Wu Siu Hong of Hong Kong, China carved his way through the talented field at the Cozmo Bowl Friday afternoon to take the overall lead after 16 of the 24 qualifying games.

The slim 21-year-old student finished with an overall score of 3528 and has a 34-pin buffer over second placed Stuart Williams of England going into Saturday’s unique ‘combination’ pattern of short oil on one lane and long on the other.

“I’m only so-so on that pattern,” Hong wryly remarked. “You are trying to do two different things so have to be focused one hundred per cent.”

This is the fourth World Ranking Masters for Hong and his best finish was ninth in the event in Lake Wales, Florida last year.
”I liked the long oil pattern today,” he added. “It was good for my game and I was pleased to hit a 279, just missing a perfect game through a nine-spare in the fifth frame.”

Robert Andersson, 24, of Gothenburg, Sweden bagged the $1,000 for topping the long oil squad. His eight game total of 1880 outshone challenger Williams by 46 pins.

“It is nice to win,” he remarked, then joked: “At least I can’t get caught to treat everyone at the bar!

“I didn’t find the lanes much different from those at home, so I was able to stay fairly relaxed. I didn’t have to change anything from the third frame onwards. I was nervous at the end, hoping to win the bonus money.”

There was a lot of excitement within the bounds of the Cozmo Bowling Club as local Kuwait bowler Khalid Al-Dubyan, 19,  came up into first place overall just over halfway through the eight-game block. The crowd went wild and the TV commentator was almost hysterical. Unfortunately, perhaps, the pressure told and the tall Kuwaiti dropped back to seventh. Still, however, within the top eight positions to qualify for the quarterfinals on Sunday if he does well on the dreaded 'combination' pattern tomorrow. Al-Dubyan, a high school student in his graduation year, certainly brought a ton of publicity to the event and there will be much rejoicing in the streets should he maintain his place within the qualifiers.

MEN - SECOND BLOCK OF 8 GAMES - LONG OIL