Former Overseas Filipino Worker Noel Marquez pulled off a stunning performance to be crowned the new Bowler of the Year of the Cebu Tenpin Bowling Association (Cetba) last Saturday at the SM City Cebu Bowling Center.
The 60-year-old senior bowler Marquez, who worked for 29 years in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, finished the six-game series with 1,340 pinfalls, beating last year’s champion Jerry Davis, who settled for second place this time with 1,306 pinfalls.
Nestor Longcanaya rounded off the top three bowlers in the tournament by knocking down 1,296 pins.
The Cetba veteran Marquez said he did not expect to be named the best bowler of the much-awaited annual tournament that pits the winners of the monthly qualifiers.
“I really did not expect to win the title because there are a lot of elite bowlers who competed for this title,” said Marquez, who resides in Carcar City, south Cebu.
“I just felt lucky.”
Marquez, the Bowler of the Month for April, took home P4,500 for his win. Davis was the January qualifier while Longcanaya was one of the 16 who qualified for the tournament based on their accumulated scores in the past Bowler of the Month tournaments.
Fourth to 10th placers in the grand finale were Ging Francisco (1,290), Marvin Sevilla (1,286), Micmic Miranda (1,278), Brian Sy (1,269), Beth Ngo (1,257), Roland Bantilan (1,230) and Sonia Gakenholz (1,217) respectively.
The winners will be feted during the awarding ceremonies set on December 10, which is also Cebta’s Christmas party celebration.
It will be held at the Best Western Plus Lex Hotel along Escario Street in Cebu City.