It's down to 15 in 11th Kuwait International Open 2014

    03/13/14

    Kuwait

    2014KuwaitOpenAndresGomez.jpg2014KuwaitOpenShannonOKeefe.jpgFifteen players remained in the hunt for the title and the $25,000 top prize in the 11th Kuwait International Open 2014 heading into the final day at Cozmo Bowling Center in Salmiya, Kuwait.

    In three six-game rounds on Thursday, the field was trimmed from 31 to eight players, who will meet the top seven qualifiers in Round Five on Friday.

    Two-time PBA champion and long-time Colombian national team member, Andres Gomez (pictured left) led Round Two with 1440 and an average of 240. Sithiphol Kunaksorn of Thailand took the eighth and last spot to advance with 1327 (221.17), while the lone woman, who survived the qualifying, five-time world champion Shannon O'Keefe (right), United States, was eliminated (16th; 1193).

    2014KuwaitOpenTomHess.jpg2014KuwaitOpenTomDaugherty.jpgThe third round of the finals featured three perfect games by PBA champions Tom Hess (left), Tom Daugherty (right), United States and Osku Palermaa, Finland. Hess led the top nine into the last round on Thursday (fourth overall) with 1520 and an average of 253.33.

    Daugherty hit 1500 on the nose, good for second place, while Palermaa was fourth with 1451, just eleven pins behind third-place Gomez (1462). Qatar's Yousef Al-Jabber beat out former PBA Player of the Year, Tommy Jones, USA, for the ninth and last place to advance by three pins, 1356 (226 average) to 1353.

    2014KuwaitOpenStuartWilliams.jpg2014KuwaitOpenCraigNidiffer.jpgThe top 9 met qualifiers 8-14 in Round Four. PBA champion Stuart Williams (left), the first player from England to win a PBA Tour title, led the top eight players into Friday's Round 5 with 1436 and an average of 239.33. Craig Niddifer (right), USA, was second on 1430 with Palermaa third on 1427.

    Fourth place belonged to Andrew Frawley from Australia with 1421. Fifth place Yannaphon Larp-apharat of Thailand and sixth place Gomez were the only players who survived all three rounds.

    Two-time PBA champion Brad Angelo, United States, and Indonesian standout Ryan Lalisang (below right) finished the round with 259 and 246, respectively, to take the last two spots with 1390 and 1387 (231.17).

    2014KuwaitOpenRyanLalisang.jpg 2014KuwaitOpenLogo.jpg The 11th Kuwait International Open 2014 will be held from March 10-14 at Cozmo Bowling Center, a 16-laner in Salmiya, Kuwait. The tournament is the ninth stop on the 2014 World Bowling Tour and offers a PBA international title if won by a PBA member. Players compete for total prize money of US$130,400.

    Qualifying (15 games) ran from March 10-12 and featured three blocks of 5 games (5 games per day). Women receive five pins handicap each game.

    After 15 games, the field was cut to 34 players plus the four highest-placing Kuwaiti bowlers out of the cut (seeded 35th to 38th). All qualifying pins was dropped.

    The top 6 qualifiers plus the highest Kuwaiti (seeded 7th) received three byes. Qualifiers 8-14 earned two byes and qualifiers 15-22 got one bye.

    Qualifiers 23-38 advanced to Round Two on Thursday morning to bowl six games scratch with the top 8 advancing to Round 3. Qualifiers 15-22 plus top eight from Round Two bowled another six games in Round Three on Thursday afternoon. The top nine advanced to Round Four.

    Those eight met qualifiers 8-14 in Round Four on Thursday evening. The top 8 after six games advanced to Round Five on Friday morning, where they will face the top seven qualifiers in a four-game round.

    All 15 players will advance to a modified match play round on Friday afternoon with Round Five pinfall carried forward.

    Three players on each pair will bowl a modified match play round whereby players will receive actual pinfall plus 20 bonus pins for having high game and second-place bowler will receive 10 bonus pins, each match game. The top five advance to the stepladder finals. Whoever reaches title match must defeat the top qualifier twice to win the title.

    The top three women in the tournament will bowl a separate Women's Stepladder Finals prior to the men's stepladder finals.

    WBTLogo.jpg The 2014 World Bowling Tour, which actually got underway in November 2013 with the PBA World Championship, consists of 15 tournaments in Arabia (6), Asia (3), United States (3), Europe (2) and Australia (1).

    Players earn ranking points based on how they finish in each event. The current points system is based on a continuous two-year cycle, so some points earned in 2012 and all points from the 2013 and 2014 are added to determine the points list.

    The top three men and top three women in the WBT Point Ranking will be invited to compete in the 2014 World Bowling Tour Finals, which will be held in conjunction with the PBA World Series of Bowling VI from Oct. 24 through Nov. 2 at South Point in Las Vegas.

    The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of 111 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, click here.

    Photos courtesy of Asian Bowling Federation.

     


    Related Articles


    Sean Rash wins qualifying in 11th Kuwait International Open 2014
    Sean Rash defeats Mika Koivuniemi to win 10th Kuwait International Open 2013
    2014 World Bowling Tour - Schedule & Champions
    2014 WBT Point Rankings - Men and Women

     


    11th Kuwait International Open 2014 - Round Four Results


    The top 8 players advance to the fifth round. Players 9-16 eliminated, finish 16th to 23rd, earn $2,000.

     


    11th Kuwait International Open 2014 - Round Three Results


    The top 9 players advance to the fourth round. Players 10-16 eliminated, finish 24th to 30th, earn $1,500.

     


    11th Kuwait International Open 2014 - Round Two Results


    The top 8 players advance to the third round. Players 9-16 eliminated, finish 31st to 38th, earn $1,200. O'Keefe received five pins handicap each game.

    Â