Posadas, 3 others grab PH Int’l Open lead

FOUR bowlers, led by veteran Lara Posadas and youthful Bea Hernandez, seized the lead Sunday in the 42nd Philippine International Open championships at Sta. Lucia Center of Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall in Cainta, Rizal.

PBAP-Bowlmart’s Posadas rolled 1296 on sets of 663 and 633 to pace Krizziah Tabora (1263) and Liza Clutario (1245) in the Open Ladies’ Masters qualifying round.

Hernandez, a national youth bowler who carries the colors of TBAM-Prima, carded 617 to grab the ladies’ Class B singles top spot over another youth pintoppler, Regina Oyco (568) and TBAM-PSB’s Dina Granada (567).

Hernandez also moved ahead in Ladies’ Associate Masters eliminations with 1209, dropping Jasha Jaron (1084) and SLETBA’s Myra Umali (1081) to second and third.

Kim Lao of TBAM-Prima showed the way in Girls’ Masters with 1179, while PTBA’s Dina Basuel took the ladies’ Graded Masters lead with 1118 (577-541), moving past Bernadette Ipapo (1091) and Nikko Ko (1088).

Lao, a former national bowler and PIO Youth Masters champion, stopped bowling for two years due to an injury.

Other bowlers who performed well Sunday were IMUS-UPHS’ Eric Aranez and SLETBA’s Dennis Gallaro.

Aranez posted 1298 in the men’s Graded Masters eliminations to finish second behind Ren Cremen (1315), while Gallaro took second spot in the men’s Associate Masters with 1198. Boy de Leon kept top spot with 1218.