2006 World Ranking Masters champion Khaled Al-Dubyyan (pictured left) started the 2011 Asian Bowling Federation Tour with a one-pin victory in the season-opening Dubai leg Saturday at Dubai International Bowling Center in the UAE.

The title match was an all-Kuwait affair with Al-Dubyyan and Mohammed Kamel Al-Zaidan (right) facing off. The match was decided in the final frame.

Down by three pins, Al-Dubyyan finished first with 9-spare and a strike on the fill ball for 190. Needing 7-spare-strike to win the match by one pin, Kamel got a six-count on his first ball to open the door for Al-Dubyyan.

Kamel could have tied the match at 190 with a spare and a strike. He got the spare but a 9-count on the fill ball sealed his fate and handed the title to Al-Dubyyan, 190-189.

The top 16 Asian bowlers (no Americans or Europeans are allowed to participate in the ABF Tour) of the Dubai International were eligible to bowl in the ABF Tour Dubai leg. The finalists featured 15 bowlers from the Middle East, three each from Kuwait and Bahrain and nine from the host country and Wu Siu Hong (left) from Hong Kong.

The three Bahrainis and five UAE bowlers were eliminated in the first round. The three Kuwaitis and Siu Hong then eliminated the remaining four UAE bowlers in the quarterfinals.

In the semis, Kamel edged his compatriot Basel Al-Anzi (right), 203-193, while Al-Dubyyan, took care of Siu Hong, 238-209, for the right to bowl for the title. Siu Hong finished third and Al-Anzi fourth.

The second stop of the 2011 ABF Tour will be held on March 23 at Cozmo Bowling Center in Kuwait City following the 8th Kuwait International Open (March 18 -22). This year's Tour consists of nine legs - five in the Middle East without women's division and four in West Asia with men's and women's division. (Editor's note: The dates of the tournaments in Bahrain and Egypt are still to be confirmed).

Participants in the ABF Tour legs earn ranking points from 75 points for the winner to 13 points for 16th place. The top 16 men and top 16 women at the end of the season will qualify for the ABF Tour Tournament of Champions to be held in 2012.

Photos courtesy of www.abftour.com.

 

2011 ABF Tour Dubai leg - Men's Division only

Dubai International Bowling Center in Dubai, UAE (Feb. 27, 2011)

Championship:
Khaled Al-Dubyyan (pictured right), Kuwait def. Mohammed Kamel, Kuwait, 190-189

Semifinal:
Mohammed Kamel, Kuwait def. Basel Al-Anzi, Kuwait, 203-193
Khaled Al-Dubyyan, Kuwait def. Wu Siu Hong, Hong Kong, 238-209

Quarterfinal:
Mohammed Kamel, Kuwait def. Hussain Al-Suwaidi, UAE, 174-173
Basel Al-Anzi, Kuwait def. Mahmood Al-Attar, UAE, 224-184
Khaled Al-Dubyyan, Kuwait def. Adel Lootah, UAE, 207-167
Wu Siu Hong, Hong Kong def. Sayed Ibrahim, UAE, 201-183

Round of 16:
Hussain Al-Suwaidi, UAE def. Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE, 218-179
Mohammed Kamel, Kuwait def. Fawaz Abdulla, Bahrain, 203-167
Basel Al-Anzi, Kuwait def. Ali Ahmad Al-Saffer, UAE, 213-167
Mahmood Al-Attar, UAE def. Hassan Al-Zaabi, UAE, 186-158
Khaled Al-Dubyyan, Kuwait def. Yusuf Al-Zaabi, UAE, 242-205
Adel Lootah, UAE def. Yousef Falah, Bahrain, 191-166
Wu Siu Hong, Hong Kong def. Hareb Al-Mansoori, UAE, 225-211
Sayed Ibrahim, UAE def. Mohammed Sultan, Bahrain, 193-181

 

2011 ABF Tour Dubai leg - Men's Final Standings

Players with position, country and Ranking Points

1. Khaled Al-Dubyyan, Kuwait, 75
2. Mohammed Kamel, Kuwait, 60
3. Wu Siu Hong, Hong Kong, 46
4. Basel Al-Anzi, Kuwait, 45
5. Mahmood Al-Attar, UAE, 33
6. Sayed Ibrahim, UAE, 32
7. Hussain Al-Suwaidi, UAE, 31
8. Adel Lootah, UAE, 30
9. Hareb Al-Mansoori, UAE, 20
10. Yusuf Al-Zaabi, UAE, 19
11. Mohammed Sultan, Bahrain, 18
12. Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE, 17
13. Fawaz Abdulla, Bahrain, 16
14. Ali Ahmad Al-Saffer, UAE, 15
15. Yousef Falah, Bahrain, 14
16. Hassan Al-Zaabi, UAE, 13