Khaled Al-Dubyyan leads Kuwait Open after Day One Qualifying

03/29/09

Kuwait

Cozmo Bowling Center in Kuwait City, Kuwait (March 28 - April 1, 2009)

2009KOKhaledAlDubyyan.jpgKhaled Al-Dubyyan (pictured left) from Kuwait set the pace after the first of three days of qualifying in the 6th Kuwait International Open Friday at Cozmo Bowling Center in Kuwait City. The 2006 World Ranking Masters champion averaged 240.33 over six games and felled 1442 pins. Al-Dubyyan had high games of 279, 266 and 254.

2009KOMartinLarsen.jpgTrailing Al-Dubyyan by 28 pins to sit in second place is world champion Martin Larsen (right), Sweden, who used high games of 275, 259 and 257 for a 1414 series (235.67). Basil Al-Anzi, Kuwait, was the third bowler, who cracked the 1400-bar in third position with 1413 (235.50). He finished his set with the 280 high game of the day.

International bowlers are well represented among the top 28, who will survive the first cut after 18 games of qualifying.

2009KONinaFlack.jpg2-time European Ranking champion Osku Palermaa, Finland, sits in fourth place with 1391. Asian Games champion Ryan Lalisang, Indonesia, is sixth with 1364. Women's European Ranking champion, Nina Flack (pictured left), Sweden, is the best of seven women in the 87-player field in 7th place with 1357 pinfall total including five pins handicap each game.

Paul Stott, Ireland, is two spots and two pins behind in 9th place with 1355. Robert Anderson, Sweden, who won the Doubles gold at the 2006 Men's World Championship with Martin Larsen, is 12th with 1330, followed by World Champions Tim Mack, United States, in 13th (1317) and Biboy Rivera, Philippines, in 15th place (1288).

Pasut Punsanthaveekul, Thailand, is 16th (1282) with European Champion Mads Sandbækken, Norway, in 17th (1280) and Asian Champion Eric Tseng, Hong Kong, in 22nd place (1257).

Tseng's compatriot Vanessa Fung is the second-best woman in 24th place with 1249 including handicap. Somjed Kusonpithak, Thailand, is 26th with 1245. Veronica Lantto, Sweden, is tied for 27th place with 1244 including handicap.

Flack, Fung, Lantto and ABF and Asian Ranking Champion Chan Shuk Han, Hong Kong, will battle it out for the Ladies Extra Prize Fund (1st - $2,750, 2nd - $1,900, 3rd - $1,500, 4th - $1,000). Shuk Han is 55th with 1163, but the three other women contenders, Nasha King, Macau (72nd, 1064), Carmen Toliver, Philippines (85th, 981) and Hanadi Al-Muzaiel, Kuwait (87th, 945) are already 99pins and more behind.

The 6th Kuwait International Open has a total prize fund of $120,000 with 25 Grand going to the winner.

All 87 players will bowl 18 games of qualifying over three days to cut to the top 28 plus the next four Kuwaitis. Those 32 players will bowl another 8 games with the top 15 plus the next Kuwaiti advancing to round robin match play. The top 5 after match play (starting from scratch with 30 pins bonus per win) will advance to the stepladder finals. The top seed must be defeated twice to win the title.

Courtesy of Asian Bowling Federation

 

 

6th Kuwait International Open - Qualifying Day One Results