Remy Ong wins back-to-back Kingdom International Open titles

(right) of Singapore, successfully defended his title in the Kingdom International Open Wednesday at Universal Bowling Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In all-lefty title match, Ong rolled games of 236 and 239 to fly past 2008 champion,

(left), UAE, 475-390. Ong pocketed $25,000 for the victory while Al-Hassan received $13,000.

The Singaporean national team member, who earned a bye for the semis after finishing fifth in qualifying, remained undefeated in the double-elimination match play finals for the second consecutive year winning four straight matches on his way to the title match.

In the opening Round of 16, Ong edged Tim Mack (right), United States by mere two pins, 403-401 and went on to defeat Josh Blanchard, United States, in the first round of the winners bracket, 466-382.

Top seeded Sean Rash (left), was the third consecutive U.S. bowler, who was sent to the losers bracket as Ong topped the four-time PBA champion, 439421. In the match between the two remaining undefeated players, Ong topped Kuwait's Khaled Al-Dubyyan (below right), 420-389, to advance to the title match against the winner of the losers bracket.

Al-Hassam had a bye in the Round of 16 as his opponent, Dominic Barrett of England, had to withdraw after being injured in a quad-bike accident the night before.

The winner of the 2nd Kingdom International Open remained in the winners bracket after a 406-393 win over World Games champ Manuel Otalora, of Colombia, before he was sent to the losers bracket by Al-Dubyyan, 469-428.

The UAE bowler eliminated Rash, 449-377, and then took revenge against Al-Dubyyan to advance to the title match, 439-389.

Al-Dubyyan earned $8,000 for third place, Rash got $5,000 for fourth and England's Paul Moor pocketed $4,000 for fifth place.

The fifth Kingdom International Championship was open to male bowlers only and drew mere 72 players from 15 countries - Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Colombia, England, Finland, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE and the United States. The tournament offered total prize fund of $113,200.

L-R Paul Moor, Sean Rash, HRH Prince Abdul Hakim, champion Remy Ong, HRH Prince Mohammed Al-Saud, Shaker Al-Hassan and Khaled Al-Dubyyan.

Qualifying (52 three-game squads) ran from March 24 through 18 and was concluded by the Desperado Squad. Each player must bowl at least three qualifying squads.

A total of 34 players advanced to the finals on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 29 and 30: The top 27 qualifiers with the highest nine-game total (best three three-game series) plus the top two of the Desperado Squad (places 28-29), the next three Saudi Arabian bowlers outside the cut (places 20-32) and two players from a local tournament (places 33-34).

The top five players plus the best Saudi, seeded sixth, earned one bye and advanced to the Round of 16. The other 28 players bowled eight games to cut to the top 10 who joined the top 6 qualifiers in double-elimination match play.<

In order to advance through the brackets, each player must post two-game totals higher than his opponent. Losers were forced to fight through the loser's bracket to earn a spot in the title match.

The top 16 Asian bowlers - Remy Ong, Singapore; Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE; Khaled Al-Dubyyan, Kuwait; Ryan Lalisang, Indonesia; Khaled Al-Hamdan, Saudi Arabia; Ahmed Al-Hadyan, Saudi Arabia; Mohammed Janahi, Bahrain; Andrew Frawley, Australia; Hussain Al-Suwaidi, UAE; Hrh Mohammed Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia; Ric Tugonon, Philippines; Yasser Abulreesh, Saudi Arabia; Abdullah Al-Dulaijan, Saudi Arabia; Fahad Al-Regeeb, Kuwait; Basel Al-Anzi, Kuwait; and Paeng Nepomuceno, Philippines - advance to the Asian Bowling Federation Tour Saudi Arabia leg to be contested on Thursday, April 31st.

Photos courtesy of Asian Bowling Federation.

 

England's Dominic Barrett and two Kuwaitis injured in a quad-bike accident in Saudi Arabia
Khaled Al-Dubyyan sets the pace in semifinals 5th Kingdom International Open
PBA's Sean Rash, Parker Bohn III win qualifying in fifth Kingdom International Open

 

1. Remy Ong (right), Singapore, $25,000
2. Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE, $13,000
3. Khaled Al-Dubyyan, Kuwait, $8,000
4. Sean Rash, United States, $5,000
5. Paul Moor, England, $3,500
6. Josh Blanchard, United States, $3,500
7. Ryan Lalisang, Indonesia, $2,750
8. Manuel Otalora, Colombia, $2,750
9. Parker Bohn Iii, United States, $2,000
10. Khaled Al-Hamdan, Saudi Arabia, $2,000
11. Ahmed Al-Hadyan, Saudi Arabia, $2,000
12. Ronnie Russell, United States, $2,000
13. Osku Palermaa, Finland, $1,500
14. Andres Gomez, Colombia, $1,500
15. Tim Mack, United States, $1,500
16. Dominic Barrett, England, $1,500
17. Mohammed Janahi, Bahrain, $1,450
18. Stuart Williams, England, $1,400
19. Chris Loschetter, United States, $1,350
20. Andrew Frawley, Australia, $1,300
21. Hussain Al-Suwaidi, UAE, $1,250
22. Hrh Mohammed Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia, $1,200
23. Ric Tugonon, Philippines, $1,150
24. Yasser Abulreesh, Saudi Arabia, $1,100
25. Abdullah Al-Dulaijan, Saudi Arabia, $1,050
26. Fahad Al-Regeeb, Kuwait, $1,000
27. Basel Al-Anzi, Kuwait, $1,000
28. Paeng Nepomuceno, Philippines, $1,000
29. Adel Ali Al-Bargi, Saudi Arabia, $1,000
30. Meshari Al-Fadhli, Kuwait, $1,000
31. Jassem Darwish, Kuwait, $1,000
32. Ammar Tarad, Saudi Arabia, $1,000
33. Rodel Maranca, Philippines, $1,000
34. Hrh Abdul Hakim Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia, $1,000

 

 

Double elimination, two-game matches decided by total pinfall

 

Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to losers bracket.

 

 

Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to losers bracket.

 

 

Winners remain in losers bracket. Losers eliminated.

 

 

Winners remain in losers bracket. Losers eliminated.

 

 

Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to losers bracket.

 

 

Winners remain in losers bracket. Losers eliminated.

 

 

Winners remain in losers bracket. Losers eliminated.

 

 

Winner remains in losers bracket. Loser eliminated.

 

 

Winner to bowl for the title. Loser moves to losers bracket.

 

 

Winner to bowl for the title. Loser eliminated, finishes third.