23rd May, Busan: 2017 Pepsi Scorpion Championship winner, EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., led from start to finish to win the second squad qualifying rounds of the 2018 PBA-WBT Busan Cup International Bowling Tournament at Rainbow Square Bowling Center.
The 29-year-old Tackett, who owns 9 PBA titles since joining the pro ranks in 2012, set a blistering pace with an opening game of 280 to lead KPBA's Park Kyungsin by 21 pins. Korea's Seo Hyeonjin and KPBA's Yun Eeojin trailed in third and fourth with 256 and 255 respectively.
The American leader added another sizzling game of 267 to extend his lead to 49 pins as 2014 Incheon Asian Games multiple gold medallist, Lee Nayoung of Korea National team moved into second spot with games of 243 and 239.
Tackett continued his fine run with 225, 223 before ending with 227 to win the squad with 1222, averaging 244.4. Another KPBA women, Yeom Hyegyeong held second spot briefly before a second KPBA women, Jeong Hojeong stormed home with 269 and 246 to snatch second with 1217, just 5 pins adrift the leader.
American PBA pro, EJ Tackett winning the second squad
JBC's Tomoyuki Sasaki rolled back-to-back 238 to take third spot with 1156 while KPBA's Kim Goun and Lee Seungnam completed the top 5 with 1145 and 1143 respectively. The cut at 11th position in this squad went to Hwang Munjeong of KPBA with 1111, avaraging less than the opening squad.
Tackett's effort put him second to Squad A leader, Kim Seungmin of KPBA who posted 1225, just 3 pins behind. Jeong finished third on 1217, Oh Sanhyeon of Cheonan fourth on 1207 and perfect gamer, Lee Yeonjin of Korea National team and Syaffique Ikhwan of Malaysia tieing fifth position with 1204.
Squad C will take to the lanes on fresh oil before the last squad of the day ending the first block of 5 games qualifying. The players will resume with their second block of 5 games tomorrow.
The top 11 from each squad making up a total of 44 bowlers will advance to the next round on May 25 over 6 games from scratch. The top 4 will proceed to the Stepladder shootout finals on a pair of specailly constructed lanes at the Arena @ Metrapolitan City complex on May 26.
The first of two PBA-World Bowling Tour stop in Asia this year, the 2018 PBA-WBT Busan Cup is organized by the Korean Professional Bowling Association in conjunction with Busan Metroplitan Bowling Association. The prestigious tournament is endorsed and sanctioned by Korean Bowling Association, Asian Bowling Federation and World Bowling.
Photos by Terence Yaw in Busan, Korea.
Top 3 of Squad B, Jeong Hojeong, EJ Tackett and Tomoyuki Sasaki
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