Lefty Leong is 2008 May Masters Tournament winner

Veteran southpaw Richard Leong is this year’s 26th CNMI May Masters Bowling Tournament men’s champion after knocking down 200 or more pinfalls in 10 of 12 games last Sunday at the Saipan Bowling Center.

The 39-year-old Multi-Line Supply sales manager proved his All Events win on Saturday was no fluke by finishing with a pinfall total of 2,543, good for an average of 211.92.

Leong started out with a couple of 200-plus games (206 and 202) before rolling a pedestrian 179 in the third game. He soon found his rhythm after that, stringing together seven games where he averaged a scorching 218.5 pinfalls.

After a momentary hiccup in the 11th game, which saw him uncharacteristically score a 168, Leong capped her amazing afternoon with a tourney high 258 in the 12th and final game.

The win was worth $850 for Leong. He also went home with a beautiful championship trophy.

Finishing 96 pins shy of the big payday and first place was fellow perfect bowler Dannie Robles. He came away with a pinfall total of 2,447 and an average of 203.92 after putting together games of 211, 208, 236, 244, 169, 198, 207, 178, 238, 193, 165, and 200.

Simon Manacop completed the Top 3 with a pinfall total and average of 2,421 and 201.75, respectively. Manacop was strong in his first three games (211, 203, and 236) before tapering off in his next four (179, 187, 165, and 185).

The Department of Public Safety officer then had a rollercoaster final five games (228, 195, 234, 185, and 213). Robles and Manacop settled for the $450 and $300 runner-up prizes.

Raymond Zapanta (2,391 pinfalls and 199.25 average), Ronald Epan (2,301 and 191.75), and Paul Pangelinan (2,300 and 191.67) also made it to the money list, finishing fourth to sixth places. Zapanta went home with $200, Epan $100, and Pangelinan $50.

Last Saturday, Ron Cal successfully defended her championship in the women’s division after tattooing 2,226 pinfalls, good for a 185 average.

Yho Villavicencio wound up third with a pinfall total of 2,024 and a per game average of 168.67. All Events winner Gina Sablan and Elena Soll completed the Top 5 with pinfalls of 2,016 (168 average) and 1,995 (166.25), respectively.

In the men’s team competition, the foursome of Raymond Zapanta, Raymond Angeles, Kitz Barja, and Leong nosed out favorites Robert Talavera, Jon Hensley, Paul Pangelinan, and Alex Cacdac (2,453-2,214).

Other winners of the May Masters were Leong (singles event), Zapanta and Angeles (doubles), Rita Palacios (women’s singles), Soll and Villavicencio (women’s doubles), and Cal, Sablan, Gigi Zapanta, and Gloria Omechalang (women’s team).

The three-day May Masters was organized by the Saipan Bowling Association and was sponsored in part by JET Holdings, MARPAC-Budweiser, Saipan Grand Hotel, Club V, the Marianas Visitors Authority, PTI, and Saipan Bowling Center CNMI.