a lowly 159 in the fifth game allowing the Malaysian to move into the lead after a stunning 268.

The 23-year-old Tan ended the round with 226 in his final game for a six-game total of 1318 to win the round. Pawat finished second with 1288 while Doyle recovered with 249 to clinch third position with 1282.

2014 Incheon Asian Games Singles bronze medallist, Sithiphol Kunaksorn of Thailand stormed home with 238 to claim fourth position with 1274 while Wu rounded out the top five with 1249.

Phumin, Teerachata Rachahiranyakan of Thailand, two Americans Ronnie Sparks Jr. and Cameron Weier and a second Hong Kong national, Wicky Yeung made the top ten to advance into the next round. Somjed Kusonpithak of Thailand missed the cut by 25 pins finishing 11th.

The top ten will be joined by qualifiers positioned 9 to 24 from the general standings for another six games in Round 2 finals which will be held later today at 7.00pm local time. The top 12 finishers at the end of Round 3 will advance to Round 4 finals scheduled for tomorrow.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.

10th August, Bangkok: 2016 World Youth Championships triple gold medallist, Anthony Simonsen of USA moved into second in the 2016 PBA-World Bowling Tour Thailand qualifying standings alongside 2016 Webber Cup champion, Dominc Barret of England in third.

Just as 2013 champion, Sean Rash of Montgomery, Illinois, USA took over the lead of the qualifying standings with 2307 and 2014 PBA Rookie of the Year, Marshall Kent joined Rash in third with 2225, newly-crowned 2016 World Youth Championships masters gold medallist, Simonsen moved into second with 2275 to earn two byes for Round 4 finals.

The two-handed American, who stunt the world by becoming the youngest-ever PBA rookie to win the USBC Masters title this year, registered three stunning three-game series of 795, 748 and 732 for the third spot.

Dominic Barrett of Essex, England, who was a member of the European winning team at last week's Weber Cup, posted the highest three-game series of 821 to also moved into the top bracket with 2245.

Top local bowler and early leader, Yannaphon Larpapharat settled for fourth position despite improving his total to 2231 while Kent was relegated to fifth with 2225 after a brief stay in third after the 3.00pm squad.

A second Thai, Kim Bolleby dropped further down to sixth position with 2224 while the cut is now held by 2011 champion, Jason Belmonte of Organe, NSW, Australia on 2186.

Although Remy Ong had improved his total from 2166 to 2182, the Singaporean had to settle for tenth position to head the second bracket. 2016 Brunswick Euro Challenge winner, Jesper Svensson of Sweden also slipped out into 11th position with 2174 so did Australia's Sam Cooley in 12th with 2166.

Francis Tan of Malaysia hold the cut of the second bracket in 24th position with 2054 while 2016 Thailand Open champion, Yanee Saebe of Thailand topped the third bracket with 2038.

At press time just after the 5.00pm squad, the cut at 37th position went to another Thai women, Kritsanakorn Sangaroon with 1958. Four more qualifying squads remain with the last squad ending at 10.00pm tonight.

Just before the 6.00pm squad commenced, a "Meet the Bowlers" event was held at Blu-O Rhytmn & Bowl Paragon where guests and members of the media were treated to questions & answers session.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.

10th August, Bangkok: American PBA professionals, Sean Rash and Marshall Kent took the first and second positions of the 2016 PBA-World Bowling Tour Thailand standings on the final day of qualiifying rounds at Blu-O Rhytmn & Bowl Paragon.

Rash of Montgomery, Illinois became the first qualifier to surpass the 800-mark with 814 in a three-game series en-route to taking over the lead of the standings with 2307. Thanks to the bowling shoes which arrived early today after he had accidentally left it at Narita International airport on his way to Bangkok.

The 2013 World Bolwing Tour Thailand champion and winner of eight PBA tour titles is certainly a firm title contender having earned two byes and automatically advancing to Round 4 finals.

2014 Harry Golden Rookie of the Year and 2014 Saudi Arabia Kingdom International Open champion, Marshall Kent moved into second spot with 2225 after having improved with 739 and 713 series this morning.

Early leader and top Thai national, Yannaphon Larpapharat settled for third with 2189 along with two-handers, Jason Belmonte of Australia and Jesper Svensson of Sweden, both slipping down to fourth and fifth spots with 2186 and 2174 respectively.

2016 Thailand Open champion, Kim Bolleby of Thailand and three-time ABF Tour winner, Sam Cooley of Australia, who occupied sxith and seventh positions, could find themselves out of the top bracket by the end of the qualifying rounds.

But Bolleby could still make the two byes and will become the top Thai qualifier in eighth displacing first perfect gamer, Peerawich Rungcharoen, who currently sits in eighth on 2129.

Singapore's Remy Ong slipped out of the top bracket to head the second bracket with 2166 so did Japanese pro, Shota Kawazoe dropping down to tenth with 2152. The cut for the second bracket now belongs to Malaysia's Isaac Russell on 2028.

Several top bracket contenders are 2016 World Youth Championships triple gold medallist, Anthony Simonsen of USA, defending champion, Osku Palermaa of Finland, Dominic Barrett of England and Martin Larsen of Sweden, all within reach.

2015 Qatar Open champion, Cameron Weier of USA headed the third bracket with 2026 ahead of two Hong Kong nationals, Wu Siu Hong and Michael Mak in 26th and 27th positions. The cut at 37th position went to Kritsanakorn Sangaroon of Thailand with 1927.

With so many bowlers who have yet to make the cut, this mark could well reach 2020 by the end of the day. A one-game desperado squad will be held to pick three additional Round 2 qualifiers.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.

9th August, Bangkok: Two-handed bowlers, Jason Belmonte of Orange, NSW, Australia and Jesper Svensson of Sweden made the top bracket of the qualifying standings at the PBA-World Bowling Tour Thailand 2016 at Blu-O Rhytmn & Bowl Paragon on Monday.

Three-time PBA Player of the Year, Belmonte stormed into second position in the standings with 2186, just three pins shy of leader and 2014 Inchoen Asian Games gold medallist, Yannaphon Larpapharat of Thailand maintaining pole position with 2189.

Svensson, 2016 Brunswick Euro Challenge winner and double bronze medallist at the recent 2016 World Youth Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska, finished 12 pins behind the Aussie with 2174 to take up third.

Two left-handers, Singapore's Remy Ong and 2016 Thailand Open champion, Kim Bolleby of Thailand both slipped down to fourth and fifth positions with 2166 and 2154 respectively.

PBA pro Sean Rash of Montgomery, Illinois and winner of eight PBA Tour titles, moved straight into the top bracket in sixth position with 2151 after only three attempts. Rash had to borrow a pair of bowling shoes after he accidentally left his at Narita International airport en-route to Bangkok.

Perfect gamer, Peerawich Rungcharoen of Thailand occupied seventh position with 2129 while Atchairya Cheng occupied the eight spot reserved for the highest Thai finisher on 2095. Japanese pro, Shota Kawazoe, who was in the top bracket in fifth yesterday, dropped out to head the second bracket in tenth with 2128.

2014 Harry Golden Rookie of the Year and 2014 Saudi Arabia Kingdom International Open champion, Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington took 11th position with 2127.

Several world-class PBA pros who made the second bracket so far were 2016 USBC Masters champion and 2016 World Youth Championships Masters gold mdeallist, Anthony Simonsen of USA in 12th position with 2126.

Defending champion, Osku Palermaa of Finland and three-time ABF Tour winner, Sam Cooley of Australia tied in 16th with 2103 and 2015 Qatar Open champion, Cameron Weier of Tacoma, Washington in 20th with 2020.

Last week's Weber Cup winning Team Europe, Dominic Barrett of Maldon, Essex, England finished two pins behind Weier in 21st position while debutant, Greg Young of USA was the cut in 24th position with 1995.

Top female finisher was 2016 H.H. Emir Cup champion, Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, N.Y. in 22nd with 2016. 2016 Thailand Open champion and second highest female qualifier, Yanee Saebe of Thailand headed the third bracket in 25th position with 1979. The current cut in 37th position went to Thailand's Napat Buspanikonkul with 1877.

Qualifying will end tomorrow after the last squad at 2200 hrs and the one-game desperado squad will be held to allow three additional players to qualify for Round 2 finals on August 11.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.

8th August, Bangkok: 2014 Incheon Asian Games Singles gold medalist, Yannaphon Larpapharat of Thailand stake his claim on his first tour title after taking up the lead of the qualifying rounds of the 2016 PBA-World Bowling Tour Thailand on Monday.

Yannaphon, whose best showing was a tenth place finish back in 2012 tour, impressed by taking up pole position in the qualifying standings with 2189 on 749, 737 and 703 three-games series. Since his achievement in Incheon in 2014, the 33-year-old Thai has previously won the Macau International Open twice in 2011 and 2012.

Ex-international and former head coach of the Singapore national team, Remy Ong also put in a promising display by taking up second position with 2166 while 2016 Thailand Open champion, Kim Bolleby of Thailand finished third with 2154.

2011 TV finalist, Peerawich Rungcharoen, who shot the tournament's first 300 yesterday, took up fourth position with 2129 ahead of Japanese pro, Shota Kawazoe in fifth with 2107. Three-time ABF Tour winner, Sam Cooley of Australia occupied sixth position with 2103.

Thai youngster, Atchariya Cheng made the top bracket in seventh position with 2095 while the eighth position reserved for a Thai went to Badin Lerdpiriyasakulkit with 2088.

The top seven plus the eighth qualifier will skip two rounds and advance automatically to Round 4 finals. Qualifier positioned nine, which is also reserved for a Thai plus those positioned 10 to 24 will skip one round to advance automatically to Round 3 finals.

Qualifiers positioned 25 to 37 plus two Thai positioned 38 and 39 together with three qualifiers from the one-game desperado squad will contest Round 2 finals.

2013 ABF Tour Tournament of Champions winner and 2012 Thailand Open champion, Surasak Manuwong occupied the ninth position reserved for a Thai while a second Japanese pro, Hiroki Takada headed the second bracket in tenth position with 2095.

The cut for the second bracket at 24th position went to Zakareya Al-Zaqori of Qatar with 1838 while Francis Tan of Malaysia headed the third bracket with 1827 in 25th position. The cut in 37th position is occupied by Thai women national bowler, Thanchanok Vilailak with 1715.

Last year's cut was 2030, or average 225.56 and with two more days left for qualifying, the cut could reach that figure easily.

Qualifiers for Round 2 will bowl six games in the finals and the top 10 will advance to the next round joined by the 26 qualifiers from the second bracket for another six games. The top 12 finishers in Round 3 will again be joined by the eighth seeded qualifiers from the top bracket for six games finals in Round 4. The top 7 plus the top local finishers will advance to the TV finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.