Bambalan, Nidoy grand champs in OFBC 1st year anniversary tourney

The OFBC (Overseas Filipino Bowlers Club) marked its first year anniversary with a tournament for its members and guests last Friday at the Ice Land Bowling Center here.
Earning bragging rights as the grand champions in this OFBC day-long special event were beginning bowler Tirso Bambalan and Malou Nidoy, who each received a trophy, cash prize and smartphone courtesy of generous sponsor Abdulrahman Al-Omran, CEO of Tahwell Integrated, who also donated separate smartphone prizes for the first and second runners-up in both the men’s and ladies divisions.
Under the competition format bowlers play six games with handicap in the qualifying to pick the top 10 with the first five advancing to the stepladder championship round and the last five receiving consolation prizes.
Bambalan was ranked No. 1 as the qualiying round topnotcher and he beat fellow Class D bowler Danny Franciso in the championship match of the five-man stepladder 185 to 184 pinfalls.
Faced with a spare to win in the last frame, Francisco coud not handle the pressure and failed to convert leaving the No. 6 pin standing, after Bambalan had shot a spare 9 in the 9th and 10th frames in a thrilling battle of nerves between two hardworking bowling rookies.
No. 4 Francisco earned a shot at Bambalan by beating out No. 5 Gary Raymundo and third-ranked Rico Parcon in the first match. Bambalan scored 218 to identical scores of 187 by Parcon and Raymundo.
In the second match, Francisco eliminated the unlucky No. 2 qualifier Robert Stone, who missed five spares in a row and lost 154-142, as the former set up the big match against Bambalan.
For Malou it was an amazing climb all the way to the top in the ladies division after finishing the qualifying round at No. 5 behind Carms Lim, Jana Delia Felesminia, Fedelyn Bustinera and Minda Guevarra.
The first match had Malou on 196, Bustinera 195 and Guevarra 177 to pave the way for a Nidoy-Felesminia second match that ended 205-175 in favor of the wife of OFBC Commissioner Joel Nidoy, who said tournament proceeds will be donated to Bantay-Bata Edukasyon Foundation.
The day truly belonged to Malou as she disposed of Lim 213-174 in the championshp match.
The prizes for high game scratch and high series scratch went to Jhune Estefano 234 and Lim 196 and Joel 1,081 and Guevarra 901.
In addition to Al-Omran the others who supported the event are David Wheen, sales and marketing manager Arabian Homes, who donated raffle items, Stone, manager Orient Provision and Trading Co., Rene Quiambao, sales and marketing manager Sky Freight-TFC and Yanbu and Khamis Mushayt bowlers.
Top 10 after 6 games:
Men’s Division — 1. Tirso Bambalan 1246 2. Robert Stone 1156 3. Rico Parcon 1151 4. Danny Francisco 1142 5. Gary Raymundo 1133 6. Vic Gonzales 1132 7. Conrad Baltazar 1130 8. Gino Vallejos 1130 9. Joel Nidoy 1129 10. Joel Alegre 1122
Laies Division — 1. Carms Lim 1223 2. Jana Delia Felesminia 3. Fedelyn Bustinera 1129 4. Minda Guevarra 1117 5. Malou Nidoy 1107 6. Stella delos Reyes 1103 7. Shirley Sagmit 1098 8. Vangie Lim 1081 9. Lourdes Punzalan 1060 10. Margie Villasanta 1051