MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine ladies team surged ahead at the start of team competition but TBAM-Prima stole show by claiming the lead in seven events at the start of the 41st PBC-POC-PSC Open Bowling Championships at SM Center in Mall of Asia, Pasay City last Sunday.
Veteran internationalist Liza del Rosario and Poland-bound World Cupper Krizziah Tabora rolled 451 and 446, respectively, to propel Team Phl to a 1312 series and a commanding lead over TBAM-Prima (1132) and another Team Phl (1123) in the Open division.
Rachelle Leon produced 415 to complete the national team’s tally in the tournament sponsored by PSC, POC, Boysen, PCSO and Team Prima.
But Team Prima served notice of its title bid as it led in five other team events and in the ladies Open and Class A doubles competition.
TBAM-Prima’s Richie Poblete, Jonas Baltasar and Enzo Hernandez combined for 1413 to pull away from another TBAM-Prima squad composed of Mar Serac, Antonio Alcazaren and Mike Crisol (1311) and Phl team’s Jeremy Posadas, Carlo Mansilungan and Jong Enriquez (1297) in the Open men’s division.
TBAM-Prima also led in men’s team Class A with 1149, men’s Class B with 1079, ladies’ Class A team with 1060, ladies Class B with 1015, and ladies Open doubles event with 789, thanks to Patricia Tajo (386) and Abbie Gan (403), and Class A doubles with 756 on Cheche Abrantes 404 and Liza Vicente’s 352.
MTBA’s LA Lara and EJ Lara recorded 838 to pace the men’s Open doubles event, with EJ scoring 464 (224 and 240).
The other men’s doubles frontrunners are DATBI’s Oscar Ramirez and Marwin Santiago with 783 in Class A and teammates Larry Fermin and Manny Parino with 779 in Class B.
TBAM’s Lina Labaguis and Myriam Hernandez completed the list of early topnotchers by combining for 797 to move ahead of MBA’s Jessica Rivera and Alice Cabazor (772) and TBAM-Prima’s Gia Oyco and Jasha Jaron (722).
Cash prizes and trophies amounting to around P1 million are up for grabs in the tourney which runs up to Nov. 18. The top awards for the men’s and ladies Open Masters champions are P120,000 and P100,000, respectively.
Sen. Gringo Honasan and PSC chairman Richie Garcia graced the opening rites.