Dubai: Former champion Kim Bolleby of Sweden regained pole position in the open division standings at the Fifth Dubai International Open Bowling Tournament after another stunning qualifying round on Sunday.
Bolleby, the 2012 winner who was knocked off top spot by UAE national team bowler Naif Oqab on Saturday, chalked up an improved three-game series of 733 to give him a new 9-game tally of 2,174 to pip the Emirati by two pins.
The Swede’s 733 series will most likely win him the 12th qualifying day high series award of Dh1,000. Bolleby had already picked up the ninth day award two days ago with a roll of 725.
2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Shaker Ali Al Hassan notched 730 from three to take his nine-game tally to 2,134 and securing him third position, as well as making it an all-lefty top three.
Ghalib Al Bu Saidi of Oman dropped out of the top bracket into fourth with his 2,090 total, while 2014 Hong Kong Open winner Hussain Al Suwaidi of the UAE is stuck back in sixth position with 2,066.
The cut at 24th position is held by home player Mohammad Sultan Al Matrooshi on 1,893 with one more day of qualifying to go.
Meanwhile, second-seeded dubutant Christopher Sloan of Ireland captured the youth title after beating top seed Mustafa Al Mouswai of Kuwait twice in the youth stepladder finals.
Sloan made a nervy start, but quickly recovered with three strikes in a row to open up a huge gap over his opponent.
The 20-year-old took the first match 185-174 and the match was more or less decided when Mustafa missed a single-pin spare in the eighth frame of the second match.
Sloan went on to win 189-155 and take his first-ever international title, with a top prize of Dh20,000. Al Mouswai settled for Dh10,000.
Meanwhile, top seed Samantha Hannan of England won the women’s title by beating Uella Marcial of the Philippines 187-162 in the final stepladder match. Hannan earned Dh10,000 and Marcial Dh7,000.
