Yousif Falah leads a field of 32 players into the finals of the Emir Cup 2015

    02/25/15

    Qatar

    Bahraini averages 229.58 average for 12 games to pace 82-player field from 20 countries; Mika Koivuniemi, Sean Rash, Martin Larsen crack the top 6 in the last squad; score to make the cut in 24th place is 2451 (204.25 average)

    2015EmirCupYousifFalah.jpg2015EmirCupDanielleMcEwan.jpgSquad A leader Yousif Falah (pictured left) of Bahrain remained unchallenged by the bowlers of Squad C and B Wednesday at Qatar Bowling Center in Doha en route to win the qualifying and to lead the top 32 players into the finals of the Emir Cup 2015.

    Falah led a field of 82 players from 20 countries with 2755 total, including six-game series of 1478 and 1277, an average of 229.58 for 12 games. Danielle McEwan (right), United States, was the best of seven women in the field in second place with 2704 (217.33 average) including eight pins handicap each game, an equality handicap provided to women in many international events.

    2014PBAMikaKoivuniemi.jpg2014BWCCherieTan2.jpgMika Koivuniemi (left) of Finland, who led Squad B after the first block with 1407, had a slow start into the second block (150, 212, 203) but regained the lead with games of 257, 213 and 209 and a 1244 series to make the cut in third place with 2651 total and an average of 220.92.

    C Squad leader Cherie Tan (right) of Singapore was the second woman in the top 6 in fourth place with 2627 total (210.92).

    2012 PBA Player of the Year Sean Rash (below left), United States, had the highest second-block series in Squad 3 (1380, 230 avg.) to jump from 15th to second place in that squad and to take fifth place overall with 2610 total.

    2014PBASeanRash2.jpg2014PBAMartinLarsen.jpgRounding out the top 6, who received a bye for Thursday's Final Round 1, was multiple world and European champion Martin Larsen (right), who totaled 2600 (216.67).

    Larsen beat out Tan's fellow countrywoman New Hui Fen for sixth place by two pins. Six of the seven women survived the first cut. Reigning PBA Player of the Year Jason Belmonte rebounded from an opening game of 190 with 266, 217, 227, 235 and 242 for 1377 to jump into 15th place with 2545.

    Ghanim Aboujassoum was the best bowler from the host country Qatar in 20th place with 2519. 2011 USBC Masters champion Tom Hess (below right), United States, finished Squad B with a big 256 game to hit the cutoff number for 24th place with 2504 total and an average of 208.67.

    2014PBATomHess2.jpgThe top 24 will be joined in the finals by the next two Qatari youth and next two Qatari bowlers outside the top 24 plus the top four players from the one-game Desperado Squad.

    Final Round One will start on Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. Arabia Standard Time (AST).

    2015EmirCupLogo_small.jpg
    The H.H. Emir Cup 2015 is the eighth tournament on the 2015 World Bowling Tour and the qualifying event for the Qatar leg, the opening event on the 2015 Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour.

    The Emir Cup will be held from Sunday, February 22-27 at the Qatar Bowling Center, a 32-laner in Doha, Qatar. Players will compete for total prize money of US$102,000 with $25,000 going to the winner, $12,500 to the runner-up and $6,000 each to the third and fourth place finishers.

    According to an agreement between World Bowling and the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), the Emir Cup will award a PBA title, if won by a PBA member.

    Qualifying ran over four days featuring three squads (A, B and C). Each squad bowled two six-game blocks. Women receive eight pins handicap each game.

    Total 32 players including the top 24 players after 12 games plus the next two Qatari youth players, the next two Qatari bowlers and the top four players from the Desperado Squad, advanced to the finals on February 26 and 27. The top six qualifiers earned a first-round bye.

    The other 26 players bowl 6 games scratch with the top 10 advancing to the next round. Those ten and the top six qualifiers roll another six-game block scratch to determine the top four players who advance to the playoffs.

    The No. 1 seed meets the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed takes on the No. 3 seed over two games with the total pin fall to determine the winners, who bowl for the title and the $25,000 top prize in the two-game total pins championship match.

    WBTLogo_small.jpg The 2015 World Bowling Tour, which actually got underway in November 2014, currently consists of 19 tournaments in the Middle East (8), United States (7), Asia (2) and Europe (2) including seven "majors" and 12 regular tournaments.

    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 2013 and all points from the 2014 and 2015 are added to determine the points list.

    The top three men and top three women in the WBT points list will be invited to compete in the 2015 World Bowling Tour Finals in the beginning of 2016.

    World Bowling provides governance to international bowling and is made up of 134 bowling international federations. For more information on the World Bowling Tour, click here.

     


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    H.H. Emir Cup 2015 - Standings after Qualifying and Desperado Squad


    Top 24 players in the overall qualifying standings plus the next two Qatari youth players (places 25-26), the next two Qatari bowlers (places 27-28) and the top four players from the Desperado Squad (places 29-32) will advance to the finals.

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