Third runnerup for Singaporean

3rd October, Hong Kong: Fifth-seed, Geraldine Ng had to settle for third runnerup in the Women's Open Masters finals after crashing out in the second stepladder match despite winning the first match on Saturday evening.  Geraldine Ng, who finished 12th in the first block on Friday with 1551, posted a superb 1653 giving her a 16-game total of 3204 to advance into the stepladder finals as fifth seed.

In the first match against No. 3 seed, Putty Armein of Indonesia and sixth seed and defending champion, Chien Hsiu Lan of Chinese Taipei, the 24-year-old national team member struck home from frame eighth to end the match with 215.

Ng defeated her two opponents to advance into the next match against No. 2 seed, Sharon Limansantoso of Indonesia and third-seed, Vanessa Fung of Hong Kong. Two splits in the fourth and sixth frames erased any hope of further advancement ending with 182 to Sharon's 194 and Vanessa's 197.

 

Topseed, Chan Shuk Han defeated Vanessa, 224-178 in the all-Hong Kong championship match to clinch her first international title of the year. Chan's last victory was winning the 2008 Thailand Open.

First block leader, Fok Ka Wai failed to make the stepladder cut finishing eighth with 3176, 21 pins off sixth-seed, Chien. Teo Li Ying took 10th spot with 3159 while Sabrina Lim and Gina Lim put in a lack-luster performance to finish 19th and 22nd respectively.

First block leader and PBA pro, John Nolen became the third American to win an Asian title when he defeated challenger, Yannaphon Larpapharat of Thailand, 233-197 in the title match. Tim Mack won the Samho Korea Cup at Inchon and Doug Kent took the Eurom-Med Storm crown in Manila.

The sixth-seed and runnerup despatched two Hong Kong opponents, Michael Tsang and Wicky Yeung, 220-214-153 in the Men's Open Masters first stepladder match to advance into the second match.

The Thai beat second-seed, Lonnie Waliczek of USA and three-time champion, Wu Siu Hong of Hong Kong, 245-226-192 before losing to Nolen in the finals.

Detailed scores: Women's Stepladder Finals | Men's Stepladder Finals.Photos by Terence Yaw in Hong Kong.