ALLEN PARK, Mich- Singapore’s New Hui Fen is back in the winner’s circle for the first time in eight years, defeating teammate Cherie Tan in a close title match, 212-206, at Thunderbowl Lanes to start Professional Women’s Bowing Association Tour Championship Week.
“It’s a different feeling than the first time,” said New after winning the title and $10,000 top prize. She last won on the PWBA Tour in 2016, where she won that year’s Tour Championship major.
Since that 2016 title, New has put in the work to improve her mental game as well as rehab injuries she sustained over the years, noting that she’s pain free after 25 games in two days.
“I don’t feel much pain. Mostly just mental fatigue from thinking too much and now I don’t need to think,” she said with a laugh.
New earned the No. 1 seed in the stepladder by going 9-3 in match play, including a position round win against Tan, averaging over 224 before bonus pins. Tan and New had previously battled for a title this season in Nashville at the BowlTV Classic, which Tan won. They also competed against each other in that 2016 PWBA Tour Championship for New’s only title until today.
The Singaporean teammates started the title match exchanging strikes and spares before Tan opened in the fifth frame, allowing New to jump ahead as she stayed clean through out the match. New also ball changed on the left lane in the middle of the game as that lane brought inconsistent ball reaction until the change, which proved to be the difference as New struck the next time on that lane.
Getting all three strikes in the 10th frame wasn’t enough for Tan as New stayed clean for 212 and the win. Tan earned $5,000 for her runner-up finish.
The stepladder started with Crystal Elliott of Palm Bay, Florida, and Ashly Galante of Palm Harbor, Florida. Galante was in full control in the match until three straight unlucky shots brought Elliott back in the game.
In the eighth frame, Galante left a stone 8 pin, then a stone 7 pin in the ninth, before a stone 9 pin in the first ball of the 10th. She converted all three single pins and only needed five in the fill to lock up the match.
Galante proceeded to only knock down the 1-2-5-8 pins in the fill frame for 209 and giving new life for Elliott, who now needed all three strikes in the 10th to win.
Elliott got the first two strikes, but the third was left off her hand and only knocked down eight for 208, allowing Galante to survive and advance to face Bryanna Coté of Tucson, Arizona. Elliott earned $2,200 for her fifth-place finish.
The second match did not bring as much drama as the first, as Coté opened with a spare and eight straight strikes, finishing with 268 while Galante was unable to keep up and finished with 162. Galante earned $2,500 for fourth.
Coté faced Tan in the semifinal match, where Coté encountered issues with carry, including a six frame stretched where she left three 10 pins, a high flush 4 pin and a pocket 7-10 split. Those unfortunate frames put her at 194, while Tan got the first one in the 10th to advance with 204. Coté pocketed $3,500 for the third-place finish and Tan advanced to the title match.
PWBA Tour Championship Week continues Friday morning with qualifying for the PWBA Pepsi Open starting at 10 a.m.
