27th November, Doha: Third-seed and 2011/2013 champion, Dominic Barrett of England captured the PBA-WBT 14th Qatar Bowling Open title for the third time after narrowly defeating topseed, Stuart Williams in an all-England finals.

There was nothing between Barrett and Williams when they tied the first game of the two-games championship match. In the second game, Barrett had an early split in the first frame but Williams too had a split in the second frame.

The topseed struck in the third as his challenger spared the third. There was still nothing separating the English duo until Williams had another spli in the sixth frame. But Barrett was able to stike twice to take a slender lead.

Things were level again when Barrett had his second split in the seventh frame and Williams struck twice in the seventh and eighth frames.

Barrett responded with a double in the eighth and nine and when Williams failed to double up after a strike in the tenth ending with 182, all Barrett needed was to mark his past frame to seal the tie.

Barrett left a 4-10 split which meant if he failed to convert, Williams would take victory but to the delight of the spectators at Qatar Bowling Centre, he cooly spared the frame to finish off with 189 and clinch his fourth PBA title, 395-388.

The champion had to come from behind when he trailed second-seed, Martin Larsen of Sweden 232-258 in the first game of the Step 3 semi-finals match. But the Brit outclassed the Swede, 278-211 to advance to Step 4 finals.

Williams defeated last year's second runner-up and fourth-seed, Cameron Weier of USA, 434-421 in the other Step 3 semi to meet Barrett in the finals.

"I had found the lanes tricky and difficult during the qualifying rounds," said the 29-year-old three-times World Bowling Writers' Bowler of the Year and defending champion, Barrett.

"I was poor at the start of the Step 1 finals and really couldn't get much carry. I was extremely lucky to have made the cut for the next stage with a big game in the final game. Stu (Williams) had a great run and deserved to win Step 2 finals.

"Again I didn't start off Step 2 finals well but I must admit I made the TV show by managing to convert a lot of the splits I had. It wasn't easy for both of us during the finals but I'm glad I had better luck."

Williams topped Step 2 finals with 1474 followed by Larsen with 1419. Barrett finished thid with 1407 while the fourth and final Step 3 spot went to Weier with 1404. Daniel Fransson of Sweden missed the cut by 20 pins.

The six Team USA and PBA pros bound for Abu Dhabi World Bowling Championships all failed to make any impression. Barrett won US$40,000 as top prize and the full 100 World Bowling Tour ranking points.

Williams settled for US$20,000 while Larsen and Weier picked up US$7,000 each. 102 bwolers took part in the third stop of the 2015 PBA-World Bowling Tour stop and the final leg European Bowling Tour.

Two-time PBA-WBT winner, Thomas Larsen of Denmark came away as the winner of the EBT men's divison while Kamilla Kjeldsen, also from Denmark won the women's division. The next 2015 PBA-WBT is the 8th Kingdom International Open in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from November 29 to December 2.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Doha.

27th November, Doha: Diana Zavjalova of Latvia outshone the men in the Step 1 Finals of the PBA-WBT 14th Qatar Bowling Open to advance into Step 2 joined by the top 10 seeded qualifiers for another 6 games.

Last year's second runner-up, Cameron Weier of USA set the opening pace with a cracking 279 to lead 2012 World Youth Masters gold medalist, Daniel Fransson of Sweden in second, 22 pins away followed by Richard Teece of England and Michael Mak of Hong Kong tieing third place.

Weier led for another game with Fransson closing in second reducing the gap to 16 pins as the Swede slipped down to third. The American had to share the lead at the halfway mark with Peter Hellstrom of Sweden rolled a superb 257 and Weier only 213.

Hellstrom took over the running after the fourth game while Diana Zavjalova of Latvia fired a big game of 277 to move up into second spot and Teece maintaining third position.

The Latvian, bowling with a handicap of 8 pins each game, ended with 224 and 206 to clinch top spot with 1377 as Fransson ended strongly with 246 to snatch second spot with 1371, just 6 pins adrift.

"I had six attempts and I was completely lost with the lanes," said the 23-year-old Zavjalova, who won two gold medals at the European championships this year.

"When I started badly with 160, I thought it was going to be tough but when I added the 48 pins handicap that I will get, 208 isn't too bad. So I just gave my best to try and just make the cut. Indeed I'm glad but I'm even more surprise to win the round."

Teece earned third position with 1368 followed by the top PBA pro, Brad Angelo in fourth position with 1364. Martin Larsen of Sweden rounded out the top 5 with 1350.

Dominic Barrett of England, who was struggling in the early stages, stormed home with 242 to tie with Mattias Wetterberg of Sweden in 16th position toqualify for the next stage. Markus Jansson of Sweden was the cut in 18th position with 1256 beating Mattias Olsson of Sweden with a higher sixth game despite having the same total.

The top 18 finishers will be joined by the 10 seeded qualifiers from the overall standings for another 6 games scratch in Step 2 finals. The top 4 at the end of the stage will advance to the TV shootout finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Doha.

26th November, Doha: American PBA pros, Craig Nidiffer and Bill O'Neill both made the t0p 10 bracket after topping Squad 15 and Squad 16 on the last day of qualifying at the PBA-WBT 14th Qatar Bowling Open.

Nidiffer got off to a slow start managing only 214 but found a good line to settle down to 245 and 267 in his next two games. Another lowly 209 did not stop the American as he followed it up with 248 and 254 to end the squad with 1437 moving up into sixth position in the overall standings.

His compatriot, Tom Daugherty finished second with 1384 but was only good enough for 15th overall while Danielle McEwan, also from USA took third spot with 12347 to make the cut in 25th position.

Four others in this squad also made improvements to qualify for Step 1 finals. Markus Jansson of Sweden, Ahmed Mohd Rahimi of Bahrain, Mika Koivuniemi of Finland and Tom Hess of USA after finishing fourth to seventh positions respectively.

In the subsequent Squad 16, American PBA pro Bill O'Neill posted 1413 to win the squad but crucially made the top bracket in seventh position. 2014 PBA-WBT Thailand WOrld Tour champion, Osku Palermaa shot 1412 behind O'Neill to move into the top bracket in eighth overall.

Another PBA pro, Brad Angelo miss the top bracket but was content to qualify for the Step 1 finals after finishing third in this squad with 1381.

Day 4 high series award winner and overnight leader, Thomas Larsen remained in the lead of the overall standings with 1503. Sean Rash of USA claimed second spot with 1456 ahead of fellow-PBA pro, Mike Fagan in third with 1454.

Tommy Jones took sixth position with 1432 while Day 3 high series award winner, Stuart Williams occupied ninth position with 1408. Debutant, John Wells of England is the top 10 cut with 1396.

Joonas Jehkinen of Finland headed the second bracket in 11th position with 1395 as the cut in 34th position before the final Squad 17 went Tom Hess of USA with 1316 or 116 over. This could likely increase to 130 over by the end of qaualifying. A one-game desperado squad will be held to allow the top 3 scorer to join the Step 1 finals after the last squad.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Doha.

25th November, Doha: Thomas Larsen of Denmark shot the tournament's first perfect game en-route to winning Squad 13 and claiming pole position in the overall qualifying standings of the PBA-WBT 14th Qatar Bowling Open.

Larsen, who has already won two PBA-World Bowling Tour titles, 2013 Abu Dhabi World Tour and this year's PBA-WBT Kuwait Open, started moderately with 211 as Mika Koivuniemi of Finland set the pace with 247 in his opening game.

The Dane then blazed the lanes with 288 in the second game before rolling the first 300 in the third game to take over the running. Larsen followed it up with 192, 266 and 246 to round off his second attempt on a total of 1503.

PBA pro, Mike Fagan of USA finished second in the squad with 1454, 49 pins adrift while 2014 Incheon Asian Games Team bronze medalist and 2013 PBA-WBT Saudi Open first funner-up, Michael Mak of Hong Kong in third with 1370.

A third PBA pro, Bill O'Neill of USA took fourth position with 1365 and Mattias Wetterberg of Sweden rounded out the top 5 with 1356.

Larsen, who is the first qualifier to surpass the 1500-mark, also beat brief leader, Sean Rash of USA who topped the earlier Squad 12 with 1456 and slipping down to second. Fagan is third overall ahead of early leader, Marshall Kent of USA fourth with 1448.

2013 PBA-WBT Saudi Open champion, Tommy Jones of USA, who finished second to Rash, completed the top 5 with 1432. Day 3 high series winner, Stuart Williams of England finished sixth with 1408.

His compatriot and debutant, John Wells took eighth position with 1396 followed by Joonas Jehkinen of Finland, Martin Larsen of Sweden and Qatari youngster, Ghanim Aboujassoum making up the top 10.

2012 World Youth Masters gold medalist, Daniel Fransson of Sweden headed the next bracket in 11th position as the cut at 34th position went to PBA pro, Tom Hess of USA with 1300 or just 100-over.

One more late squad will be played tonight leaving three last squads for qualifying tomorrow. The top 10 qualifiers will skip Step 1 finals while qualifiers positioned 11 to 34 together with the six qualifiers from the first three days of qualifying rounds will contest Step 1 finals.

The top 18 finishers from Step 1 will join the 10 seeded qualifiers for another 6 games scratch. The top 4 will advance to the TV shootout finals, the topseed versus the fourth-seed and the second-seed versus the third-seed over a two-game total matchplay Step 3 finals.

The winners of Step 3 finals will face each other again over a 2-game total to determine the champion. The higher seed loser in Step 3 finals will be the second runner-up.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Doha.

24th November, Doha: 2012 PBA Viper Open champion, Stuart Williams of England took up second in the qualifying standings of the PBA-WBT 14th Qatar Bowling Open on his first attempt on Monday.

Williams, who made this year's PBA World Championships TV show, got off the block with only 194 but picked up his pace with a superb 246 and 241 in his next two games.

The 33-year-old then fired 224 and 223 before ending with a sizzling 280 to win Squad 11 with 1408. His effort will probably also win him the Day 4 high series award worth US$200. Qatari youngster, Ghanim M Aboujassoum did well to take up second in this suqad with 1389.

2013 PBA-WBT Kuwait and Abu Dhabi winner, Thomas Larsen of Denmark finished third with 1324 followed by Diana Zavjalova of Latvia and debutant, John Wells of England rounding out the top 5 with 1309 and 1284 respectively.

William's effort took him to second in the overall standings, 40 pins behind current leader, Marshal Kent of USA in top spot with 1448. 2013 Kingdom of Saudi Open champion, Martin Larsen of Sweden, a team member of the European Team which won the Weber Cup this year, won Day 3 high series award with 1393 to occupy third.

Ghanim is fourth while 2012 World Youth Masters champion, Daniel Fransson of Sweden completed the top 5 of the standings with 1374.

The top 10 in the qualifying standings will earn one bye and automatically advance to Step 2 Finals. Qualifiers positioned 11 to 34, plus the top 2 qualifiers from the first three days of qualifying and the top 3 qualifiers from the one-game desperado squad will make the cut for the Step 1 finals.

The 33 qualifiers will bowl 6 games from scratch and the top 18 finishers will join the 10 seeded qualifiers for another 6 games scratch in Step 2 finals. The top 4 will proceed to the Step 3 TV Shootout Finals.

The 2 winners of Step 3 finals will advance to Step 4 finals for a two-game total pinfalls title match to decide the champion. The champion will walk away with the top prize of US$40,000 and PBA bowlers will be awarded an international PBA title.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Doha.