Singapore bowler New Hui Fen wins third PWBA Tour title with BowlTV Open victory
SINGAPORE – A familiar showdown unfolded at the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) BowlTV Open in the US on May 31, as Singaporeans New Hui Fen and Cherie Tan faced off in the title match.
It was a rematch of last year's BowlTV Classic final, where Tan emerged victorious.
But New did not let that defeat weigh her down. Keeping her focus firmly on the present at Yorktown Lanes in Parma Heights, Ohio, she defeated top seed Tan 233-206 pinfalls to lift her third career PWBA title.
The 33-year-old said: 'I'm feeling very happy. I haven't gotten the time to process the win fully yet. For now, it means that my hard work has paid off.
'My focus during the match was on the ball motion I had on the lanes – it is me against the lanes and my scores versus my opponent. I will give my best regardless who I compete against.'
After finishing fifth in qualifying with a 2,811 total, New finished the two matchplay rounds with a 9-3 record, securing the second seed in the stepladder finals.
In the semi-finals, New faced off against American Shannon Pluhowsky, the fourth seed, who had defeated the fifth-seeded Jordan Snodgrass (225-213) and third seed Kelly Kulick (211-171).
Edging out Pluhowsky 224-217, New advanced to the championship match, setting up an all-Singaporean contest for the title.
While the match started evenly with both bowlers making three strikes in the first four frames, it was New who pulled ahead to pip Tan for the trophy and the US$10,000 (S$12,900) winner's cheque. Tan earned US$5,000 as first runner-up.
Reflecting on the tournament, New said: 'I was consistent throughout qualifying and matchplay. I had to really make quick and sharp decisions during matchplay to keep striking as the scores were high for everyone.'
New's win in Ohio comes less than a year after her previous PWBA Tour victory – the Greater Detroit Open in August 2024. She was also fifth at the season-ending 2024 PWBA Tour Championship.
She credited the support from Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) and the Sport Excellence Scholarship for her recent performances, adding that strength and conditioning, and recovery are aspects she has focused on.
She noted that competing on the PWBA Tour and working with technical consultant Shawn Ryan have also improved her tactical understanding.
Playing alongside her teammates has also helped. She said: 'We will share information about the lanes and how to best play each different condition – we learn and grow with each other.'
New's title is the second one by a Singaporean in the 2025 PWBA Tour. In May, Shayna Ng won the Go Bowling Topeka Open for her third career PWBA victory.
SBF president Valerie Teo hailed New's achievement, commending her composure, discipline and skill during the stepladder finals.
She said New and Ng's back-to-back successes, on top of Darren Ong's PBA triumph just a month earlier, are 'compelling evidence of our athletes' ability to compete and win, at the highest levels of the sport'.
'They affirm Singapore's growing reputation as a rising force in international bowling,' she said.
With the PWBA Rock 'n' Roll Open, Bowlers Journal Waterloo Open and US Women's Open remaining in the Singaporeans' campaign, Teo is excited to see what they can accomplish.
More than trophies, she also hopes the experience will benefit up-and-coming bowlers like Arianne Tay, who finished ninth at the BowlTV Open.
She said: 'We look forward to seeing how this tour continues to foster growth and not just in results, but also in mentorship and development as younger bowlers gain experience and guidance from senior teammates.'
Kimberly Kwek joined The Straits Times in 2019 as a sports journalist and has since covered a wide array of sports, including golf and sailing.
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