World Champion hoping to break jinx
3rd June, Singapore: The one title that has eluded World Champion, Remy Ong is winning the Men's Open Masters title of the 42nd Singapore International Open but an impressive qualifying attempt puts the Singaporean as firm favourite. Having qualified in eighth in the local pool with a score of 926, Remy Ong notched up an improved 960 to move into third spot to trail two Singapore youngsters, Eugene Low and Gregory Gan.
Apart from Ong's move into third spot, there were very little changes to the local pool. Benjamin Lim also registered 956 to take up fourth behind Ong with first perfect gamer, Helmi Chew in fifth with 948.
Ong's most recent success was winning the Bahrain International Open in April to take home US$20,000 top prize. He went on to finish fifth in the Aalborg International Open in Denmark in May.
The Singapore's most successful kegler has won three gold medals in the Busan Asian Games in 2002 and then stunned the world by winning two gold medals in the 2006 World Championship, also in Busan.
With so many international titles in his cabinet, such as the 2008 San Marino Open, 2005 Hong Kong Open, 2004 Guam and Qatar Open titles, the one title that has eluded the 30-year-old southpaw is the Singapore Open.
Ong has finished in the podium nemerous times including second runnerup last year and he will undoubtedly one of the firm favourites to take the coveted crown. Meanwhile, Shaker Al-Hassan became the first bowler to surpass the 1000-mark with a 1012 effort taking him into pole.
Thailand's Sithipol Kunaksorn who shot the tournament's third perfect game, moved into second with 988 with overnight leader, Muhd Nur Aiman of Malaysia third with 994.
There were also no changes in the women's division with Daphne Tan, Jasmine Yeong-Nathan and Yap Seok Kim occupying the top 3 positions of the local pool. Malaysians Esther Cheah and Shalin Zulkifli occupied the top 2 spots while Indonesia's Tannya Roumimper in third.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's national youth and Masters finalists in the recent Asian Schools championship, Hurul Ainul Abu Razak became the first women and the fourth competitor to score a perfect game this afternoon.
But her achievement went to waste as the 16-year-old only managed 171, 145 and 156 in her next three games and failing to improve her 819 qualifying score and putting her as first reserve in the Youth Girl's table.
Photos by Terence Yaw for SBF.