Aussie crowned World Tenpin Masters champion
22nd April, Barnsley: Jason Belmonte of Australia was crowned the new PartyPoker.net World Tenpin Masters Champion after defeating Paul Moor of England in a thrilling final at the Barnsley Metrodome.
In the best match in the 10-year history of the competition, Belmonte threw a perfect 300 game and then followed it up with 266 to end on an incredible total of 566. Moor himself played superbly to register 524 but the Aussie produced a near-flawless performance to clinch the trophy.
After three days of top quality bowling the final of the 2007 PartyPoker.net World Tenpin Masters was between Paul Moor of England and Jason Belmonte of Australia.
Both players had played superbly to reach this stage as Moor defeated Biboy Rivera (Philippines), Alex Liew (Malaysia) and Remy Ong (Singapore), while Belmonte recorded successes against Jens Nickel (Germany), Badr Al-Sheikh (Saudi Arabia) and 2006 winner Chris Barnes (USA).
There was a great deal at stake as the winner of this match would collect $30,000, compared to $10,000 that goes to the runner-up. Also up for grabs was the honour of being World Tenpin Masters champion and winning one of the most prestigious competitions in world tenpin bowling.
As expected the match was of a top standard as both players recorded strikes with each of their first three balls. Moor and Belmonte maintained this standard through their next three as they had each recorded six successive strikes and both were halfway towards a perfect 300 game.
The first error came in Moor's seventh frame as he hit the first spare of the match, to give Belmonte a chance to move ahead. He accepted this opportunity as he moved up to nine successive strikes and only three balls away from a 300. The tenth and 11th balls followed in the same fashion so he had an attempt at the perfect game.
He was successful as the crowd went wild as Belmonte hit perfection. It became only the second 300 game in the history of the World Tenpin Masters, but, ironically, the first one was also made by Belmonte, in the 2005 competition.
The second game began in exactly the same fashion with another six strikes - three for each player. But the turning point came in Moor's fourth and fifth frames as he registered two successive spares as the trophy looked to be heading to Belmonte.
In an incredible performance, Belmonte hit a further three strikes for six in the second game and 18 out of 18 in total. However, the run had to come to an end and it did in Belmonte's seventh frame of the second game. It was also an open frame to give Moor hope of clinching a remarkable turnaround, although he had to overhaul a 40-pin difference.
But Belmonte was too good and made no further mistakes as he hit 23 strikes out of a possible 24 to become the 2007 World Tenpin Masters Champion.
We've got to feel sorry for Paul, though. Coming second for the second consecutive year was heart-breaking, especially as this is one tournament he has his heart on winning, a really elusive dream.
Detailed scores: Final Matches | Photo Album.
Photos courtesy of Bowlers Journal International.