3-time Asian Games champion Remy Ong from Singapore fired a 1524 six-game series, an average of 254,00, in the fourth and final squad today to win the gold medals in Singles and All Events in the Men's World Championship in Busan, Korea.

After the lefty had fired games of 226, 268, 248, 268 and 268, he needed just 133 in the sixth and final game today to win in All Events (combined individual series in Singles, Doubles, Trios and Team) and 204 to claim also the title in Singles.

Ong opened in the first frame, threw a four-bagger, opened again and then went off the sheet for 246 to repeat two thirds of his success from the 2002 Asian Games when he won three gold medals in Singles, All Events and Masters right here at the Asiad Bowling Center in Busan, Korea.

Team USA's Rhino Page earned the silver medals in both events. The 23-year-old of Fresno, Calif., shot 1481 in Singles (246,83 ave.) and 5452 in All Events (227,17). Both bronze medals went to Jo Nam-Yi from Korea, who had 1448 (241,33) and 5443 (226,73).

L-R Page, Ong and Nam-Yi. Click on the image to enlarge it.

With the fourth and final Squad in Singles to go, Rhino Page (left) of the United States continued to lead in Singles and All Events at 2006 Men's World Championship at the Asiad Bowling Center in Busan, Korea.

The 23-year-old lefthander fired a 1,481 six-game series in Singles (on short oil) yesterday en route to a 5452 pinfall total, an average of 227,17 over 24 games.

Jo Nam-Yi (right) from the host country of Korea remained in second place both in Singles and in All Events with 1448 and 5443 (226,79).

Page's fellow Team USA member Scott Pohl (left) continued to sit in third place in Singles with 1417. Petri Mannonen, Finland, remained in third place in All Events with 5405 (225,21).

Bill Hoffman, United States, who led the field of 247 players from 44 countries in All Events after 18 of 24 games, struggled today and slipped all the way out of the medals to fourth place with 5380 (224,17) behind a 1242 series in Singles.

Youssif Aakbar (left) of Saudi Arabia led Squad 3 with 1345, good for 12th place overall.

All eyes are now on the remaining 62 players from Squad 4, who will primarily target to win a medal in Singles. Jason Belmonte, Australia, Choi Bok-Eum, Korea, Remy Ong, Singapore, Yoan Alix, France, and Mads Sandbækken, Norway, who were among the top 16 in All Events after three events target to remain among the top 16, who will qualify for the Masters final, and to win a medal in All Events too.

Belmonte (right), who uses two hands to swing and bowl his bowling ball, was the No. 2 in All Events after 18 games with 4117. The 2005 WBW Player of the Year needs 1336 pins or a 222,67 average in Singles to overtake Rhino Page by one pin.




Here is a list of the five players with position in All Events before Singles, 18-game total and the six-game total they need to overtake Page by one pin.

Team USA's Rhino Page of Fresno, Calif., threw the highest Singles total in the history of the World Tenpin Bowling Association Men's World Championships on Wednesday at Asiad Bowling Center.

The fiery left-hander had games of 203, 248, 219, 279, 253 and 279 for 1,481, the highest since the event was first introduced in the World Championships in 1979.

Page's performance gives the United States a shot at its first singles gold medal ever at the World Championships. Half of the field competed Wednesday and the other half will take to the lanes Thursday on the short-oil pattern.

"It was kind of like a dream with the way it happened," Page said. "There are a lot of good players left to bowl, and I'm just happy that I'm in contention to win a medal."

In his previous games on the short-oil pattern this week, Page used a urethane ball that was more predictable and allowed him to score at an even pace to help lead the United States to the team gold medal.

However, he knew the scores would be higher in singles, and as a result, he made a switch to a slightly more aggressive reactive resin ball that was actually drilled for a right-handed style player. The picture shows Rhino after the vital double strike in the 10th frame.

"I hadn't thrown a reactive ball on the short all week, so the first couple games today were an experiment," said Page, whose total may also put him in contention for an All Events medal. "Then the lanes opened up a little bit, and I had a lot of room. That automatically freed my swing up to let things happen."

On the first squad Wednesday, Jo Nam-Yi of Korea shot 1,448, which stood as the record until Page beat it on the next squad (the previous high score in Singles was set by Finn Mika Luoto when he claimed the title in the 2993 World in Malaysia with 1427). Another Team USA player, Scott Pohl of Minneapolis, is third with 1,417.

Dan Patterson of Buffalo, N.Y., is tied for sixth at 1,397 while Ronnie Sparks Jr. of Wayne, Mich., is 99th with 1,104. All Events leader Bill Hoffman of Columbus, Ohio, and David Haynes of Las Vegas will compete on Thursday's first squad.

In All Events, which combines individual totals in doubles, trios, team and singles, Page led all bowlers who competed Wednesday with a 24-game total of 5,452. However, seven of the top 10 bowlers after 18 games are still yet to bowl. Based on his current average (227,17), Page sits in third place in All Events trailing only Hoffman (229,89) and Jason Belmonte from Australia (228,72) .

The top 16 players in All Events advance to Masters play. The 2006 Men's World Championships features 44 countries and consists of competition in six disciplines - Doubles, Trios, Team, Singles, All Events and Masters.

Jo Nam-Yi of Korea and Scott Pohl, United States, set the pace in the first squad of the Singles event in the Men's World Championship in Korea. Both players cracked the 1400-bar in their six-game series on the short-oil condition.

Trios silver medalist Nam-Yi got out of the gates quickly, posting huge games - 268 and 278 - for 544 after two games. He added 236, 231, 203 and 232 for 1448 six-game total and an average of 241,33.

This is the highest six-games in Singles ever in the history of the World Championships. The previous high score belonged to Mika Luoto, Finland, who shot 1427 to win the title in 2003 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. However, it doesn't count as a record as the highest individual six-game series was posted by Jason Belmonte from Australia, in the Doubles event a few day ago. The Aussie, who uses a two-handed delivery, felled 1541 pins, an average of 256,83.

Team World Champion Pohl (right) had games of 226, 244, 267, 225, 219 and 236 to overtake the second position with 1417 pinfall total and an average of 236,17. Third place belonged to Shaker Al Hassan, who missed the 1400 by mere one pin with 1399 (233,17) including three 240-plus games.

The second American in this squad, reigning U.S. National Amateur Champion Dan Patterson (left), was mere two pins behind in fourth position with 1397. Patterson had two sub-par games in the first and fifth, but rebounded with two big scores, 269 and 279, in the second and sixth.

Five more players rolled 1300-plus series in the morning squad. Keith Doolabh, South Africa, posted the highest game of the squad (280) to end up tied for fourth place with Patterson. Places six and seven belonged to Finns Lasse Lintilä and Petri Mannonen with 1344 and 1332, resp.

Ku Ching-Ho, Chinese Taipei, who started with a 279-game, slipped to eighth place behind back-to-back 190s in the fourth and fifth, 1325. Biboy Rivera Philippines, was ninth at 1308. Rounding out the top 10 was Canadian Jonathan Simoneau with 1284.

Squad 2 will take the lanes at the Asiad Bowling Center in Busan, Korea, at 1.30 pm. Squad 3 and 4 will follow tomorrow.

After the Doubles (Sweden), Trios (Korea) and Team (United States) champions are crowned, the action shifts to the Singles event Wednesday and Thursday here at the 2006 Men's World Championship at the Asiad Bowling Center in Busan, Korea.

The field of 247 bowlers from 44 countries is split into four squads, two on Wednesday and two on Thursday, to determine the Singles champion in six games on the short oil condition.

After the conclusion of the Singles event, the All Events medalists (combined individual results in Singles, Doubles Trios and Team event) will be also determined. Two-time U.S. National Amateur champion Bill Hoffman is in the lead after 18 out of 24 games with an average of 229,89.

The top 16 players from the All Events standings will advance to the Masters finals. The match play Round of 16 will be held on Wednesday evening. Match play is single-elimination, best-of-five games. The rounds of 8, 4 and the championship match on Friday will conclude the 2006 Men's World Championship in Korea.