Wu Gets Fourth Perfect Game of the Tournament
31st October 2003Hong Kong’s Wu Siu Hong became the fourth person to notch up a perfect 300 game on day six of the 36th Singapore Open earlier this morning. The 19-year-old, together with American Dino Castillo, Philippines Liza Clutario and Thailand’s Teerapol Sajaraktrakul, will all get a share of the $10,000 perfect game prize if no one else repeats that feat tonight.
“I never expected to get a perfect game,” said Wu, who finished number one on the Asian Zone and Asian Bowling Tour rankings in 2001. “I was merely trying to qualify. I felt the pressure from the eighth frame onwards. But like in all perfect games, luck is a big factor and I am very happy to achieve my third perfect game this year.”
Wu’s sixth career 300 came during his first game of a 948 series (300, 211, 225, 212) and that MQ put him 10th position in the overseas pool at press-time. The day’s high series so far belonged to Taiwan’s Cheng Chao Sheng (fifth in overseas pool at press-time) who had a 956 series in the afternoon session, while Malaysia’s Azidi Ameran (ninth in overseas pool) also looked to have made the cut with a 953 series.
Australian sensation Jason Belmonte, 20, who bowled a sizzling 1,043 series (261 average) late Thursday night continued to lead all qualifiers, while Philippines Purvis Granger (1,032) and Malaysian Eric Ang (1,022) remained second and third respectively.
Only the top 14 men in the overseas pool, top 14 in the mixed pool and the top 14 in the overseas pool advances into tomorrow’s Masters finals.
Meantime, Singapore national bowler Alvin Kwang jumped to the top of the local pool with a 978 series (174, 287, 290, 227) which was achieved late Thursday night.
Kwang who finished third in this year’s Malaysian Open, will enter tomorrow’s Masters final as top local qualifier as he had a high game of 290. Faizal Chew, who also achieved a 978 series earlier in the week, will go into the Masters as the second best local qualifier as his high game is only 277. Asian Games champion Remy Ong failed to improve on his MQ score of 905 and is only seventh best qualifier (34th among all qualifiers) at press-time.
There were hardly any changes in the women’s pools. World doubles champion Kirsten Penny (945) continued to lead all qualifiers, ahead of Malaysia’s Choy Poh Lai (941), Asian number one Liza Clutario (918) and Asian Games champion Shalin Zukifli (914). Indonesia’s Happy Soediyono had the day’s high series (855) at press-time and the current Asian Bowling Tour leader is now ninth in the overseas pool.
There were no changes in the local pool as Catherine Kang (941) and Regina Lau (920) stayed in the top two positions. Only the top 10 women in the overseas, the top 10 in the local pool and the top 9 in the mixed pool qualify for tomorrow’s Masters finals. Malaysia’s Wendy Chai is automatically through as the defending champion. Chai is aiming to become the first bowler to win three Singapore Open titles in a row.
Only two other bowlers have won more than two Singapore Open crowns. Singapore’s SY Loh won in 1975, 1977 and 1979. Australia’s Ruth Gerster won the Singapore Open five times from the 1960s to 80s (1967, 1970, 1977, 1979, 1980). The women’s champion on Sunday will take home $5,000, while the men’s champion receives $20,000.
A total of 377 bowlers from 16 countries had entered this year’s Singapore Open which offers a total prize purse of some $100,000. Masters qualification ends tonight.