27th November, Manama: Topseed, Saeed Al-Hajri of Qatar had to defeat challenger, Aziz Jaffar of Bahrain in the second match decider to win the 7th Kingdom of Bahrain International Open Masters title ending a long drought.

Saeed Al-Hajri, who had topped the earlier Top 16 finals by a comfortable margin of 129 pins on a total of 1792, advanced into the stepladder finals as topseed. In the final match against challenger, Aziz Jaffar of Bahrain, the Qatari was forced into the second match decider after losing 159-195.

In the title match, both bowlers struggled to find their lines and Saeed narrowly edged Aziz 167-158 to win the title. Aziz, who was seeded second, ousted favourite, Wu Siu Hong of Hong Kong, 186-172 to advance to the final match.

Wu knocked compatriot and the only women finalist, Chan Shuk Han, 234-220 to move up the ladder to face Aziz but his run ended with a third place finish. Fifth-seed, Chan took out fourth-seed, Basil Al-Anzi of Kuwait, 201-172 in the first match.

The newly-crowned champion pocketed US$20,000 for the victory while Aziz won US$10,000 and Wu took home US$6,000. Chan and Basil won for themselves US$5,000 and US$4,500 respectively.

Photos courtesy of Bahrain Bowling Federation.

26th November, Manama: Ex-international, Fadel Al-Mosawi of Kuwait, topped the Round 2 finals of the 7th Kingdom of Bahrain International Open at Adhari Bowling Center on Wednesday ahead of Bahrain's Aziz Jaffar and Ahmed Al-Noaimi in second and third.

GCC Championship Team silver medalist, Mohammed Al-Rejeeba of Kuwait, got off the mark with 254 opening game to take an early lead UAE's Syed Ibrahim by 10 pins. GCC Doubles gold medalist took over the lead briefly after the second game as Fadel regained it and had a lead of 20 pins at the halfway mark.

Bahrain's Aziz Jaffar mounted his challenge to reduce the gap after the fifth game to 9 pins but the 37-year-old managed to increase and maintain his gap by 24 pins for the next two games. A superb 254 in his final game saw the Kuwaiti clinch pole with 1771.

Aziz settled for second with 1729, 42 pins adrift with another Bahraini, Ahmed Al-Noaimi third with 1718. GCC Championship Team gold medalist,

Abdulla Al-Qattan of Qatar and top Bahraini, Yousif Falah rounded up the top 5.

The top 12 will join the four automatic qualifiers for Round 3 for another 8 games. The top 5 at the end of the third round will advance to the stepladder finals.

Photos courtesy of Bahrain Bowling Federation.

25th November, Manama: Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong ended the second squad of qualifying of the 7th Kingdom of Bahrain International Open in pole with team-mate, Chan Shuk Han second and UAE's Shaker Al-Hassan third.

Wu Siu Hong had led the first squad with three six-games series of 1410, 1215 and 1302 for an 18-game total of 3927. Although the 10th Chinese Taipei Open champion had attempted to improve his scoreline in the second squad of 18 games, Wu only managed 3725.

His 3927 effort was good enough for him to secure pole and gain automatic entry into Round 3. Joining him is current Asian women ranked No. 1 and top female finisher, Chan Shuk Han who took second spot with 3826.

Chan had totaled 3657 in the first squad but improved with 1318, 1224 and 1284 in her second attempt. Double ABF Tour leg champion, Shaker Al-Hassan of UAE put in a remarkable effort to take up third spot with

3697. Top top Bahraini to advance was Mohammed Al-Shawoosh with 3625.

The four spots reserved for Bahrainis were Fawaz Abdulla (33rd-3469), Hameed Taqi (36th-3458), Shaker Daraj (37th-3455) and Ahmed Fareed (38th-3452). The top Bahraini women qualifier was Maria Modara, who finished 90th with 2977.

The best 30 qualifiers plus four Bahrain bowlers, one women and defending champion will advance into Round 2 for 8 games with the top 12 finishers joining the four automatic qualifiers for another 8 games in Round 3.

Photos courtesy of Bahrain Bowling Federation.

23rd November, Manama: Current Asian Women Ranked No. 1, Chan Shuk Han of Hong Kong, topped the second squad of the 7th Kingdom of Bahrain International Open underway for the past four days at Adhari Bowling Centre.

Chan Shuk Han, who was fourth after the first squad of 18 games, topped the second squad of another 18 games over three blocks of six games with a total of 3827. Chan posted 1318, 1224 and 1284 in her three attempts to lead the second squad.

However, her effort only put her in seventh overall in an average of 200.86 but second in a 36-game total of 7483. A best-of-three six-games series will be chosen from a maximum of two squad attempts will be counted although she will easily make the cut as the top lady.

Her team-mate and compatriot, Wu Siu Hong topped the overall standing with an average of 212.56 and a 36-game total of 7652. Wu, who led the first squad with 3927, finished second to Chan in the second squad with 3725.

UAE's Shaker Al-Hassan finished third with 3697 from three six-games series of 1186, 1322 and 1189. The Emirati's average of 205.69 puts him second overall. Qatar's duo of Khalid Al-Doseri and Saeed Al-Hajri rounded up the top five.

Fahad Al-Emadi became the first bowler to hit a perfect game during the first block of the second squad. The perfect game helped Fahad to finish second to Chan in that attempt.

The best 30 qualifiers plus four Bahrain bowlers, one women and defending champion will advance into Round 2. The best 3 qualifiers plus best Bahrain bowlers will advance striaght into Round 3.

Photos courtesy of Bahrain Bowling Federation.

21st November, Manama: Hong Kong's top national bowler, Wu Sui Hong grabbed pole position after three blocks of six games were completed at the 7th Kingdom of Bahrain International Open underway at Adhari Bowling Centre.

Wu, who narrowly lost to Sithiphol Kunaksorn of Thailand in the final leg of the ABF Tour in Jakarta just a week ago, shot the highest six-games of 1410 in the first block held on Thursday.

Bahrain's top title contender, Yousif Falah finished a distant second with 1303 and Wu's compatriot and current women Asian Ranked No. 1, CHan Shuk Han with a 7 pin handicap per game, totaling 1302 to take up third spot.

Despite only managing 1215 in the second block of six games contested yesterday and finishing sixth, Wu maintained his lead after a stunning 1302 to total of 3927. Qatar's duo of Khalid Al-Doseri and Saeed Al-Hajri amassed 3674 and 3668 to finished second and third respectively.

Chan Shuk Han remained in fourth overall with 3657 with team-mate, Vanessa Fung rounding up the top five with a total of 3639 pinfalls.

The participants will contest a maximum of two squads of 18-games qualifying round to select the best three six-games series. The best 30 qualifier plus four Bahrain bowlers, one women and defending champion will advance into Round 2. The best 3 qualifier plus best Bahrain bowlers will advance straight into Round 3.

Round 2 qualifiers will play eighth games with to select the top 12 to join the best 3 plus best Bahrain bowler into Round 3 for another eighth games. The top 5 at the end of Round 2 will advance into the stepladder finals.

Photos courtesy of Bahrain Bowling Federation.