Khaled Al-Hamdan became the first Saudi Arabian bowler to win on the Asian Bowling Federation Tour when he captured the title in the Saudi Arabia leg Thursday at Universal Bowling Center in Riyadh. In the title match, the 17-year-old topped Mohammed Janahi, Bahrain, 212-192.

Fahad Hamad Al-Issa (left), secretary general of the Saudi Arabian Bowling Federation presents the trophy to champion Khaled Al-Hamdan.

The top 16 Asian bowlers in the 5th Kingdom International Open advanced to the ABF Tour Saudi Arabia leg contested in one-game single-elimination format. Al-Hamdan started the Round of 16 with the second-lowest score of all competitors, but his opponent, Meshari Al-Fadhli, Kuwait, handed him the win on a silver plate, 166-135.

Different Kuwaiti, same results in the quarterfinals: Basel Al-Anzi (left) also rolled a 135 game and Al-Hamdan advanced with 184. In the semi-final, Kingdom International Open runner-up Shaker Al-Hassan (right), UAE, managed 152 and Al-Hamdan used a 182 game to go to the title match.

Janahi also took an easy route to the title match. He got a bye in the opening round as his opponent, Fahad Al-Regeeb, Kuwait, was injured in one of the quad-bike accidents during the Kingdom Open.

The Bahraini then eliminated Ryan Lalisang, Indonesia, 175-172, and Ric Tugonon, Philippines, 173-165, for the right to bowl Al-Hamdan for the title.

Al-Hamdan, who averaged 186 in the event, cashed 75 ranking points. Janahi, averaging 180 got 60 points for finishing second, while Tugonon, and Al-Hassan, garnered 46 and 45 points for third and fourth place, respectively.

The fourth stop of the 2011 Asian Bowling Federation Tour will be the Thailand leg on April 18 following the 37th MWA Thailand International Open from April 11-17 at S.F. Strike Bowl Ngamwongwan in Bangkok.

After the Bahrain and Egypt legs have been cancelled, this year's Tour consists of seven legs - three in the Middle East without women's division and four in West Asia with men's and women's division. The remaining stops after Bangkok will be held in Macau, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

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.

 

 

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2011 ABF Tour Saudi Arabia leg - Men's Division only

Championship:
Khaled Al-Hamdan, Saudi Arabia def. Mohammed Janahi, Bahrain, 212-192

Semifinal:
Khaled Al-Hamdan, Saudi Arabia def. Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE, 182-152
Mohammed Janahi, Bahrain def. Ric Tugonon, Philippines, 173-165

Quarterfinal:
Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE def. Mohammed Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia, 235-214
Khaled Al-Hamdan, Saudi Arabia def. Basel Al-Anzi Kuwait, 184-135
Mohammed Janahi, Bahrain def. Ryan Lalisang, Indonesia, 175-172
Ric Tugonon, Philippines def. Khaled Al-Dubyyan, Kuwait, 165-158.

Round of 16:
Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE def. Paeng Nepomuceno, Philippines, 225-168
Mohammed Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia def. Andrew Frawley, Kuwait, 178-174
Basel Al-Anzi Kuwait, def. Adel Ali Al-Bargi, Saudi Arabia, 220-186
Khaled Al-Hamdan, Saudi Arabia def. Meshari Al-Fadhli, Kuwait, 166-135
Ryan Lalisang, Indonesia def. Jassem Darwish, Kuwait, 205-191
Mohammed Janahi, Bahrain bye vs. Fahad Al-Regeeb, Kuwait
Ric Tugonon, Philippines def. Yasser Abulreesh, Saudi Arabia, 180-175
Khaled Al-Dubyyan, Kuwait def. Hussan Al-Suwaidi, UAE, 232-180

 

 

2011 ABF Tour Saudi Arabia leg - Men's Final Standings

Players with position, country and Ranking Points

1. Khaled Al-Hamdan (right), Saudi Arabia, 75
2. Mohammed Janahi, Bahrain, 60
3. Ric Tugonon, Philippines, 46
4. Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE, 45
5. Mohammed Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia, 33
6. Ryan Lalisang, Indonesia, 32
7. Khaled Al-Dubyyan, Kuwait, 31
8. Basel Al-Anzi, Kuwait, 30
9. Jassem Darwish, Kuwait, 20
10. Adel Ali Al-Bargi, Saudi Arabia, 19
11. Hussan Al-Suwaidi, UAE, 18
12. Yasser Abulreesh, Saudi Arabia, 17
13. Andrew Frawley, Kuwait, 16
14. Paeng Nepomuceno, Philippines, 15
15. Meshari Al-Fadhli, Kuwait, 14
16. Fahad Al-Regeeb, Kuwait, 13