18th Sletba Open: Balikbayan posts 2nd perfect game

DING de Leon shows the ball he used in posting the second perfect game of the 18th Sletba Open.

An unheralded “balikbayan” from Houston, Texas, scored the second perfect game in the ongoing 18th Sletba Open yesterday at Sta. Lucia Bowling Center in Cainta, Rizal.

Ding de Leon, who joined Sletba (Sta. Lucia East Tenpin Bowling Association) when he retired from his job in 2013 and returned to the Philippines, rolled his 300 game on Lanes 25 and 26 during the singles event.

Nicco Olaivar of Pasig Bowling Association pulled off the first perfect game on opening day last Saturday of the weeklong tournament.

There have been several near-perfect games since Saturday as participants performed well on the venue’s well-kept lanes.

Meanwhile, four-time World Cup champion Paeng Nepomuceno swung into action yesterday, making his presence felt with an impressive six-game series of 1504 which vaulted him into third place in the Masters’ qualifying behind Jonas Baltasar of TBAM-Prima (1550) and Pabs Peñalba of Sletba (1532).

Jeff Chan of TBAM-Prima was the hottest performer Monday night, scoring a three-game series of 269, 257 and 278 for an 819 total and dislodging Baltasar (811) from the top in the singles event.

In the team event, the trio of David Ignacio, Boy Florencio and Efren Enriquez combined for 1,506 pinfalls to reel in the erstwhile leading trio of Dr. Ronnie Mendoza, Mar Serac and Kenzo Umali by two pinfalls.

Qualifying games are ongoing daily until Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, the qualifying games will start at 3 p.m. up to 10 p.m.