Liza Del Rosario boosts title hopes in Philippine Open bowling

MANILA, Philippines — Defending champion Liza del Rosario got off to a rousing start to book a ticket to the women’s open masters championship round of the Philippine International Open Tenpin Bowling Championships at the Coronado Lanes at Starmall, Mandaluyong City.

Del Rosario, who automatically earned the top seeding prior to the tournament, rolled an eight-game series of 1679 and placed second behind Singaporean Jermaine Seah’s 1700 pinfalls in round one of the finals on Saturday.

Gilliam Lim of Malaysia and national youth standout Bea Hernandez both assembled 1616 pinfalls after eight matches to join Del Rosario and Seah in the second round where they will meet qualifiers Lara Posadas-Wong, Dyan Coronacion and 2017 World Cup champion Krizziah Tabora.

“They have been playing well. In the finals, it’s really anybody’s ballgame,” said Del Rosario, a multiple gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games.

Organized by the Philippine Bowling Federation, the PIO backed by Pagcor, Cafe Puro, Prima Pasta, Boysen Paints, the Linden Suites and the Philippine Sports Commission serves as a test event for the 30th SEA Games on Nov. 30-Dec. 11.