FOR national players Kenneth Chua and Liza Del Rosario, the newly formed Philippine Bowling Federation provides a new hope and motivation for all aspiring bowlers to excel and bring back the country’s glorious days in the sport.
Chua, 25, just won the inaugural 2016 PBF National Bowling Open Championship men’s open masters recently at the Coronado Lanes in Star Mall Mandaluyong City in Shaw Boulevard after beating Jomar Jumapao through a best-of-three game stepladder finals with a score of 214-167, 177-200, 220-176.
“I’m very happy, proud and thankful to be champion of the first PBF National Open Championships. At the same time, we expect more exposures and new tournaments abroad from the new PBF. We are happy that the needs of the Philippine team are also now being prioritized,” said Chua.
The De La Salle University computer engineering graduate, who is coached by Madoka Amano, qualified in the stepladder finals by placing second in the elimination round with 2921 total pin falls. Jumapao topped the elimination with 2956, while Merwin Tan placed third with 2882.
Chua beat Tan in the first stepladder finals, 210-187, before dispatching Jumapao in the second stepladder finals to capture the men’s singles masters of the competition organized by PBF.
“Through the help of national head coach Paeng Nepomuceno, coach Biboy Rivera, coach Jojo Canare and former world champion Bong Coo, there is hope for all aspiring bowlers to excel internationally once again,” said Chua.
Del Rosario believes the bowling sport in the country could become a source of gold medals once again because of the PBF. Del Rosario, a long time national player, also copped the ladies’ masters open title with a 179-160, 172-201, 202-163 win over Liza Clutario during their second stepladder finals duel.
“With the new PBF, we are expecting to bring back the glory days of bowling,” said Del Rosario. “But it needs hard work and determination. With everyone working together, I believe we can be the best team again and discover potential great bowlers.”
The other singles champions of the first national open championship were Enzo Marquez and Joyce Abad (men’s and women’s graded masters); John Paul Go and Grace Gella (men’s and women’s associate masters); and Grace Gella and Kenzo Umali (boys’ and girls’ youth 16-and-under).
In the senior men’s masters, Ramil Bonus won the title while former world champion Bong Coo took the senior ladies’ masters.
The PBF is a member of the Asian Bowling Federation and World Bowling.