Izz Naqiuddin claims third major title, beats idol Rafiq at KL Open
NATIONAL bowler Izz Naqiuddin Putera Islahuddin could not contain his excitement after stunning his idol and 2018 world champion Muhammad Rafiq Ismail on home ground at the Kuala Lumpur International Open Bowling Championships 2025 held at Sunway Megalanes here today.
The 21-year-old rising star delivered a stellar performance to clinch the Men's Open Masters Final title with a total pinfall of 1,993, edging out Ahmad Azriq Izam (1,951) and Ahmad Aidil Abdul Halim (1,882), who finished second and third, respectively.
'It feels incredibly satisfying and exciting to beat my idol, Muhammad Rafiq. This is actually my second win over him, the first being in Singapore.
'To make it even sweeter, this is my maiden title at Sunway, the very place I started training when I was 19,' he told reporters after his triumph.
He attributed his success to maintaining focus and consistency throughout the tournament, while refraining from making drastic changes to his game.
Izz Naqiuddin took home RM30,000 in prize money and gave his performance a resounding '10 out of 10'.
This victory marks the third major title of his career, adding to his wins at the Penang International Bowling Festival in 2023 and the Singapore Open in 2024.
Meanwhile, Rafiq settled for 16th place with a total pinfall of 1,732.
In the women's division, national bowler Nur Syazwani Sahar emerged as the top performer with a pinfall of 1,776.
'Overall, I think I bowled well, but I struggled a bit in games one to five due to a 'bad pair'. Fortunately, I managed a strong comeback in the final game.
'I'm satisfied with my performance. Next up is the Singapore Open, and my target is to break into the top 10,' she said.
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