Singaporean finishes as first runner-up
25th February, Dubai: Singapore’s Remy Ong improved his fourth place in the Round 4 finals of the 3rd Dubai International Open Bowling Tournament to finish as first runner-up after losing to top seed, Kim Bolleby of Sweden in the stepladder title match. Ong had ousted No. 3 seed, Peter Ljung of Sweden and No. 5 seed, Biboy Rivera of Philippines, 236-215-194 in the opening match before beating No. 2 seed, Perttu Jussila of Finland, 207-180 to face top seed, Bolleby.
In the all-lefty championship match between the Swede and challenger, Remy Ong of Singapore, both started off with three strikes-in-a-row and Bolleby had a split in the fourth frame in which he managed to convert while Ong had a fourth strike.
By the seventh frame, the Singaporean had a slender lead over Bolleby but Ong failed to spare his eighth frame allowing the top seed to draw level. As Ong was unable to recover from the costly mistake, the Swede pulled away by striking out for a 245 victory over Ong’s 220 to take the title.
“I was so confident after I had won two matches,” said Ong after the match. “And when I started off with four strikes-in-a-row and then had a double in the sixth and seventh frames, I thought I had a good chance to taking the match into the second game.”But the eighth frame costed me when it seemed to be a perfect pocket shot but then suddenly dived into the head pin which left four pins standing and I failed to make the spare. I guess my opponent was better lined up than me when he struck home to beat me.
“I’m off to Doha for the Emir Cup next week and I hope that I can carry my form for that tournament and do well.”
Ong received AED 30,000 (approx. S$10,250) as first runner-up while Bolleby won AED 60,000 (approx. S$20,500) as champion. Jussila received AED 15,000 (S$5,125) as second runner-up. Ljung and Rivera took home AED 10,000 and AED 8,000 for finishing fourth and fifth positions respectively.
Jussila advanced into the stepladder finals second from Round 4 finals with 3642, Ljung third with 3588, Ong fourth with 3585 while Rivera edged American Patrick Healey Jnr by 3 pins to squeeze in as fifth seed.
Detailed scores: Stepladder Finals | Round 4 Finals | Photo Album.
Photos by Terence Yaw in Dubai.