GJ Buyco (third from left) holds the trophy and cash prize along with the organizers of the 23rd Negros Tenpin Bowling Open Tournament. Joining him is PSC Commissioner and bowling icon Olivia “Bong” Coo (second from left). | Photo from the 23rd Negros Tenpin Bowling Open Tournament
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Sugbuanon Bowlers United (SUGBU) put up an impressive campaign in the recently concluded 23rd Negros Tenpin Bowling Open Tournament at the Lopue’s East Bowling Center in Bacolod City over the weekend.
This as SUGBU’s GJ Buyco and John Galindo both finished first runners up in the mixed open masters and in the mixed classified masters, respectively.
Buyco, one of SUGBU’s top keglers, put on a great outing before bowing down to national team member and former national champion Grace Gella, who represented Tenpin Bowling Association of Makati (TBAM)-Excel. in their championship round showdown.
Buyco finished with 215 pinfalls, while Gella scored 231 pinfalls to grab the title.
Before bowing down to Gella, Buyco upset national team member Dyan Coronacion of TBAM by scoring 206 pinfalls over the latter’s 176 in the semifinals.
He also bested Magallanes Bowling Association’s (MBA) Jordan Dinham and Adrian Jimeno of the Playdium Tenpin Bowling Association (PTBA) in the first round of the stepladder finals.
Buyco scored 206 pinfalls over Jimeno’s 177 and Dinham’s 197 to advance to the semifinals.
It was an incredible run for Buyco, who qualified in the stepladder finals in fifth place, with Gella emerging on top, followed by Coronacion at second, Dinham at third, and Jimeno at fourth.
Last year, Buyco emerged as the second runner-up in the same division, with teammate Heber Alqueza winning the title.
Mixed classified masters
John Galindo (center) poses with the organizers of the 23rd Negros Tenpin Bowling Open Tournament.| Photo from the 23rd Negros Tenpin Bowling Open Tournament
Meanwhile, Galindo scored a total of 1,445 pinfalls to place second overall in the mixed classified masters behind eventual champion Minnie Chua of the Sugarbowl Tenpin Bowling Association, Inc. (STAI), who scored 1,517 pinfalls.
Behind Galindo and Chua was Antonette Garcia, who finished with 1,436 pinfalls for third place.
Besides Buyco and Galindo, teammate Aui Padawan was named the “Mixed Open Male Highest Single Game” scorer, while Maeng Viloria finished eighth overall in both the mixed open masters and mixed classified masters.
“Thank you to GJ Buyco, John Vincent Galindo, Maeng Viloria, and Aui Padawan. We may not have defended the championship trophy of Heber Alqueza but SUGBU’s performance [is] already etched in the minds of most Filipino bowlers,” said SUGBU president Edgar Alqueza.
SUGBU will shift its attention to the Kadayawan Open in Davao City this coming August.
/bmjo
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