18th December, Penang: The three-way battle amongst the top 3 in the Men's Open Masters finals eventually favoured Korean youngster, Choi Bok Eum as he emerged victorious while Gye Mi Young celebrated a grand double to capture the Ladies's title of the 33rd Penang Pesta International Open Sunday afternoon.

Choi, took the lead after the 12th game of the grueling 16-game round-robin matchplay finals this morning by 11 pins. The 16-year-old university student stretched the lead to as high as 81 pins and ended the second block finals with 44 pins to spare on a total of 5755 plus pins carried forward form Saturday's first block.

SEA Games Trios and Team Gold medalist, Aaron Kong of Malaysia, who set a cracking pace at the start of the second block, saw his lead taken over by Korea's Lee Young Jun at the halfway mark. Lee began to fizzle out as his teammmate, Choi mounted an attack on the front-runners.

At the end of the 15th game and going into the final position-round match, the champion had a comfortable 81-pin lead over his nearest

opponent and a 191 in his final match did not matter much. Malaysia's Adrian Ang, who at one stage was closing in onto the leaders, had to contend with fourth spot ahead of newly-crowned, Boys Open Masters champion, Eric Ang in fifth.

Other Malaysians in the finals were Mohd Noer Said finishing ninth (5501), Daniel Lim tenth (5487), and Alex Liew 13th (5249). Azidi Ameran and Zaid Izlan did not make the cut from yesterday's first block.

Meanwhile, the Koreans dominated the ladies' division with Gye Mi Young capturing her second title with a total of 4862 over the 12-game round-robin finals. Gye, who had won the Girl's Open Masters title on Saturday, continued her superb form to lead the 12 ladies into today's second block finals.

The win gave the 19-year-old physical science university student her first-ever international title in addition to winning the Masters Gold medal in the 2004 Asian Championship in Bangkok and two Gold, a Silver and a Bronze medal in the 4th East Asian Games in Macau last month.

Selangor Open champion and 2003 World Championship Masters Bronze medalist, Lee Eun Ock of Korea, tried to mount a late challenge but to

no avail and had to settle for second with 4737. SEA Games Masters Silver medalist, Jazreel Tan of Singapore, did well to finish third with 4698.

Defending champion Jennifer Tan of Singapore, who sneaked into Sunday's finals in 12th, made up for a disappointing first block by finishing a superb fourth on 4668. Malaysia's Choy Poh Lai, who was third in the first block, slipped down the field to end up in ninth.

Choi Bok Eum and Gye Mi Young won for themselves, RM10,000 and RM5,000 plus a trip to return to Penang to defend their titles next year. The 33rd edition is a resounding success as with a first time visit by the full 10 Korean National Team members, 25 Bowling Camp Korea youths, 15 Ulsan Bowling Association members, Singapore National senior and youth teams, Singapore Sports Schools youths plus Malaysian bowlers making the total number of participants close to 350.

Photos by Terence Yaw, MTBC.

17th December, Prai: The field is still wide open as the top 16 men and top 12 ladies, led by Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong and Korea's Gye Mi Young, moved into the second block Open Masters finals of the 33rd Penang Pesta International Open on Sunday.

Apart from the start of the 10-games block, reigning ABF Tour Grand Finals champion, Wu Sui Hong immedaitely took over the lead with 268 in the second game. The 22-year-old ended the block with only 35 pins to spare on a total of 2285, which has opened up the field for anyone to take.

"I dropped two poor games in the fifth and the seventh and had to make adjustments immediately but still the lanes got more and more difficut," said Wu. "Fortunately, I was able to maintain my rythmn and the lead.

National youth member, Chiam Yew Koon was the best Singapore performer reeling in a total of 2250. Chiam was the ony bowler who has been able to keep pace with the leader. Korea's Lee Young Jun need two massive games of 279 and 246 in the ninth and tenth game to come within 11 pins of Chiam to take up third spot with 2239.

National bowler, Mohd Noer Said finished top of the 10 Malaysian finalists in fifth with 2216 followed by newly-crowned, Boy's Open Masters champion, Eric Ang in sixth with 2206. Aaron Kong (8th-2197), Adrian Ang (9th-2182), Daniel Lim (10th-2135) and Alex Liew (11th-2134) were the other Malaysians to make the top 16 cut for tomorrow's second block finals.

In the ladies' division, newly-crowned Girl's Open Masters champion, Gye Mi Young of Korea, snatched the lead in her last two games from leader, Choy Poh Lai of Malaysia. Despite having completed 10 games in the morning, the 19-year-old continued to display superb bowling and stamina to lead the field of 16.

Gye totalled 2183, just 14 pins ahead from the fast finishing, Jazreel Tan of Singapore in second with 2169. Choy Poh Lai tied third spot with Selangor Open champion, Lee Eun Ock of Korea with 2140 while ex-national, Charlotte Sak finished fifth with 2079.

Koreans, Hwang Sun Ok and East Asian Games Masters Gold medalist, Choi Jin A took sixth and seventh positions. Newly-crowned Junior All Stars champion, Sharon Koh of Malaysia, who finished ninth in this

morning's Youth finals, managed to make the top 12 cut for the second block in 11th. Last spot went to defending champion, Jennifer Tan finishing in 12th.

Photos by Terence Yaw, MTBC.

17th December, Penang: National youth, Eric Ang won his second international title in the final game of the Milo International Boy's Open Masters finals in the 33rd Penang Pesta International Open while Korean National squad member, Gye Mi Young outclassed the field to take the Girl's crown.

The 18-year-old telecommunication and electronic engineering student had a great start in the finals but soon found the going though with two low games. Ang picked up the pace stringing together several high games to narrow the gap from the leader, Chen Chun Hsiang of Chinese Taipei.

The champion was 78 pins adrift going into the tenth and final game and had to score big inorder to stand any chance of winning. Ang answered with a superb 257 while the Taiwanese could only manage a 171 to let the title slip away.

"I was just pacing myself in first half of the finals and I keep telling myself to be patient," said the national youth from Penang. "I did not compete in the Junior All Stars last week because of my exams so maybe I'm fresher," added Ang.

Chen Chun Hsiang settled for second with a total of 2077, 16 pins from Ang's 2093. Another national youth who hails from Penang, Adrian Charles Dragon stormed home with a high game of 234 to pip fellow national youth teammate, Syahereza Fajrin for third spot with 2025.

Meanwhile, Korean national team member and East Asian Games triple Gold medalist, Gye Mi Young outclassed the field of 16 finalists to capture the Girl's Open Masters title. The 19-year-old posted a total of 2117, 50 pins ahead of Penangnite, Irene Lee in second on a total of 2067.

Singapore's Geraldine Ng finished third with a score of 2022 followed by Korean National team member, Hwang Sun Ok and Malaysian National youth, Nur Syakira Yeoh in fourth and fifth positions on scores of 1980 and 1976 respectively.

Newly-crowned, Junior All Stars champion, Sharon Koh and runner-up, Christyn Chew finished a disappointing ninth and tenth. The top prize for the Boy's Open was RM1,000 while the champion of the Girl's Open took home RM800.

The ladies and men will contest their Masters finals over 10 games at the end of which the top 16 men and top 12 ladies will make the cut for tomorrow's round-robin matchplay finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw, MTBC.

16th December, Penang: Bernice Lim and Christopher Hwang of the Singapore Sports Schools put up a convincing display to capture both the Girl's and Boy's Under-16 Masters titles of the 33rd Penang Pesta International Open Friday morning at Mega Lanes Prai.

Lim, who finished second to teammate, Daphne Tan in the Milo International Junior All Stars Girl's Under-15 Masters three days ago in Kuala Lumpur, turned the table around to take the Girl's Under-16 title.

"My coach helped me throughout the 8 games that I was bowling to make sure that I stay focus and maintain a consistent pace," said the 14-year-old. "I'm glad I was able to finish ahead of Daphane this time," added the National Age Group championship triple Gold medalist. The champion also bagged the Secondary Schools league Premier Division Girl's Masters early this month.

The Milo International Junior All Stars Under-15 champion, Daphne Tan settled for second with an 8-game total of 1461, 21 pins behind Lim, who posted 1482. Kuala Lumpur's Nicole Teong calimed third spot with a score of 1453.

Christopher Hwang gave Singapore Sports Schools a double celebration after scoring 1623 to capture the Biy's Under-16 Masters crown. Apart for the two low games Hwang posted in the first and fourth games, the 13-year-old was outstanding reeling games of 202, 215, 221, 204, 221 and 225 in his other 6 games to win by a comfortable margin of 46 pins.

"My game was aweful in the early stage of the finals and my coach pointed out my mistake and that helped me alot," said the beeming champion. "I'm glad to have taken my maiden win after my fifth position in the Secondary Schools league Masters.

Two Korean youths, Lee Sheol Soo and Kim Jin Su of Bowling Camp, finished second and third with 1577 and 1554 respectively. Other Singapore Sports Schools finalists were Melvin Swee (5th), Mike Loh (7th), Colin Jude Wee (8th) and Milo Junior All Stars Under-15 champion, Gregory Gan (9th).

Qualifying for the other divisions are on-going and will end late this evening. The Girls and Boys Open Masters finals will be contested tomorrow morning while the Open divisions will play the first block finals later in the afternoon. The top 16 men and top 12 ladies will make the cut for Sunday;s round-robin match-play finals to determine this year's champion.

Photos by Terence Yaw, MTBC.

15th December, Penang: SEA Games Team Gold medalist, Choy Poh Lai impressed with a four-game score of 909 to take pole position in the Ladies' Masters qualifying table of the 33rd Penang Pesta International Open.

Fresh from capturing the Team Gold medal in the 23rd SEA Games, Malaysia national bowler, Choy Poh Lai took the lead in the Ladies' qualifying leaderboard with an impressive 905. The 24-year-old posted lines of 245, 203, 188 and 269 in her first attempt.

Singapore Open Ladies Greaded champion, Rohaya Abdul Rahim finished second, 72 pins adrift on 828 followed by Women's World Championship Singes Gold medalist, Esther Cheah third with 808. Milo International Junior All Stars runner-up took fourth spot with 804 ahead of Siti Safiyah Amirah fifth with 692.

The overall top spot went to SEA Games Masters Silver medalist, Jazreel Tan of Singapore, who chalked up lines of 258, 221, 249 and 191 for a total of 919. Two Gold medalist in the 4th East Asian Games, Gye Min Young of the Korean National team finished second with 916 ahead of teammate, Kim Hyo Mi third with 875.

The only bowler to surpass the 1,000 mark was four Gold medalist in the 4th East Asian Games in Macau, Kang Hee Won of the Korean National team. The 23-year-old blazed the lanes at Mega Lanes Penang with superb lines of 242, 288, 248 and 225 to lead the Men's Open qualifying table with 1003.

The top four spots in the overseas pool were dominated by the Koreans with Joung Seong Joo, Park Sang Pil and Lee Young Jun on scores of 947, 932 and 909 respectively while ABF Tour reigning Grand Finals champion, Wu Siu Hong of Hong Kong shared fourth spot with Lee on 909.

Malaysia's Azidi Ameran leads the local pool on a total of 886 in his second attempt this morning. The SEA Games Team Gold medalist started off well with 279 but drifted off the pace with 202 and 177 then came home strongly with 228.

Home-based National youth member, Jason Yam surprised the field to take up second spot with 873 ahead of teammate and Thaiand Open Youth champion, Eric Ang in third with 869.

The top 29 men plus defending champion and Singapore Open champion, Jack Wong of Singapore and top 15 plus the ladies defending champion, Jennifer Tan of Singapore will contest the Masters finals on Saturday, 17th December. The top 16 men and top 12 ladies will make the cut for Sunday's round-robin matchplay finals.

Photos by Terence Yaw, MTBC.