18th April, Bangkok: Surasak Manuwong of Thailand claimed his first career title by emerging as Men's Open Masters champion of the 38th MWA Thailand International Open while Korean Lee Na Young of Daejeon Metropolitan City successfully defended the Ladies' Open Masters crown.

Surasak Manuwong, who was seeded No. 1, needed only one game to defeat challenger, Aris Ardilla of Malaysia, 210-171 to win his first-ever open title after being in the sports for over 10 years.

Both started the match with a double but Aris went behind Surasak after a big split in the third frame. Although the Thai also had a split in the sixth frame but the Malaysian had two more splits in the fifth and seventh frames allowing the top seed to pull away to a comfortable victory.

The challenger, who was seeded fourth, ousted fifth-seed, Wicky Yeung of Hong Kong and sixth-seed, Kritchawat Jamparkao of Thailand, 198-187-175 to advance to the second match. Aris was equally impressive when he defeated No. 2 seed, Ryan Lalisang of Indonesia and No. 3 seed, Kang Bo Long of Malaysia, 210-184-169 in the second match.

But Aris could not repeat the form he showed earlier going down to the champion in the finals. Surasak won 300,000 Thai Baht (approx. US$9,700) as champion while Aris earned 150,000 Thai Baht (approx. US$4,800).

Lalisang took home 75,000 Baht (approx. US$2,430) for finishing third with Kang, Yeung and Kritchawat earning 40,000, 25,000 and 20,000 Baht respectively.

In the earlier Stage 2 finals, Surasak finished in pole with 2198, followed Lalisang in second with 2135, Kang third with 2091, Aris fourth with 2056, Yeung fifth with 2053 and Kritchawat sixth with 2004.

Meanwhile, Korean Lee Na Young of Daejeon Metropolitan City successfully defended the Ladies' Open Masters title after she easily beat challenger, Siti Shazwani of Malaysia, 212-177 in the title match.

Siti, who was seeded second, shot 8 pins in the one-ball roll-off to break the tie with local hopeful, Yanee Saebe after being locked at 189 while fifth-seed and winner of the first match, Syaidatul Afifah lost by 1 pin.

Syaidatul had a chance to take the match but failed to spare her bonus frame while Yanee struck in her bonus frame to tie with Siti. Syaidatul won the first match by beating No. 4 seed, Sung Gyeong Eun of Daejeon and No. 6 seed, Angkana Netrviseth of Thailand, 192-187-166 to advance.

Lee won 100,000 Thai Baht (approx. US$3,240) as champion while Siti settled for 50,000 Baht (approx. US$1,600). Yanee, who finished third earned 25,000 Baht with Syaidatul, Sung and Angkana taking home 15,000, 10,000 and 5,000 Baht respectively.

The champion had earlier topped the Stage 2 finals with 2098 followed by Siti on 2083 and Yanee 2010. Sung, Syaidatul and Angkana qualified for the stepladder finals in fourth to sixth positions with 1982, 1977 and 1965 respectively.

The top 16 Asian men and top 16 Asian women also qualified for the third stop of this year's ABF Tour Thailand leg which will be held at S.F. Strike Bowl tomorrow.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.

17th April, Bangkok: Kuwaiti's veteran bowler, Yaqoub Al Shatti took a rare lead in the Men's Open Masters Stage 1 finals of the 38th MWA Thailand International Open while Singapore's 15-year-old national youth Joey Yeo topped the Ladies' division.

Last year's ABF Tour Thailand leg champion and ex-international, Kritchawat Jamparkao got off the mark with a superb 232 in the opening game to lead the field of 34 finalists, 7 pins ahead of Jaya Ancol Bowl's Hengky Susanto of Indonesia in second.

Despite following it up with 202 in the second game, Dechochai Tinjiratip took over the running after the youngster fired 223 and 222. The Thai national youth, was on a roll knocking down 235 and 236 to open up a gap of 44 pins with Kritchawat remaining in second.

Dechochai held the lead for another game when he could not sustain his blistering pace allowing UAE's Hareb Al Mansoori to move ahead and into the lead past the halfway mark.

But the Emirati ran out of steam in his last two games to slip down to third with 2074. Yaqoub registered 221 and 235 to end the stage with 2145 in the lead as Ng clinched second spot with 2108.

Pace-setter, Dechochai settled for fourth position with 2050 while ex-international, Somjed Kusonpithak of Thailand completed the top 5 with 2038. Peerawich Rungcharoen of Thailand and Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong survived the cut to tie in 18th position with 1958.

Eric Tseng missed the cut by 1 pin in 19th position while another ex-Thai national Pasut Punsanthaveekul and Malaysian national champion, Isaac Russell Paul tied 20th position, a further 3 pins away.

Meanwhile, Singapore's national youth Joey Yeo sprang an upset by claiming pole position in the Ladies' Open division with a total of 1956 pinfalls. The 2011 Milo All-Stars Under-15 champion had traded the lead with Malaysia's Siti Shazwani in the earlier four games prior to the tenth game.

Korean Kim Ji Hye of Daejeon Metropolitan City stormed home with 243 in the tenth game to snatch second position with 1952, just 4 pins away. Hong Kong's national bowler, Chan Shuk Han claimed third spot with 1951.

Siti Shazwani settled for fourth place with 1949 while three-time ABF Tour TOC winner, Wendy Chai completed the top 5 with 1933. Defending champion, Lee Na Young of Korea, scrapped through into the next stage in sixth position with 1921.

The top 6 would be joined by the top 3 local and the top 3 overseas seeded qualifiers for another 10 games in the Stage 2 finals tomorrow. The top 6 at the end of the stage will advance to the stepladder finals shootout.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.

16th April, Bangkok: Indonesian Ryan Lalisang of Jaya Ancol Bowl took pole position in the Men's Open Masters overseas qualifying pool of the 38th MWA Thailand International Open at S.F. Strike Bowl on Monday.

Lalisang rolled a sizzling 741 3-game series to add to his other best series of 687 for a 6-game tally of 1428 to take pole position in the overseas pool. The Indonesian will be to return to the winning circle after a disappointing run at last month's Kuwait International Open.

Despite finishing a promising fourth in the Round 2 finals, the Indonesian failed to progress beyond Round 3. But the pole position in the qualifying round of the Thailand Open will earn him a bye in Stage 1 finals and automatically advance into Stage 2.

Hong Kong's Wicky Yeung and Singapore's national youth, Keith Saw both cracked into the top 3 after Yeung and Saw moved up to second and third with 1408 and 1405 respectively behind Lalisang.

2009 Thailand Open champion and winner of 2011 Macau and Indonesia Open, Yannaphon Larpapharat remained atop the overall and local standings with 1475. The Thai will be joined by compatriots, Badin Lerdpiriyasakulkit and Phumin Klandiba for Stage 2 with 1441 and 1440.

The current cut in 11th position in the mixed pool is held by Indonesia's Rangga Yudhira with 1307. The top qualifier in the reserves will also make the cut as Lee Ik-Kyu of Korea will not be defending his title.

Daejeon Metropolitan City's Sung Gyeong-Eun also cracked into the top 3 in third with 1312 behind leader and team-mate, Jun Gwe-Ae in first with 1366 and Malaysia's Syaidatul Afifah second with 1321.

2011 SEA Games Trios gold medalist, Angkana Netrviseth topped the local pool with 1371 ahead of compatriots, Chantanee Sarnswang and Yanee Saebe second and third with 1308 and 1262.

The current cut in the Ladies' division is held by Hong Kong's Chan Shuk Han with 1215. Qualifying will end late tonight and the desperado squad will be staged to include the top 4 Men's Open to join Stage 1 finals.

Stage 1 finals will be held tomorrow, April 17 and Stage 2 on Wednesday, April 18. The top 16 Asian men and top 16 Asian women will also qualify for the ABF Tour Thailand leg which will be held on Thursday, April 19.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.

15th April, Bangkok: 2009 champion, Yannaphon Larpapharat of Thailand staked his claim on the Men's Open Masters title of the 38th MWA Thailand International Open after topping the qualifying table and earned automatic entry into Stage 2 finals.

Yannaphon, who won the 2011 Macau China Open and the 2011 Indonesia Open titles, rolled two best 3-game series of 807 and 668 for a 6-game tally of 1475 to lead both the local pool and the overall standings.

The 29-year-old Thai national will be hoping to return to the winning circle after a disapointing run at last month's Kuwait International Open in which he failed for progress beyond Round 2 finals.

His team-mate, Badin Lerdpiriyasakulkit, who topped the Kuwait Open Round 3 finals but failed to progress beyond Round 4, took second spot with 1441 while Thai youngster, Phumin Klanbida finished third with 1440.

The top 3 in the local pool and the top 3 in the overseas pool would advance into Stage 2 finals automatically while positions 4 to 12 of the local pool and positions 4 to 12 of the overseas pool will have to contest Stage 1 finals.

In the overseas pool, 2009 ABF Tour TOC winner, Ryan Lalisang of Indonesia, displayed a glimsp of his past glory by claiming pole position with 1428. Singapore national youth, Joel Tan took second spot with 1380 while 2010 Malaysian national champion, Kang Bo Long finished third with 1371.

Last year's Youth Under-21 Masters champion, Jun Gwi-Ae of Daejeon Metropolitan City, Korea snatched pole position in the Ladies' Open Masters qualifying table with 1366 from Malaysian national bowler, Syaidatul Afifah, who led briefly with 1321.

Overnight leader, Zatil Iman of Malaysia dropped to third with 1286. Again the top 3 in the overseas pool and top 3 in the local pool would earn automatic entry into Stage 2 finals.

2011 SEA Games Trios gold medalist, Anagkana Netrviseth of Thailand headed the local pool and overall standings with 1371 followed by compatriot, Shantanee Samswang in second with 1308 and Yanee Saebe third with 1262.

Qualifying will end on Monday, April 17 and 28 Men's Open Masters qualifiers together with 4 from the desperado squad and 16 Ladies' Open Masters qualifiers will contest the 10-game Stage 1 Open Masters finals on April 17.

The top 18 Men from Stage 1 together with the 6 seeded qualifiers and the top 6 Ladies from Stage 1 with the 6 seeded qualifiers will contest another 10 games in Stage 2 finals on April 18.

The top 6 men and top 6 ladies will advance to the stepladder finals shootout with positions 4 to 6 to bowl in the first match. The winner will meet the second and third seed for the second match to earn the right to challenge the top seed in a beat-twice final.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.

15th April, Bangkok: Singapore Sports School youths swept the top 3 positions of the Youth Under-15 Masters finals at the 38th MWA Thailand International Open while Korean youth, Yoon Jun-Sil of Uiduk University claimed the Youth Under-21 Masters crown.

Thai youth, Lapasdanai Chuseang took the early lead with a strong 201 opening game and a 10 pin handicap. She held the lead for another game after rolling 192 in the second but was quickly overtaken by Singapore Sports School's Kuek Qi En at the halfway mark.

Lapasdanai bounced back to regain the lead after the fourth game, just 1 pin ahead of Kuek while another Singapore Sports School, Marcus Leong fired a sizzling 252 to move up to third, a further 2 pins away.

Leong kept his momentum going with another superb 200 in the fifth to open up a gap of 25 pins as a third Singapore Sports School youth Timothy Tan took over second spot and Lapasdanai slipped away to third.

The Singapore youth ended the finals with 187 to clinch the title with 1133 as Daphne Oh stromed home with 207 to snatch second spot with 1129. Brandan Tan gave Singapore Sports School a sweep of the top 3 positions by finishing third with 1125.

Lapasdanai missed the podium by finishing fourth with 1101 while early pace-setter, Kuek Qi En rounded the top 5 with 1097.

In the Youth Under-21 Masters finals, Uiduk University's Yoon Jin-Sil of Korea took the title with 2099 thanks to a 9 pin handicap per game competing against the boys. Early leader, Dechocahi Tinjiratip of Thailand finished second with 2084, just 15 pins adrift.

Last year's Asian School Doubles silver medalist, Atittarat Cheng of Thailand took third spot with 2035 ahead of Sung Gyeong-Eun of Daejeon Metropolitan City, Korea fourth with 2018.

Phumin Klanbida of Thailand and Singapore national youth, Tracy See finished in the money in fifth and sixth positions with 1941 and 1937 respectively.

Qualifying for the Youth Under-18 will laster tonight and the Masters finals will be staged on tomorrow.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.