Al-Hassan sets the pace in 9th Qatar International Open

12/13/09

2009 European Bowling Tour #15

Qatar Bowling Center in Doha, Qatar (Dec. 12-19, 2009)

2009ABFTou06ShakerAlHassan.jpg2009KSAAndrewFrawley.jpgUAE national team member Shaker Al-Hassan (pictured left) set the pace on the first day of qualifying in the 9th Qatar International Open Saturday at Qatar Bowling Center in Doha, Qatar.

Al-Hassan rolled a 1353 six-game series, an average of 225.50, including high games of 256, 248, 242 and 236 to lead second-placed Abdulla Haroon, Qatar, by 46 pins. Haroon started his series with 244, 243 and 256 en route to take the second place with 1308 (218.00).

Third place belonged to Australia's Andrew Frawley (right), who used four games between 221 and 226 for a 1285 series (214.17). All three are automatically qualified for the final.

2009BWCThomasLarsen.jpg2009EBT04JesperAgerbo.jpgRounding out the top 5 were Danish national team members Thomas Larsen (left) and Jesper Agerbo (right) with 1280 and 1274, respectively.

The 9th Qatar International Open is the 15th and final stop of the 2009 European Bowling Tour and one of the Tour's Majors. The tournament will be held from Saturday Dec. 12 through Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009 at 32-lane Qatar Bowling Center in Doha, Qatar.

The 9th Qatar International Open is the richest event on the European Bowling Tour offering a total prize fund of 120.000 Euro with 30.000 Euro going to the winner.

Qualifying runs through Thursday, Dec. 17 with the final qualifying squad 16 scheduled for 9 p.m. The single-game "Desperado Squad" will start around Midnight. A total of 48 players - the top 38 qualifiers and the top 3 each from Dec. 12 and 13 squads plus the top 4 from the Desperado Squad - advance to the finals on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18-19, 2009.

The top 6 qualifiers will bypass the first two rounds, while places 7-12 will receive one bye. The other 36 players will bowl six games from scratch to cut to the top 18. Those 18 plus qualifiers 7-12 will bowl six games from scratch. The top 10 will advance and join the top six qualifiers in Round 3.

Those 16 will bowl six games from scratch to cut to the top 8, who will bowl another six games with the pinfall from Round 3 being carried forward. The top 4 will advance to the championship round. All matches over two games total pinfall.

No. 1 bowls No. 4 and No. 2 meets No. 3. The winners will advance to the championship match to bowl for the title and the 30.000 Euro top prize (approx. 43,865 U.S. Dollar). The runner-up will be consoled with 15.000 Euro.


2009 Qatar Open - Qualifying Standings after Squad 2

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