Luke Bolongan (center) is flanked by Rene Ceniza (left) and Rey Velarde (right). | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Elite bowler Luke Bolongan secured the Sugbuanon Bowlers United (SUGBU) “Bowler of the Month” title for August on Sunday, August 25, at the SM Seaside City Cebu Bowling Center.
Bolongan’s path to victory was nothing short of dominant.
He topped the elimination round with a commanding five-game series, amassing a total of 1,113 pinfalls. This impressive performance earned him an automatic berth in the championship round, while the remaining top five qualifiers had to battle through the knockout stages for a shot at the title.
READ: Young bowlers dominate SUGBU Doubles tournament
Rey Velarde, who eventually finished in third place, delivered a standout moment in the elimination round when he came close to a perfect game, scoring 299 pinfalls—just one pin short of the rare 300.
READ: Alqueza is SUGBU’s ‘Bowler of the Month’ for July
His near-flawless performance propelled him into the knockout round with a total of 1,014 pinfalls, followed by Robert Sarvida with 1,001, Rene Ceniza with 992, and the young MJ Villa with 982 pinfalls.
READ: Bowler of the Month: Velarde is SUGBU’s top kegler for June
In the knockout stages, Ceniza proved to be a formidable opponent. He first dispatched Villa in the opening round with a score of 184-159 and then went on to defeat Sarvida 227-176 in the second round. Ceniza continued his winning streak by overcoming Velarde in a closely contested match, 226-215, to set up a finals showdown against Bolongan.
In the championship match, Bolongan reaffirmed his dominance by snapping Ceniza’s winning streak with a decisive 233-204 victory, clinching the coveted title and solidifying his status as SUGBU’s top bowler for August.