Bolleby bags Dubai Open bowling title

Youth Under-23 Masters runner-up Kim Bolleby of Sweden bagged the Open Masters title of the 3rd Dubai International Open Bowling Tournament which ended at Dubai International Bowling Center in Al Mamzar.

The tournament was conducted by the UAE Bowling Association with the support of the Dubai Sports Council.

Bolleby, who lost to Kuwait's Jassem Abbas Darwish in the Youth Under-23 Masters title match, made amends with a victory in the Open division to win the top prize of Dh60,000 ($16,300).

The overnight Round 3 leader ended the Round 4 finals earlier with 1,813 to add to his previous round score of 1,851 to advance into the stepladder shootout finals as top seed with 3,664 total pinfalls.

In the all-southpaw championship match between the Swede and challenger, Remy Ong of Singapore, both started off with three strikes-in-a-row and Bolleby had a split in the fourth frame in which he managed to convert while Ong had a fourth strike.

By the seventh frame, the Singaporean had a slender lead over Bolleby but Ong failed to spare his eighth frame allowing the top seed to draw level. As Ong was unable to recover from the costly mistake, the Swede pulled away by striking out for a 245 victory over Ong's 220 to take the title.

"I was a bit worried when we were warming up for the match when the lanes were slightly different from the earlier finals," said the 20-year-old Bolleby. "Luckily I made a quick adjustment and it paid off.

"For sure I was a bit disappointed after I lost in the youth finals but winning the Open title more than made up for it. I'm going to Doha for the Emir Cup and hopefully I can carry my form into that tournment."

Ong, who was seeded fourth, ousted third seed, Peter Ljung of Sweden and fifth seed, Biboy Rivera of Philippines, 236-215-194 in the opening match before beating second seed, Perttu Jussila of Finland, 207-180 in the second match to face the top seed.

Ong received Dh30,000 ($8,160) as first runner-up while Jussila received Dh15,000 ($4,000) as second runner-up. Ljung and Rivera took home Dh10,000 and Dh8,000 for finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

Jussila advanced into the stepladder finals second from Round 4 finals with 3,642, Ljung third with 3,588, Ong fourth with 3,585 while Rivera edged American Patrick Healey Jr by 3 pins to squeeze in as fifth seed.

The main sponsor of the tournament was Grand Capital LLC with La Marquise Coffee Shop, Mars Digital Printing, Grand Service Station Auto Service, SuperPrice Car Rental, and French Bakery as co-ponsors.

The tournament is sanctioned by the Asian Bowling Federation and World Tenpin Bowling Association.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.