Del Rosario keeps PIO Ladies’ Masters

MANILA, Philippines - Veteran internationalist Liza del Rosario maintained her dominance in the ladies’ bowling horizon here Friday by keeping the Philippine Intenational Open Masters crown at the Sta. Lucia Mall center in Cainta, Rizal.

Carrying the colors of TBAM/Prima/Phl, Del Rosario held off Malaysian Syaidatul Affifah, 216-214, to become the first bowler in 25 years to defend her title.

Affifah closed out with a four-bagger to put the pressure on Del Rosario, but the smooth-stroking Filipina pintoppler finished with a strike-spare to take the thriller and pocket the P60,000 prize.

Affifah earned the right to challenge Del Rosario by shooting 245 in the first stepladder shootout to knock out Lara Posadas (213) and Krizziah Tabora.

Del Rosario topped the 12-game Masters finals with 2720 for a 227 average, followed by Posadas (2619), Affifah (2531) and Tabora (2527).

Former national bowler Mar Serac of TBAM/Prima and Amielyn Sisperez of SLETBA/NLEX bagged the men’s and ladies’ Graded Masters title, respectively.

Serac rolled 2510 in 12 games to beat SJBA’s Carl Lim (2464) and CETBA/Prima’s Aui Padawan (2408) while Sisperez carded 2252, also in 12 games, to topple CETBA/Prima’s Sam Lagcao (2184) and PBAP/Bowlmart’s Trixie de Luna (2182).

PBA/Phl’s Nicco Olaivar topped round 1 of the men’s Open Masters competition to tow 11 other bowlers into the Round 2 finals where they will join the top six local bowlers and top three foreign campaigners who had earned seedings through their creditable showing in the eliminations.