Jesrael Rule of the Davao Tenpin Bowlers Association (Datba) emerged as the champion, while fellow Dabawenyo Ulysses Caturan of Datba-Amba settled for second place in the mixed classified masters division of the 2024 Sugbu Grand National Doubles Open at SM Seaside, Cebu City.
Rule outplayed Caturan 221-193 in their championship match, earning the P50,000 top prize. Caturan took home P30,000.
However, Rule’s victory was hard-fought, as he battled through a grueling qualifying round.
"Wala gyud maam (I really didn't expect to win)," he said in a Messenger interview with SunStar Davao. "Grabe akoa struggle sa qualifying round. Nagdula ko 21 games in one day para lang maka-qualify sa finals the following day. Hinay2x ko saka. Literally start from the bottom gyud ko (I struggled a lot in the qualifying round, playing 21 games in one day just to make it to the finals. I entered the last three games and left SM bowling center at 1 a.m. I literally started from the bottom)," Rule said.
He was trailing early in the qualifiers, managing just 116 pins in his first game—a result that left him frustrated.
"Pero akong mindset was mupasok lang ko sa top five after eight games para sa step-the-ladder. Wala nako nag aim sa top kay labo gyud kaau tungod sa akoang 116 na game 1 (But my goal was to just make the top five after eight games to qualify for the step-ladder finals. I didn’t aim for the top because of my poor start with 116 in game 1)," Rule added.
He finished fourth with 1,589 pinfalls, while Caturan led the standings with 1,663. Ice Villarosa of Stai-Bowler X placed second (1,656), Aleson Flor of Sugbu-Pagcor third (1,644), and Nestor Ranido of Sugbu fifth (1,535).
In the first shootout, Rule (214) defeated Flor (185) and Ranido (147). He then bested Villarosa 199-169 in the second match before shocking top qualifier Caturan 221-193 in the final showdown.
According to Rule, all three matches were tough, requiring clutch performances in the last four frames.
He dedicated his victory to his wife and child, who accompanied him to the tournament, calling it an advanced birthday gift for his wife. Rule also thanked God for guiding him through each shot and congratulated his teammates—Caturan, Ian Ancheta, and James Young—who placed fourth in the doubles classified division, as well as his doubles partner Mark Li, who finished fifth. MLSA