ASSAULT ON AMERICA
Keglers set target of winning at least one PWBA title
AJITPAL SINGH ajitpalsingh@nst.com.my
MALAYSIAN bowlers aim to conquer the American continent as they return to the United States for a second straight year to compete in the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour in June.
For the record, the team have won numerous ‘Open’ titles in every continent in recent times but they have yet to achieve any in America.
They will compete in four PWBA Tour events - Wichita Open (June 1-3), Lincoln Open (June 8-10), Detroit Open (June 15-17) and the Players Championships in Green Bay (June 2115).
Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) secretary George Tan said six bowlers will be picked for the challenge and the target this time will be to return with one title.
Podium programme bowlers Shalin Zulkifli, Sin Li Jane, Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi, Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman and Esther Cheah are expected to be automatic choices for the PWBA Tour with one more spot left for the best performer from the ‘Kita Juara’ Sea Games programme.
“We have not selected a squad for the tour. We will only send our best team to the US. Those in the Podium Programme must also justify their spots for the tour,” said George yesterday.
Last year, Li Jane recorded a significant first when she became the first Malaysian to finish runner-up in a PWBA Tour event. She did so in the Detroit Open
The PWBA Tour attracts the best bowlers in the world. We made quite a mark in 2016 and I hope we can make further inroads this year. A title from the tour will be a dream come true for Malaysian bowling and I believe it is achievable.
GEORGE TAN
MTBC secretary
and also finished fifth in the USBC Queens.
Syaidatul was the next best performer by achieving third in the Wichita Open.
Shalin, who was not in the squad in 2016 as she was recovering from a foot injury, will return to the PWBA Tour for the first time since competing on merit for three seasons between 2008-10. Her best result was finishing sixth at the Salvino Scorpion Championship in Illinois in 2008.
“The PWBA Tour attracts the best bowlers in the world. We made quite a mark in 2016 and I hope we can make further inroads this year. A title from the tour will be a dream come true for Malaysian bowling and I believe it is achievable,” George added .
The bowlers leave for Munich today for the Brunswick Euro Challenge.