5th July, Hong Kong, China: Oh Hyun Ji and Jung Woo Hyun of Korean National Sports University ruled the Open Stage I Masters finals of the 47th Hong Kong International Open Bowling Championships after topping the Women's and Men's division on Friday.

2017 Hong Kong Open champion, Sharon Limansantoso of Jawa Timur, Wang Ya Ting of Chinese Taipei and 2022 Thailand Open champion, Ramita Sarntong of Thailand got off the block on equal footing to share the lead with 267. Oh trailed in second with 256, 11 pins adrift.

Limansantoso added 235 in her second game to firmed up her lead as Oh continued to trail the Indonesian, albeit just 5 pins behind. Newly-crowned Youth Girls Open champion, Lim Wan Ling of Singapore and Kim Ye Ji of KNSU followed in third and fourth.

Lim took over the running briefly before Oh leapfrog to the front of the pack at the halfway mark. The Singaporean trailed by 11 pins while Limansantoso stayed close to the leading duo. Oh blitzed the lanes with 257, 223, 242 and 231 to end the stage in the lead with 1945.

In the Men's Open division, Jung Woo Hyun of KNSU, Korea led from the third game all the way to the end after Macau's Lee Tak Man had led for the first two games. Lee got off brilliantly with 289, two pins ahead of Sylvester Yeung of Hong Kong in second.

Jung, who started off with 267 added 256 and 276 in his next two games to take over the running. Jung reeled in 266, 233, 278, 198 and 224 to seal top spot with 1998. Lee settled for second with 1982 while Tony Wong was the best Hong Kong finisher in third with 1973.

Surasak Manuwong of Thailand and Youth U15 Masters champion, Chiu Lucio Marcelino of Macau completed the top five with 1972 and 1968 respectively. Jung's team-mate, Kang Jae Hee made the cut for the next stage in 18th position with 1847.

The top 15 women and top 18 men will be joined by the six seeded men and six seeded women qualifiers from the general qualifying standings for another 8 games in Stage II finals tomorrow. The top 6 women and top 6 men with the highest pinfalls will proceed to the Stepladder Shootout Finals.

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