Marie Alexis Sy running ninth in Bowling World Cup

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine champion Marie Alexis Sy maintained her steady performance yesterday to collect 3248 pinfalls and boost her bid to make the three-day, 24-game qualifying series in the women’s division of the 54th Bowling World Cup international finals at Sam’s Town Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sy, who earned a shot at the international title by winning the national championship, scored a high game of 245 and averaged 203 to rank ninth and join two other Southeast Asian bowlers – frontrunning Li Jane Sin of Malaysia with 3441 and fifth-placer Nadia Pramanik Nuramalina of Indonesia (3364) – in the top 10.

But the Philippines’ men’s campaigner – Merwin Tan – has to do better in the third and final eight-game qualifier tomorrow to remain in the running for the prestigious world plum.  After 16 games, Tan checked in 24th spot with 3280 pinfalls.

American Kyle Troup led the men’s bidders with 3760 pinfalls, followed by Finland’s Osku Palermaa with 3656, Canada’s Ryan Reid (3626), Colombia’s Andres Gomez (3598), England’s Sam Rose (3571), Thailand’s Yannaphorn Larpapharat (3548), Australia’s Sam Cooley (3542), Indonesia’s Leonard Lalisang (3499), India’s Dhruv Sarda (3493) and Norway’s Jonas Dammen (3489).

Venezuela’s Karen Marcano checked in second in the ladies’ group with 3398, followed by Latvia’s Diana Zavalova (3394), Germany’s Nadine Geissler (3377), Norway’s Heidi Thorstensen (3277), USA’s Shannon O’Keefe (3272), Finland’s Sanna Pasanen (3272) and Dominican Republic’s Aumi Guerra (3239).

The top 24 in both divisions after tomorrow’s eight games will advance to the quarterfinals.