14th April, Bangkok: Local youngster, Somjed Kusonpithak retained the ABF Tour Thailand 2008 leg in the Men's division at S.F. Strike Bowl at the Mall, Ngamwongwan while tour debutant, Zhang Yun Hong of China took her maiden victory in the Women's division.

The victory for Somjed Kusonpithak of Thailand was no smooth sailing affair as the 23-year-old student had to break the tie over a 9 and 10 frame to get to the finals. Somjed had tied with UAE's Shaker Al-Hassan with a score of 217 in the second semifinal match. But the Thai brought home a double strike after a 9-spare to score 46 while Shaker could only manage 40 pins.

In the final match against fellow-countrymen, Pasut Punsanthaveekul, Somjed's experience proved vital coming home with a clean game to shoot 201 as his opponent had a split in the second frame and an open frame in the 8th for a 192 scoreline.

Pasut also had a tought time in the first semifinal match having to go into

two tie breakers to break the deadlog against Hong Kong's Wu Siu Hong. Both had tied on 208 in a very open game and leveled at 28 pins each in the first tie breaker.

As Wu could only manage to score 40 pins in the crucial tie, Pasut brought home a double strike and a seven-one to finish off with 45 to book his final spot. But his nerve began to unsettle as he went down to Somjed in the finals.

The champion dispatched China's Yang Wei, 216-169 in Round 1 knockout stage and went on to beat Australia's Andrew Frawley, 218-178 in Round 2 to reach the semis. The runnerup took out UAE's Fuaad Al-Mas, 200-173 in Round 1 before defeating China's Pan Yunhong, in another tie-breaker 193(39)-193(38) in Round 2.

In the women's division, tour debutant, Zhang Yu Hong easily beat Asian Ranked No. 1, Kim Eun Jung of Korea, 199-168 in the one-sided final match to clinch her maiden international title. The 33-year-old national bowler from China eliminated World Championship Masters gold medalist, Yang Suling, 210-179 in an All-Chinese semifinal.

Zhang had earlier edged another teammate, Chen Dong Dong, 209-203 in Round 1 and Thailand's Gunnalada Aree, 204-177 in Round 2 to book her place in the semis. Kim Eun Jung took out newly-crowned, Thailand Open champion, Chan Shuk Han, 192-177 in first round and Thailand's Kamalasn Jonbumrung, 193-152 to reach the semi.

The Korean fought back galantly to beat Hong Kong's Vanessa Fung, 191-

173 after trailing with three earlier opened frames. But she just could not find the same fighting spirit in the semi to overturn the Chinese champion.

The ABF Tour Thailand leg was telecast LIVE over True Vision (Channel UBC) and the highlights will be televised later on local television stations of the eight countries where the tour is being held.

For further information and details, please contact ABF Tour Committee at Tel: +852 2893 6039, Fax: +852 2893 6290; Email: hktbc@netvigator.com.

Photos by Terence Yaw.