Poblete emerges Masters leader

MANILA, Philippines – Former RP team standout Riche Poblete banked on a hot second three-game series of 734 Sunday and vaulted to the top of the men’s Class O Masters qualifying in the 38th Philippine International Tenpin Bowling Championships at Paeng’s Midtown Bowl at the Robinson’s Place in Malate, Manila.

The 35-year-old Poblete, who earlier shot a 673, averaged 244.6 in his second series on the way to a 1,407 aggregate, good for first in the tournament sponsored by the University of Perpetual Help System, Department of Tourism, Amway Philippines, the Philippine Sports Commission, Chowking, Colgate-Palmolive, The City Bowling Shop, USAct, Pearl Garden Hotel, Nestle Philippines, Goldbridge Dental Services, Paeng’s Midtown Bowl and Pan Pacific Manila, the tournament’s official hotel.

The TBAM-Prima kegler enjoyed a 15-pin edge over erstwhile leader Chester King (1,392) while 2006 world men’s Masters titlist Biboy Rivera went one rung down (1,388) to third.

Just a day after they arrived, the young bowlers from the Singapore Sports School have already made an impact with three of them among the top 10 in the division with Alex Tan in fifth (1,196), Jovi Ang sixth (1,163) and Javier Tan eighth (1,144).

Teammate Tracy See was running in 10th (1,095) in the girls’ Youth Masters qualifying where 18-year-old Krizziah Tabora, the defending ladies’ Open Masters titlist, continued to show the way (1,236).

Other pacesetters were PTBA’s Audi Castro in the men’s Graded Masters (1,280), TBAM-Prima-Metro Pacific’s Ellen Ramos in the ladies Graded Masters (1,148), MTBA’s Tommy Eusebio in the men’s Associate Masters (1,281), BALP’s Nida Lagrisola in the ladies’ Associate Masters (1,133), PTBA’s Rolly Delideli in the men’s Rookie Masters (1,170), MBA’s Marella Salamat in the ladies’ Rookie Masters (1,053), PTBA’s Carlo Cabacungan in the men’s Senior Masters (1,333) and PBA’s Mila Robles in the ladies Senior Masters (1,175).