Defeats fellow PBAer Brian Voss to win the 16.000 Euro top prize

PBA champion Mike Fagan (pictured left) won his second title on the European Bowling Tour when he defeated PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss (right), 236-225, in the title match of the Brunswick Euro Challenge 2009 Sunday at Le Plaza Bowling in Saint Maximin, France.

Fagan, who has won the 2005 Viernheim Open in Germany, received the 16.000 Euro top prize. Voss, who led the tournament after qualifying and match play and who was also targeting for his second EBT title after his victory in the Ciutat de Barcelona in Spain in 2005, earned 9.000 Euro for second place.

The opening match of the four-player stepladder finals featured two Danish national team members, European champion Mai Ginge Jensen (right), seeded fourth and reigning EBT Masters champion Kamilla Kjeldsen (left), seeded third.

Kjeldsen started the match with an open frame but took a 14 pin lead after five frames as Ginge opened twice in the fourth and fifth frame. Tides turned in the second half of the game when Ginge struck in all but the 7th frame. Kjeldsen stayed clean but as she managed to strike in frame 8 only, Ginge cruised to victory, 209-190.

In the semi-final between Ginge and No. 2 seed Mike Fagan both players got either a strike or a nine count on the first ball. Both players bowled a clean game and both players had three strikes in a row. While Ginge struck out in the 10th frame, Fagan had his turkey in framed 2-4, and that made the difference.

Leading by 22 pins heading into the final frame, Fagan needed to mark to win the match as Ginge received 8 pins handicap, a standard for women on the European Bowling Tour. The PBA champ converted his fifth single-pin spare and got his sixth strike on the fill ball to win the match, 218-214.

The title match between PBA champions Brian Voss (left, 23 titles) and Mike Fagan (right, 1 title) was decided in the 10th and final frame. Both players came out of the gates with a double and two spares and a strike in frames 3-5. Voss held a slim two pin lead after five frames due to Fagan's 8-count in the fourth, his sole sub-9 count in the entire stepladder final.

Both players spared a 10 pin in the sixth frame and then Fagan started to strike. Voss countered Fagan's strikes in the 7th, 8th and 9th frame to maintain a one-pin lead heading into the final frame.

When Fagan reeled off his fourth consecutive strike and Voss left a 10-pin, the match was over. Fagan, who lost the title match as the No. 1 seed last year against Peter Ljung, Sweden, closed out the match with 9-spare to seal the victory, 236-225.

6th Brunswick Euro Challenge 2009

Le Plaza Bowling in Saint Maximin, France (March 6-15, 2009)

Championship Round:
1. Mike Fagan, United States, 454 (2 games), 16.000 Euro
2. Brian Voss, United States, 225 (1 game), 9.000 Euro
3. Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, 423 (2 games), 6.000 Euro
4. Kamilla Kjeldsen, Denmark, 190 (1 game), 4.300 Euro

Playoff Results:
Match 1: #4 Ginge def. #3 Kjeldsen, 209-190
Match 2: #2 Fagan def. Ginge, 218-214
Title Match: Fagan def. #1 Voss, 236-225.

 

 

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