YOUTHFUL national bowler Merwin Tan sizzled with a 12-game series of 2478 pinfalls to tow 33 others to the second round of the 2016 Qubica/AMF Bowling World Cup national finals last Friday at Coronado Lanes (Starlanes).
The 17-year-old Tan, youth bowler of the year in 2014 when he also won a bronze medal in the Asian Schools competition in Jakarta, shot seven 200 games to finish 47 pins ahead of veteran Raoul Miranda, who carded 2431.
Tan rolled 230, 221, 221, 225, 221, 203 and 209 in the second, fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th games, respectively, to cushion himself from the late charge of Miranda, who capped his performance with a 257 in the 12th game.
Miranda also tallied six other 200s – 211, 206, 223, 204, 213 and 203 – but his opening round was marred by a 165 in the sixth game.
With their scores carried over, the top 34 pintopplers will roll another 12 games tomorrow at Paeng’s Midtown, with the top eight finishers staying in the race for the national crown.
The ladies’ aspirants, led by seasoned international campaigners Liza del Rosario and Liza Clutario, played their first 10 games last Saturday.
The men’s and ladies’ national champions will represent the Philippines in the Qubica/AMF BWC international finals scheduled on October 14-23, 2016 at Hao’s Bowling Center in Shanghai, China.
Jay R. Tan came in third last Friday with 2394, followed by Paulo Valdez (2354), Kevin Cu (2330), Alvin Pastrana (2273), Nicco Olaivar (2265), Simple Villajin (2257), Sammy Say Sy (2256) and Ronnie Javier (2240).
The 24 other bowlers who are still in the running for the title are:
Paul Angelo Sia (2240), Lito Fabros (2227), Alex Ngoi (2217), Jeff Carabeo (2216), Benshir Layoso (2182), Jomin Wong (2176), Scott Uy (2173), John Paul Genciana (2162), Rjay Lorenz Magana (2155), Norman Lising (2138), Wilson Sua (2132), John Paul G. Macatula (2126), Kurt Mendoza (2103), Jansen Collantes (2097), Kap Aguila (2095), Raul Imperial (2085), July Vargas (2083), Jun Garcia (2069), Noel Abad (2068), Nichole Andrew Jimeno (2067), Francis de Leon (2057), Eric Luciano Aranez Jr. (2054), Jorel Simbulan (2050) and Lorenz Tugade (2046).
