No festive joy but Shalin finds cheer in USA

PETALING JAYA: Missing the Hari Raya celebration was tough for national bowler Shalin Zulkifli.

But that did not deter the 40-yearold from turning on the power to join three other team-mates in the second round of the Greater Harrisburg Open in Pennsylvania on Friday as one of the top 32 qualifiers.

Shalin rose to the occasion in the second block of the qualifying round to post lines of 210-214-191234-277-191-206-245 for a 16-game total of 3,439 at the ABC West Lanes to finish 13th.

She is determined to come good after missing the cut at last week’s Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour when she finished 65th at the Louisville Open.

“The lanes were really tough today. I changed my equipment after the first block and it made a huge difference,” said Shalin.

“I missed celebrating Hari Raya with my family ... it was not easy at all.

But having come all the way here, I told myself to make the trip worthwhile.

“The PWBA format is really tough. You have to bowl like 10

hours a day.

“I hope to get things right and score high games,” added Shalin who is mother to a girl named Aleya.

Esther Cheah was the best-placed Malaysian when she made a strong comeback from the 23rd to 10th position with a total of 3,481 pinfalls to trail fourth-placed Rocio Restrepo of Colombia (3,539) by just 58 pins.

The top three leaders are homesters Lindsay Bommershine (3,643), Josie Barnes (3,564) and Missy Parkin (3,554).

Esther vowed to get the better of the gruelling format and earn herself another shot at winning the PWBA Tour title.

“I discussed with coach (Holloway Cheah, who’s also her father) on lane adaptation and that helped a lot,” said Esther.

“We’ve to persevere. There are another 14 games to go and it’s going to be exhausting.

“I’ll have to be more focused to reach the stepladder finals again.”

Sin Li Jane (3,335) and Syaidatul Afifah Badrul Hamidi (3,326) survived the cut in 31st and 32nd spots respectively.

The 32 qualifiers will bowl eight additional games and only the top 12 will proceed to bowl another six ganes.

The top four will advance to the stepladder finals.