Singaporean finishes second runner-up
2nd March, Doha: Daphne Tan ended her first tournament of the year on a high when the Singaporean finished as second runner-up at the PBA-WBT H.H. Emir Cup 2016 as Danielle McEwan of USA emerged as champion on Wednesday evening.
Tan, who had earlier finished second in the Step 3 final with 1969, 48 pins behind winner, Marshall Kent of USA to advance to Step 4 final. McEwan was third with 1948 while Yousif Falah of Bahrain clinched fourth spot with 1874.
Matched up against McEwan, in the Step 4 semi-final, Tan had three splits going down, 178-215 in the first of two-games total pinfall match. Although Tan fought back galantly in the second in a hope to reduce the 37-pin deficit, the American ended with 212 to Tan’s 244, losing the tie 422-435.
In the other Step 4 semi-final, fourth-seed, Yousif thrashed topseed, Kent, 498-361 to set up the Step 5 final against McEwan. Whilst the Bahraini failed to repeat the form he displayed earlier against Kent, McEwan crusised to an esy victory over Yousif, 540-416 to win her second World Bowling Tour title.
The champion, who finished second runner-up last year, had won the World Bowling Tour finals women’s crown last month in the US. McEwan earned the top prize of US$20,000 while Yousif settled for US$12,000. Tan and Kent picked up US$6,000 each.
Kent topped the earlier Step 3 final with 2017 with Tan in second on 1969. McEwan and Yousif finished third and fourth to make the Step 4 final with 1948 and 1874 respectively.
Robert Andersson of Sweden missed the cut by 23 pins to end up in fifth psotion with 1851. Jazreel Tan also missed the cut by 60 pins in sixth position with 1814 and Shayna Ng ended up in ninth with 1754.
Overnight Step 2 final winner, Martin Larsen of Sweden failed to shine and ended in 12th position. 96 bowlers competed in three squads of two 8-games block. The bowlers will move over to Bahrain for the PBA-WBT 14th Kingdom of Bahrain Open at Fun Land Bowling Center from March 4 to 9.
Photos by Terence Yaw in Doha.