UNKNOWN to many, RP’s bowling legend Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno is currently in Cebu competing for his first ever tournament here in the ongoing 3rd Cebu Tenpin Bowling Association (CETBA) National Open at the SM City Cebu Bowling Center.
Nepomuceno’s strong performance in the second of three sets in the team competition boosted Holcim Cement’s chances of landing in the top three.
With the four-time bowling World Cup winner in the team is RP Team member Carlo Mansilungan.
“Right now I am still feeling the lanes but I am confident that I can make it to the top 24 qualifiers in the Masters event,” said Nepomuceno who scored a five bagger in the second round of the first set and a turkey in the second set.
The team event was scheduled to end late yesterday while the much-awaited Masters event will kick off today.
Meanwhile, CETBA president Antonio Ynoc expressed happiness over the overwhelming attendance in the third edition of Cebu’s premier bowling meet which drew 60 of the country’s top bowling teams and clubs.
The San Remegio Beach Club and Pensione House and Alberto’s Pizza sponsored national tournament offers P80,000 to the Masters champion and P20,000 to the team event winner.
CETBA is a major awardee of the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC) early this year for successfully staging the 2nd CETBA National Open last year. And this early, Ynoc is already planning to stage another major bowling tournament in the summer of next year which is the 8th Governor’s Cup National Bowling Open.
Ynoc is also dreaming of staging an international invitational competition in the near future including the Asian Youth Invitational. /CORRESPONDENT DALE G. ROSAL