Co, Lagrisola pace Associate Masters event

MANILA, Philippines – Jackson Co and Nida Lagrisola found their groove Friday night and surged into the men’s and ladies’ Associate Masters lead in the 38th Philippine International Open Tenpin Bowling Championships at Paeng’s Midtown Bowl at the Robinson’s Place in Malate, Manila.

With the standings in the other divisions virtually unchanged, MTBA’s Co and BALP’s Lagrisola used the opportunity to hog the spotlight in the tournament sponsored by the University of Perpetual Help, Department of Tourism, Amway Philippines, Philippine Sports Commission, Chowking, Colgate-Palmolive, The City Bowling Shop, USAct, Pearl Garden Hotel, Nestle Philippines, Paeng’s Midtown Bowl and Pan Pacific Manila, the tournament’s official hotel.

Co shot a 639 to go with his 594 earlier for a total output of 1,233 to pace teammates Kenneth Piedad (1,218) and Art Roxas (1,199), who were running second and third, respectively.

On the other hand, Lagrisola, who shot 542 in her first three-game series, scored 590 for a 1,132 output and led second placer Lou Laforteza of TBAM-Prima by 29 pins (1,103). PTBA’s Jojie Cabacungan (1,092) slid down to third.

The only major movement in the elite Class O was in the Ladies’ Masters qualifying where national pool member Dyan Coronacion wheeled into third place after shooting 625 and 635 for an 1,260 aggregate, 12 pins ahead of teammate Kim Lao, who came in second with 1,272.   2007 champ Liza del Rosario remained uncontested on top of Ladies’ local pool (1,304).

For the seventh straight day, nobody came to close to scoring a perfect game, with a was, four-year scholarship worth P250,000 from UPHS going to the first lucky bowler to score 300.

But expect bowling action to intensify in the next few days with the arrival of the crack contingents from overseas.    Among the fancied bowlers arriving are current Asian Ranked No. 1 Hussain Al-Suwaidi of the United Arab Emirates, and world championship gold medalist and now PBA rookie Tim Mack from the U.S.A.