Fahad Al-Emadi, Esther Cheah take different routes to win 38th Hong Kong International Open

    06/10/12

    Hong Kong

    Hong Kong Bowling City in Hong Kong, China (June 3-9, 2012)

    2012HKGOpenEstherCheahFahadAlEmadi.jpgFahad Al-Emadi of Qatar and Esther Cheah of Malaysia (pictured left) took different routes to win the men's and women's Open Masters titles in the 38th Hong Kong International Open. Once again the event was hosted at 48-lane Hong Kong Bowling City, which will also host the 22nd Asian Tenpin Bowling Championships from Sept. 2-11, 2012.

    Al-Emadi, who earned the No. 1 seed in the men's division finishing the 10-game Final Round Two with 2260 pinfall total or an average of 226, had to sit and wait for his opponent. Also the top seeded Qatari must be defeated twice to win the title.

    In the opening match of the six-player stepladder finals, Lee Tak Man of Macau, the No. 6 seed, posted a 214 game to fly past No. 5 Wicky Yeung (180) of Hong Kong and No. 4 Mohamed Janahi (152) of Bahrain.

    2012HKGOpenFahadAlEmadi.jpg2012HKGOpenMenTop6.jpgIn the semifinal match, 2010 Hong Kong Open champion Hussain Al Suwaidi, UAE, seeded second, eliminated No. 3 seed, Muhd Nur Aiman of Malaysia and Tak Man, 238-214-210, to meet Al-Emadi in the title match.

    Al Suwaidi topped the Qatari, 214-204, to force a deciding second game in which Al-Emadi (left) wrapped up the title with a 229-193 win. The 27-year-old received the HK$55,000 (approx. US$7,000) first place check while Al-Suwaidi got HK$22,000 (approx. US$2,830) for second place. Aiman garnered HK$14,000 (approx. US$1,800) for third place.

    On the women's side, Jazreel Tan of Singapore, a senior in the sport management program at Wichita State University and the National Collegiate Bowler of the Year for the past two college bowling seasons, secured the top seed with 2273, the highest 10-game total of both men's and women's division.

    2012HKGOpenEstherCheah.jpg2012HKGOpenWomenTop6.jpgIn the first shoot-out match, Hong Kong's Joey Yip, seeded fifth, delighted the local fans eliminating No. 6 Yap Seok Kim of Singapore and No. 4 Zatil Iman of Malaysia, 224-213-180.

    Yip met another two Malaysian national team members in the semis. Former world champion Esther Cheah rolled a 235 game to easily defeated her team mate, three-time Hong Kong Open winner Shalin Zulkifli (185), and Yip (191) to bowl Tan for the title.

    Cheah, the daughter of long-time Malaysian national head coach, Holloway Cheah, carried the momentum into the title match and defeated Tan, 242-225, to force a decider. Tan rolled another 235 game but had to settle for second place as Cheah (left) fired a huge 267 game to seal the victory.

    The 25-year-old, who ended a title drought of more than two years, received the HK$26,000 (approx. US$3,300) women's top prize. Tan pocketed HK$14,000 (US$1,800) for second place while Zulkifli earned HK$7,000 (approx. US$900) for third place. The top 16 Asian men and top 16 Asian women also qualified for the ABF Tour Hong Kong leg which will be held Sunday at Hong Kong Bowling City.

    Photos and results courtesy of Asian Bowling Federation.

     

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    Hong Kong Bowling City in Hong Kong, China (June 3-9, 2012)

     

     

    38th Hong Kong International Open - Women's Stepladder Finals


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    Men's Open Masters Finals - Final Round 2


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    Men's Open Masters Finals - Final Round 1


    The top 18 advanced to the next round.

     

     

    Women's Open Masters Finals - Final Round 1


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