Jassim Al Muraikhi of Qatar, winner in the Emir Cup 2017, poses for a picture along with the winner's cheque and bowling officials on Sunday at the Qatar Bowling Center in Doha.
Jassim Al Muraikhi of Qatar averaged 248 in the head-to-head finals over two games total pins to triumph in the Emir Cup 2017 on Sunday at the Qatar Bowling Center in Doha.
In the title match against Francois Louw of South Africa, Al-Muraikhi took a slim two-pin lead after the first game, 258 to 256. He followed with a 247-217 win to capture the title and the $10,000 top prize, 505-473.
Sheikh Talal Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, President of the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) and Kuwait Bowling Federation (KBF), crowned the winners of the tournament.
Sheikh Talal Al Mohammad Al Sabah said that bowling is witnessing a great development in the Gulf region and Qatar in particular due to the great support given to it.
Jassim is the first Qatari winner since Mubarak Al Muraikhi won the event in the year 2010. Mubarak, who also won in 2007, is the lone two-time champion in the Emir Cup history.
Louw, who won the 9th Kingdom International Open in December 2015 in Saudi Arabia for his first career World Bowling Tour title, had to settle for second place worth $6,000.
In the semi-finals Al-Muraikhi eliminated Shayna Ng of Singapore, 477-463, while Louw ousted Siti Safiyah of Malaysia, 509-436.
Ng and Safiyah, who received eight pins women’s handicap each game, earned $3,500 apiece for third and fourth place, respectively.
In his round of 16 match against two-time PBA Player of the Year Mika Koivuniemi, A -Muraikhi rolled the only 300 game in the finals and the fourth perfecto of this year’s event only to tie the Finn after two games, 506-506.
The Qatari won a one-ball roll-off to advance.
The Emir Cup 2017 drew 84 players, 69 men and 15 women, from 16 countries.
The Emir Cup 2017, the opening event of the 2017 Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour season, was held at the Qatar Bowling Center, a 32-laner in Doha.
