FUNG TO THE FORE

Full-time bowler Vanessa Fung, 32, from Hong Kong (pictured, left) came into contention after the 11th game, overtaking previous dominant leader Novie Phang of Indonesia, and sailed down the home straight to take top seed position for the six-player stepladder final.
Fung, the daughter of the Asian Bowling Federation's Past and Honorary Life President, Vivien Fung, JP, got off to a lowly start in the second block of eight games with 193 but slipped into top gear to hit 200-plus games for the other seven with highs of a pair of 258s.
"I was pleased to have been able to use the same ball right through these eight games," Fung said at the end of the block. "I had to make just minor changes to the line as the lanes on the lower side of the center were a little drier. I really didn't look at the scores, so I didn't know that I had taken over the lead until around the 14th game. I assumed I was in the top two, but it was later before I realized I had pole position."
Defending champion Kirsten Penny of England (pictured, right) dropped to 11th place after the first game of today's squad but managed to get into contention for a stepladder place. In seventh place after 14 games, the gutsy Brit threw games of 235 and 256 to check in fourth place.
The stepladder program will open with Kirsten Penny, Novie Phang and Jojo Canare bowling one game. The highest score will progress to slot in with Choy Poh Lai and Liza Del Rosario, then the highest scorer will challenge Vanessa Fung for the title.
"I'll just wait and see who I have to play in the championship game," added Fung. "Then I will do my very best to win."
 

KEEPING THE HONORS ON HOME GROUND
Jakarta's Novie Phang, 26, (pictured) a hook bowler of eight years experience, has put the Indonesian flag at the top of the pole by clinging on to pole position after the first eight games, despite a strong challenge from Choy Poh Lai of Malaysia. Phang, a property promotion executive, has the pedigree as a bronze medalist in the 2001 SEA Games and would very much like to chalk up a victory in Jakarta.
"I found the lanes to be very favorable to my style this afternoon," Phang commented. "I found very few condition changes as I moved across the house and hardly had to move more than one board as the lanes became drier."
Naturally, the sight of a local player leading the pack brought forth a large crowd of supporters. "I was too focused on my game to be worried about the crowd," Phang added. "But tomorrow, in the second block, I will have to try to be more relaxed as the mental pressure will be harder. I'll stick to the same game plan and hope it all goes well. I'm very proud to be the leader for my country and hope to keep in the running tomorrow."
Defending champion Kirsten Penny from England has been coasting around tenth place for most of the games but pulled up to seventh with 645 over the last three games.

WOMEN'S OPEN MASTERS MATCHPLAY:
Final Standings: