Thomas Larsen (pictured left) of Denmark used a 721 three-game series to regain the lead en route to win the qualifying in the 1st Abu Dhabi World Bowling Tour Wednesday night at Khalifa International Bowling Center in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The three-time European Bowling Tour titlist, who had high series of 807 and 756, improved his third-best block (705) by 16 pins to lead the field of 88 players, 81 men and seven women, from 14 countries with 2284 and an average of 253.78 for nine games.

Joline Persson Planefors (right) of Sweden slipped to second place with 2278 (245.11 scratch) including eight pins handicap per game. The two-time Europe Champion, who leads the European Bowling Tour women's point ranking heading into the season-ending Qatar Open (Dec. 4-10), was the best of four women who survived the first cut.

Current EBT men's point ranking leader Dominic Barrett (left) of England, who recently won his first PBA "major" title, used a 750 series to leap three spots into third place with 2263. Benshir Layoso (right) of the Philippines was mere three pins behind in fourth place with 2260 including a high series of 827.

Hussain Al-Suwaidi was the best UAE bowler in fifth place with 2259 including a 300 game. Multiple World Champion Martin Larsen of Sweden had a 739 series on the Wednesday to leap into sixth place with 2246. Mohamed Al-Marzooqi, UAE, finished in the top 7 with 2231.

The next two local bowlers outside the top 7, Naif Oqab (2231) and Hassan Alzaabi (2209) were seeded in eighth and ninth place. While Oqab and the top 7 qualifiers received two byes, Alzaabi spearheads the group of players (places 9-22), who earned a first-round bye.

Kim Bolleby (left) of Sweden beat out two-time PBA Player of the Year, Mika Koivuniemi of Finland, for 22nd place by two pins, with 2155 total and an average of 239.44.

Joining Persson Planefors in the final from the women's contingent were Sandra Andersson (right), Sweden (28th, 2136); Samantha Hannan, England (29th, 2136) and Randi B. Christensen, Denmark (32nd, 2122).

Mohammad Al-Saud (below left), Prince of Saudi Arabia, took the 38th and last place to qualify for the finals with 2109 or an average of 234.33.

Joining the top 38 in the finals were the top two players from the local qualifying, Adel Ali Al-Jallaf (2078) and Hareb Al-Mansoori (right, 1987) as well as the top two players of the Desperado Squad.

Abdulla Al-Dolijan, UAE, who missed the cut by eleven pins in 39th place with 2098, led the one-game short cut to the finals with 264, and his compatriot Yousef Alzaabi took the 42nd place with 247.


The 1st Abu Dhabi World Bowling Tour tournament the second event of the 2014 World Bowling Tour.

Due to an agreement between the World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) and the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), the Abu Dhabi World Bowling Tour tournament will award a PBA international title if won by a PBA member.

Players will compete for total prize fund of 441.800 Dirham (AED) or approximately $120,000. The champion receives the $29,945 top prize, the runner-up earns $19,055 and the third and fourth-place finishers get $10,890 and $5,445, respectively.

Qualifying (9 games in three-game blocks; unlimited re-entries) runs from Nov. 24-30 (for local bowlers only) and Dec 1 thru 4 (for local and international bowlers) and concluded with the one-game Desperado Squad. Women receive eight pins handicap each game.

A total of 42 players qualified for the finals on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 5 & 6 and were seeded as follows:

• Places 1-7: Top 7 qualifiers
• Places 8 & 9: Two highest UAE bowlers outside the Top 7
• Places 10-38: Next 29 qualifiers
• Places 39 & 40: Top 2 UAE bowlers from local qualifying
• Places 41-42: Top 2 from the Desperado Squad.

Bowlers ranked 1-8 received two byes, while bowlers ranked 9-22 bypass Round Two.

The remaining 20 bowlers (places 23-42) bowl 6 games scratch with the top 10 advancing to Round Three. After another six games scratch, the top 12 will join the top 8 qualifiers in Round Four.

Those 20 will determine the eight players (top 7 bowlers from Round 4 plus the next UAE bowler), who advance to the stepladder finals, in a final six-game block. The No. 1 seed must be defeated twice to win the title.