Injued Evelyn Stuns a Field of Ten World Champions
1st November 2003Singapore’s Evelyn Chan gave local supporters and onlookers a fever pitch excitement, when she led from start to finish in the first block of 8 games in the women’s masters final of the 36th Singapore Open.
Chan, 27, who is only in her first full year on the Singapore national team, started with a sizzling 279 game and never looked back. After two games, she was 57 pins clear of the field and at the halfway mark, Chan was 66 pins ahead of her nearest rival and teammate Catherine Kang. With the crowd solidly behind her, Chan kept her momentum going and by game 6, she was already 106 pins ahead of second-placed teammate Alice Tay.
The right handed hook bowler eventually finished 109 pins clear of the field with a 1,811 total (279, 233, 202, 209, 215, 226, 236, 211). Hong Kong’s Vanessa Fung and Taiwan’s Pan Yu Fen are currently second and third with 1, 702 and 1,660 respectively.
“I’m quite surprised with my performance today as I injured my lower back during Thursday masters qualifying,” said Chan, who was visibly in pain when she sat down at the media center for the post-game interview. “I have been going to a Chinese physician for massages the last two days and I had to wear a waist guard. At the start, I was just thinking of trying to finish the first block without aggravating my injury.”
Chan’s performance is made more outstanding considering as one-third of the 30 women field are either current or former world champions. Besides Singapore’s 2001 and 2002 World Ranking Masters champions Jesmine Ho and Jennifer Tan, there were also eight current world champions - England’s Kirsten Penny (world doubles champion), Philippines world champions trios of Liza del Rosario, Liza Cultario and Cecilia Yap and Malaysian world team champions Shalin Zukifli, Wendy Chai, Sarah Yap and Choy Poh Lai.
“I was aware I was in the lead but I just kept my focus throughout,” said Chan, who has yet to win her first international Open title. “I haven’t really thought about winning this tournament before the start. I was just aiming to finish in the top 16 and to qualify for the ESPN Aviva Asian Bowling Tour. I don’t know how I will feel tomorrow morning when I wake. Hopefully, my back will hold up and I can keep up my momentum. My best finish in an Open tournament is fifth at this year’s Thailand Open. It’s a long long way to go, but I will try my best.”
It was a good day for local supporters as there are currently three Singaporeans in the top ten. Besides Chan’s sensational performance, spinners Alice Tay (1648) and Jennifer Tan (1613) are in fourth and sixth positions respectively.
Philippines world trios champions Liza Clutario and Liza del Rosario are not out of contention yet. World championships runner Clutario is currently seventh, 203 pins behind the leader, while current Asian number 2 Rosario, the 2003 Malaysian Open champion, is a further 11 pins adrift.
Other pre-tournament favourites, however, will have a bit of catching up to do. Malaysia’s Wendy Chai, who is aiming to be the first person to win three Singapore Opens in a row, is in 13th position, world doubles champion Kirsten Penny is 22nd, while Asian Games champion Shalin Zukifli is surprisingly only 25th in a field of 30 top qualifiers.
The second block of eight games will commence tomorrow morning (9am) and the top six will enter the step-ladder finals, where the winner walks away with $5,000. Earlier in the day, Singapore’s Jazreel Tan was crowned Girls Youth champion, while Philippines Markwin Tee was the Boys Youth Champion. American Dino Castillo has the midway lead in the men’s Masters final, while Singapore’s Asian Games champion Remy Ong is in sixth position.