Adrian Ang slayed the Goliath – Finland’s Osku Palermaa – in the 33rd Canon Malaysian Bowling International Open Men’s Masters final yesterday evening at the Sunway Mega Lanes, to keep the trophy in Malaysia.
After defending champion, Zulmazran Zulikfli bowed out in the quaterfinals to UAE’s Hussain Al Suwaidi, and young sensation Yusuf Abdul Raof, the other Malaysian in the last eight, bowed out in the semifinals to Osku, it was all left to Adrian.
The pint-sized 21-year-old Adrian despite up against a much bigger, experience and powerful bowler in Osku who bowls in a unique way using two hands, showed no signs of jitters.
Call it lucky for Adrian to have won the title, after Osku failed to strike in final frame to win the title, but Adrian stood tall against his opponent and truly deserves the title.
Fresh from having finished runners-up in the Brunswick Euro Challenge in Paris last weekend, Adrian stood firm and kept cool to go about his task, yesterday despite Osku throwing tantrums from time to time over his poor form.
Adrian could not have asked for a better start when he won the first game, 163-147, but went down in the second 200-237 before he won the decider 222-214.
“This is a great feeling. I was up against a bigger and more experience opponent, but I managed to stay focus and go for brokes. My positive approach helped me a great deal. I was lucky in the end when Osku failed to strike, but that is bowling. I am just glad that I was the luckier one today,” said Adrian whose ambition is to play in the PBA Tour.
"However, I matched Osku and gave a run for his money. After having failed to win the title in the Brunswick Euro challenge last week in a similar fashion as Osku, I suppose today is my turn to win."
With his performance at home, overseas and pro tournaments steadily improving with each tournament, it will only be a matter of time before he realise his dream to play in the Pro Tour.
Adrian won RM 35,000 for his win, while Osku picked up RM17,000.
USA’s Kelly Kulick won the Women’s Open title when she defeated Chinese Taipei’s HL Chien in a three game decider (184-211; 218-212; 211-201).
“It is great to have come here for the championship for the first time and won it,” said Kelly the first woman ever to have won the PBA Tour title.
“However, it was not easy. The competition was tough and against Chien, she really made me work. She is an excellent bowler.”
Kelly also said that the difficult lane conditions even made it more challenging for her.
Chien, on the other hand, gave the “helicopter” or spinner style a revival.
Famous especially among the Taiwanese, the style had not made much progress in recent years, but Chien proved that it is still effective, especially on wood surface.
Kelly picked up RM 15,000 while Tsien had to settle for RM7,500.
Zulmazran, on the other hand who was going for a rare – hat-trick – win, saw the occasion get the better of him yesterday.
He was far from his normal self, looked nervous and had problems in his first game against Hussain as he went down 171-235.
Then in the decider, when he needed to spare to win (four pins), he failed.
After his loss, Zulmazran said that he was not feeling comfortable in the morning before his quarterfinals tie.
“Somehow, the thought of the possibility to achieving a rare treble kept rushing to my mind and made me nervous. In the end, it got the better of me,” said a disappointed Zulmazran.
“I will definitely better prepared and know how to approach when I am faced with a similar situation, but it definitely going to be hard to come by, as it takes a lot to be in line for a treble. Infact, even winning a championship takes a lot, because we have to go through the process of reaching the final.”
However, for 18-year-old Yusuf Abdul Razak who was making his maiden appearance in the Open category and who earned a place in the National Elite squad, it was a dream run for him.
The lanky Yusof having qualified for the semifinals after disposing Thailand’s Ytannaphon Larpapharat, his semifinals opponent, Osku Palermaa, a PBA bowler, failed to intimidate him.
Instead, Yusof gave a run for Osku’s money when he stretched him to three games. Even the setback of having lost the first game to Osku 170-213, did not deter him, as he came back strongly to beat his more established opponent 202-183.
However, Yusof probably lost the battle of nerves in the third game when he went down 159-207.
“I cannot complain one bit. For my maiden appearance, I have done extremely well. It has been a tremendous experience for me and I hope do even better next year,” said Yusof the oldest of eight children.
In the Women’s category, all three Malaysian women, Siti Safiyah Amirah, Zandra Aziela and Hee Kar Yen – failed to get past their quarterfinals and it is indeed of concern for national coach Holloway Cheah.
RESULTS:
Men’s Open Masters Final Knockout Matches:
Quarterfinals
- Adrian Ang (MAS) bt Shaker Al Hassan (UAE) – 2-0 - 279-191; 238-202
- Yusuf Abdul Raof (MAS) bt Yannaphon Larpapharata (Thai) 2-0 - 224-211; 166-153
- Osku Palermaa (Finland) bt Basil Low (Spore) – 2-1 – 246-225; 192-215; 210-192
- Hussain Al Suwaidi (UAE) bt Zulmazran Zulkifli (MAS) – 2-1 – 235-171; 213-224; 194-186
Semifinals
- Adrian Ang (MAS) bt Hussain Al Suwaidi (UAE) -2-1 – 261-187; 238-247; 199-169
- Osku Palemaa (Fin) bt Yusuf Abdul Raof (MAS) 2-1 – 213-170; 183-202; 207-159
Final
Adrian Ang (MAS) bt Osku Palermaa (Finland) – 2-1 – 163-147; 200-237; 22-214.
Women’s Open Masters Final Knockout Matches:
Quarterfinals
- Kelly Kulick (USA) bt Siti Safiyah Amirah (MAS) -2-1 – 196-178; 238-212;224-197
- Lisa Del Rosario (Philippines) bt Zandra Aziela (MAS) 2-1 – 168-203; 237-222; 208-190
- Jasmine Yeong-Nathan (Spore) bt Hee Kar Yeh (MAS) 2-0 – 209-188; 237-177
- HL Chien (Chinese Taipei) bt Tannya Roumimper (Indon) – 2-0 – 215-182;186-169
- Semifinals 1. Kelly Kulick (USA) bt Lisa Del Rosario (Phil) – 2-0 – 191-188;216-178
- 2. HL Chien (CT) bt Jasmine Yeong-Nathan (Spore) -2-1 185-196; 194-172; 211-202
- Final
Kelly Kulick (USA) bt HL Chien (CT) – 2-1 – 184-211; 218-212; 211-201
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