PBAP-BOWLMART’S Purvis Granger put on another splendid performance yesterday to post a respectable 1421 series and take the lead in the third Euro-Med Storm International Masters Challenge at the Pearl Bowling Center in Parañaque.
Granger, a member of the national coaching staff, had lines of 716 and 705 to boost his chances of qualifying in the quarterfinals starting Thursday where he will be up against the best in the region.
He was just four pins up over national bowler Biboy Rivera, the 2002 Asian Championships doubles gold medalist who shot lines of 689 and 728. Korean Kim Young Pil was far third with 1,391 (712, 679).
Singaporean Remy Ong, the Asian No. 2 bowler and 2002 Asian Games singles gold medalist, could only submit 1,375 (688, 687) to finish fourth followed by Taiwanese Cheng Chao Yu (1,364) and PTBA-Wave’s Joonee Gatchalian (1,362).
Showing some flashes of brilliance, four-time World Cup champion Paeng Nepomuceno tallied 1350 for seventh place while MTBA-Ebonite’s Jojo Canare was eighth with 1,339.
Already in the quarterfinals are PBAP-Bowlmart’s Markwin Tee, Chester King and Liza Clutario, TBAM-Prima’s Tyrone Ongpauco, PBAP-Bowlmart-Boysen’s Liza del Rosario, and Koreans Gu Young Jin and Park Kyung Shin.
Gu shot a series of 775 and 657 for a total of 1,432 while his teammate Park tallied 1,410 (707, 703) late Monday night.
Bowlers from the US, led by former World Amateur Bowler of the Year awardee Tim Mack, Thailand and Finland are also seeing action in this tournament offering
R1 million to the champion.
The Malaysian team, bannered by Asia Bowler of the Year Shalin Zulkifli, is arriving today.
Meanwhile, TCBA’s Nilo Penado rolled a 1551 series to top the Bevida Storm Challenge qualifying. LCTBA’s Egay Latag placed second with 1506 followed by Liza Clutario (1488), Jessica Jopson (1445), Edgar Barroga (1443), Liza del Rosario (1435), Eleazar Rubio (1424) and Taiwanese Cheng Chao Yu (1424).
