Simply Epan-tastic

Southpaw Ronald Epan worked his magic in the nine-game roll-off following a so-so qualifying round then watched as Simon Manacop made a critical mistake in the finals to win the 2005 PBA Bowler of the Year Tournament Sunday at the Saipan Bowling Center.

Placing fourth behind veterans Ador Dimaano, Efren Cacdac, and Paul Pangelinan after the three-game qualifier, Epan was in a zone of his own in the exhausting nine-game roll-off and raced ahead to finish in first place with 1,850 pinfalls

Finishing numero uno allowed the 34-year-old Zambales native to sit back and kick his heels, while the rest of the Top Five—Edgar Talavera, Richard Leong, Rusty Musca, and Manacop—knocked each other out in the step-ladder finals.

Amazingly, fifth-place Manacop got the better of Leong and Musca after rolling a 233 to his opponents’ 189 (Leong) and 184 (Musca). The win allowed Manacop to challenge Talavera.

The game turned out to be a monumental mismatch, however, as Manacop dominated the former Hafadai Beach Hotel employee, 183-147, to earn a slot in the finals opposite the well rested and waiting Epan.

Electricity filled the island’s most storied bowling venue, as the duo went head to head. Epan, who works for Joeten Motors, had a hard time shaking off Manacop, as the Department of Public Safety officer matched the 2001 champion pin for pin in the first four frames.

Manacop seized the momentum in the sixth frame when he converted on a spare, while Epan left the No. 4 pin and went down 113-104. He, however, returned the favor the very next frame, as he made a spare, while Manacop settled for a split that left a pin standing.

Epan extended his precarious 1-pin lead to a 142-140 advantage after the eighth frame, then to a 158-153 spread after the ninth, as the two exchanged spares.

Needing at least a spare to avoid complications and win the championship outright, Epan wavered a bit and left three pins, opening the door for a come-from-behind win by Manacop.

Like Epan, Manacop also needed a spare to take the finals into a second and deciding game, but Lady Luck would smile at Epan as Manacop lost his grip on the bowling ball transforming what would have been a sure spare into a difficult split, which Manacop had no chance of converting.

The 167-162 victory made Epan $1,000 richer, while Manacop settled for the $700 runner-up purse. Talavera went home with $375 for finishing third, while Leong and Musca pocketed $250 and $200, respectively.

The rest of the top 10, with their earnings in parenthesis, were as follows: Raul Dumapit ($150), Mark “The Shark” Halstead ($125), Pangelinan ($100), Robert Talavera ($75) and Jess “Kuya JR” Rebusada ($50).

The 2005 PBA Bowler of the Year Tournament was organized by the Philippine Bowling Association and culminates with an awards banquet at the Saipan Grand Hotel on Sunday, Sept. 25.