QUEZON CITY — Benjamin Savet, Balikbayan from Australia, displayed awesome form to capture the 2012 Worldwide Balikbayan Bowling Tournament title, held recently at the SM North EDSA Bowling Center in Quezon City, Philippines. The major sponsors of the event were the Sky Freight Forwarders and Smart International while the other participating sponsors were Cebuana Lhuillier, Power Horse, MB Cargo, Fil Estate Realty Sales Inc., The Bowler International, Dell'C Travel and Tourism along with Ric family and Gine Ventura. Unified Filipino Tenpin Bowlers of Riyadh, headed by Chairman Ernee Noto, organized the tourney in co-operation with Cesar de Mesa, Dennis Durens and Armin Isles. In Match 1 of the Stepladder finals, third finisher, Ernee Noto of Riyadh, fourth finisher Uella Marcial of Dubai and fifth finisher Hashim Guinomla of Dubai played a one game sudden death format to determine the winner who will face the second finisher Bembol Velasco of Riyadh. The multi-talented Guinomla beat Noto and Marcial by scoring a game high of 245. Noto and Marcial sealed 216 and 210 to settle as third and fourth runners-up, respectively. Noto and Marcial won cash prize of Php30,000 and Php20,000, respectively. In Match 2, Finisher 2 Bembol Velasco outsmarted the red-hot Guinomla by posting 205 against 188. Guinomla secured the second runner-up position and went home with a cash prize of Php60,000. In Match 3, Game 1, top finisher Benjamin Savet beat Velasco in a nail-biting game by hitting 190 against 160 to emerge champion. Savet won a cash prize of Php150,000 plus an elegant trophy. Velasco received Php80,000, The standings of other players after the final round: 5th runner-up – Obet Comia (Doha, Php10,000), 6th – Rick Reformado (Jeddah, Php8,000), 7th – Jayvee Vargas (Sharjah, Php7,000), 8th – Butch Vargas (Sharjah, Php6,000), 9th — Roger Daquioag (Jeddah, Php5,000). Special awards: Top qualifier Hashim Guinomla won Php10,000 while the High Game Winner Benjamin Savet claimed Php5,000.
