Bill O'Neill shoots big games to win Ebonite International Luxembourg Open

10/25/09

2009 European Bowling Tour #13

Nicole Sanders wins women's rankings

200910PBABillONeill.jpg2009EBT13DougKent.jpgPBA champion Bill O'Neill (pictured left), United States, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Wednesday, made himself a belated birthday present when he defeated Francois Louw, South Africa, 504-452, to win the Ebonite International Luxembourg Open and the 4.000 Euro top prize.

O'Neill took a comfortable 51-pin lead after a 269-218 in the first game and cruised to his first victory on the European Bowling Tour with a 235-234 in game two.

In the semifinals, Bill O'Neill, seeded 5th, posted another big score to eliminate No. 15 Nicole Sanders, Netherlands, 494-412. Fellow PBAer and No. 1 seed Doug Kent (right) fell to No. 13 Louw, 396-377.

According to the tournament rules, which states "all matches will be combined as the highest seeded player vs. the lowest seeded player, the second highest seeded player vs. the second lowest seeded player etc." Kent should have bowled Sanders while O'Neill should have met Louw already in the semifinal.

However, Louw received 3.000 Euro for second place, while Kent and Sanders pocketed 2.000 each for third and fourth place, respectively.

2009EBT04NicoleSanders.jpgSanders (left) was the only woman out of nine, who made the cut to the Round of 32, who advanced to the Round of 16 en route to win the women's rankings in the Ebonite International Luxembourg Open. It was her second ranking title this season after the Brunswick Ballmaster Open in January.

A total of 50 players - the top 44 from the qualifying (six games) and top 6 from the Desperado Squad - advanced to the finals. The top 14 qualifiers earned one bye and were seeded 1-16 in the Round of 32.

The remaining 36 players bowled 6 games from scratch. Nicole Sanders, who took the 44th and final qualifying spot, led the top 18 players, seeded 15th-32nd, into the single-elimination finals over two games total pinfall.

The single-elimination finals started with the Round of 32. The field was cut to 16, 8, 4 and then 2 who bowled for the title and the 4.000 Euro top prize.

The Ebonite International Luxembourg Open was the 13th stop of the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's "Challenger" events. The tournament was held from Oct. 20-25, 2009 at X-Treme Bowling & Billard in Foetz, Luxembourg, and offered total prize fund of 35.000 Euro, or about 52,350 U.S. dollars.

The European Bowling Tour takes a five-week break before heading to England for the 14th and penultimate event. The Ebonite English Open, an EBT Challenger tournament, will be held from Dec. 2-6 at Lakeside Superbowl Nuneaton.

 


2009 European Bowling Tour Rankings by Bowlingdigital


2009 EBT Men's Ranking
2009 EBT Women's Ranking

 


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Championship


Single-elimination matches over two games total pinfall. Winner gets 4.000 Euro, loser earns 3.000 Euro.

 


Round of 4


Single-elimination matches over two games total pinfall. Losers eliminated, finish 3rd and 4th, earn 2.000 Euro.

 


Round of 8


Single-elimination matches over two games total pinfall. Losers eliminated, finish 5th-8th, earn 1.000 Euro.

 


Round of 16


Single-elimination matches over two games total pinfall. Losers eliminated, finish 9th-16th, earn 600 Euro.

 


Round of 32


The top 14 from the qualifying (seeded 1-14) and the top 18 (seeded 15-32) from Final Round 1. Single-elimination matches over two games total pinfall. Losers eliminated, finish 17th-32nd, earn 400 Euro.

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