New Hui Fen emerges as front runner for PWBA Player of the Year award after US Women's Open win
New Hui Fen emerges as front runner for PWBA Player of the Year award after US Women's Open win
SINGAPORE – Entering the US Women's Open stepladder finals as the lowest-ranked seed, Singapore bowler New Hui Fen knew the odds were stacked against her.
But focusing on her 'intention behind each shot', the fifth seed toppled all four bowlers ranked above her en route to clinching one of the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) tour's major titles for the first time and the winner's Green Jacket.
New, who ended with 11 consecutive strikes in the title-decider, proved too strong for American top seed Jordan Snodgrass, prevailing 290-188 to bag the US$60,000 (S$77,100) top prize on June 18.
Calling her third PWBA title of the season her best career achievement yet, the 33-year-old said: 'I'm very happy that I've been able to perform consistently this year.
'It feels really great, especially since all the (oiling) patterns were so hard. It feels like a good affirmation that my hard work is paying off.'
New's success at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Nebraska, which comes after her BowlTV Open and Rock 'n' Roll Open victories on May 31 and June 2 respectively, positions her as the front runner for the PWBA Player of the Year Award .
However, she is not getting carried away. 'It's not over yet. There's still a few more competitions to go,' said New, citing the Aug 5-12 PWBA Tour Championship Week, which comprises three events, culminating in the season-ending PWBA Tour Championship.
'I know I will give it my best shot to perform consistently to be able to have a shot at winning it (Player of the Year),' she added.
At one stage, though, victory in Nebraska had looked like a long shot. She finished joint-19th with a 6,388 pinfall total after 32 qualifying games to advance to the match-play stage, along with teammate Shayna Ng (6,374), who just made the top-24 cut.
After the first of two match-play rounds, New rose to second . But she slipped to fifth in the third round , just enough for her to squeeze into the stepladder finals as the only non-American.
Ng finished ninth.
While New's chances of winning were slim, as she needed to overcome the four opponents ahead of her in a 10-frame, single-game stepladder format, she maintained a positive outlook.
When asked if she felt she had stood a chance as the fifth seed, New said: 'I think everyone had a chance of winning. I was (just) focusing on the intention behind each shot, making sure it's the correct release and with flow.'
Maryssa Carey was the first to fall as she was beaten 246-189 by New. The Singaporean then defeated Crystal Elliott 228-183.
Halfway through, New realised that 'there was a high chance I could win'.
She bested second seed Lauren Russo 262-174 to set up a showdown with Snodgrass, who had won the previous event, the Bowlers Journal Waterloo Open on June 7 .
New, who pipped Snodgrass 245-244 in the semi-finals of the Rock 'n' Roll Open, prevailed by a bigger margin against the 2023 PWBA Player of the Year this time as she also set a record.
Her four-game stepladder total of 1,026 pinfalls was the highest since the relaunch of the PWBA Tour in 2015 – eclipsing American Bryanna Cote's tally of 1,022 from the 2022 BVL Classic.
New's fifth title and second Major triumph, after the 2016 PWBA Tour Championship, means she has met the minimum criteria to be inducted into the PWBA Hall of Fame once she turns 50. This would make her the first Singaporean to achieve that feat.
New was ecstatic to have the opportunity to be among esteemed company, saying: 'I never thought that at age 33 I would be eligible for the Hall of Fame. When I think of the Hall of Fame, I think of Leanne Hulsenberg and Liz Johnson.'
Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) president Valerie Teo was full of praise, saying: 'Hui Fen is not just making history, she's inspiring a generation. It demonstrates her exceptional talent, unwavering focus and relentless drive.
'This is a proud and unforgettable moment for Singapore bowling and we are behind her every step of the way.'
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Osaka sails into Canadian Open semis, Shelton knocks out De Minaur
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka reached the semi-finals of the Canadian Open for the first time after beating Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-2 6-2 in the quarters on Tuesday, while Ben Shelton eliminated Alex de Minaur on the men's side. It marks Osaka's first WTA 1000 semi-final since Miami in 2022, as the Japanese former world number one needed just over an hour to secure victory over the 10th seeded Svitolina. Osaka capitalised on Svitolina's unforced errors to break twice and move within a game of taking the first set. Despite dropping serve while Svitolina threatened to shift the momentum, Osaka held her nerve, broke back and closed out the opener. The second set was more closely contested, but Osaka converted two more break points to seal the win in Montreal. The 27-year-old will next face Danish 16th seed Clara Tauson, who secured her second consecutive win over a top 10 opponent by defeating American sixth seed Madison Keys 6-1 6-4 to reach the semis having previously beaten six-times major winner Iga Swiatek. "I think for me, I'm just having a lot of fun playing and I'm really glad to be here," Osaka said. "She's (Tauson) really tough. I played her in Auckland this year and I had to stop halfway because I was injured. So, I'm really excited that I'm healthy and I hope that it's a good match for everyone that comes and watches." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore East-West Line MRT service resumes after delays lasting around 5 hours; track point fault fixed Singapore Hidden vapes and where to find them: Inside ICA's clampdown at land checkpoints Singapore Sorting recyclables by material could boost low domestic recycling rate: Observers Singapore SM Lee receives Australia's highest civilian honour for advancing bilateral ties Asia Trump's sharp India criticism corners Modi as rift deepens Singapore More train rides taken in first half-year, but overall public transport use stays below 2019 levels Singapore BlueSG needs time to develop software, refresh fleet, say ex-insiders after winding-down news Asia Cambodia-Thailand border clash a setback for Asean: Vivian Balakrishnan Tauson was clinical in the opening set against Keys, converting both of her break point opportunities and serving it out in just over half an hour. Australian Open champion Keys dropped serve again early in the second, leaving the 22-year-old Tauson on course for just the second WTA 1000 semi of her career. In the men's tournament in Toronto, American second seed Taylor Fritz advanced to the semis with a 6-3 7-6(4) victory over Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev. Wimbledon semi-finalist Fritz got off to a blistering start, winning six straight points and breaking his opponent's serve in his first return game. The 27-year-old maintained his momentum behind a dominant service performance and appeared poised to close out the match while serving at 5-4 in the second set. Rublev, however, mounted a comeback, saving a match point and converting his fourth break point to level the set before forcing a tiebreak, where Fritz finally secured the win. "That whole game was so shaky for me," Fritz said. "It's weird because he was holding easy, I was holding easy. It felt so like calm and chill and all of a sudden I'm serving to be in the semis, the pressure of the game came out of nowhere. "There's no way to sugarcoat it, it was a tight game. My brain kind of turned off. The only thing you can do is come back and win the set. I would be a lot more upset about what happened in the game if I lose the match. Winning makes it feel not as bad." Next up for Fritz is compatriot and fourth seed Shelton, who beat Australian ninth seed De Minaur 6-3 6-4 to reach his first career Masters 1000 semi-final. REUTERS
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Cadillac will add value as 11th F1 team, says McLaren's Brown
FILE PHOTO: A logo of Cadillac is seen on media day at the 2024 Paris Auto Show in Paris, France, October 14, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo LONDON - Cadillac's arrival in Formula One next year as an 11th team will bring added financial value with new partners and more fan engagement rather than diluting resources, according to McLaren's American chief executive Zak Brown. The General Motors-backed team have taken staff already from rival outfits, their European headquarters at Silverstone being close to other factories, and are also competing for sponsorship. Brown, whose team are dominating this year's championship after winning the 2024 constructors' title, saw no reason to fear a dilution of resources, however. "I think on employees they are definitely going to take a lot more than they give, which is fine," he said at last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. "My general view is if someone wants to go work for a rival team then shame on me. "For sponsors, I think they'll bring more new to the table than take." Brown expected Cadillac also to bring more competition eventually, although they faced a tough challenge as newcomers, and more fans to a series that now has three U.S. rounds and a growing audience in America. "Will we get a better U.S. TV deal, more American presence? I think their sponsors and Cadillac will spend money in the sport, the teams get a percentage of that so I see them as a value add to the sport," he added. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 'She had a whole life ahead of her': Boyfriend mourns Yishun fatal crash victim Singapore Doctor hounded ex-girlfriend, threatened to share her intimate photos, abducted her off street Singapore Beauty industry consumers hit by 464% rise in prepayment losses in first half of 2025 Business Singapore retail sales up by 2.3%, driven by sales of motor vehicles Singapore Over 5,900 vape products found in car at Woodlands Checkpoint Singapore Locally developed VR tool can detect pre-dementia with almost 90% accuracy Singapore 13 taken to hospital after accident involving SBS buses, car in Tampines Sport Singapore National Olympic Council launches book series honouring local athletes "I'm not worried about maybe some of the short term-ness of they are going to take an employee here or there or poach a sponsor here or there. I think the contribution will be bigger than that." Cadillac secured approval of their bid in March, after a 764-day entry process and initial opposition from Formula One and the other 10 teams wary of a potential reduction in the share of revenues. The team are also backed by TWG Global, whose CEO Mark Walter has an estimated net worth of $12.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The first new team since U.S.-owned Haas debuted in 2016 said in July they were already two thirds of the way towards a targeted headcount of 600 by next season and no longer even the smallest outfit. REUTERS
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Alexander Zverev to meet Karen Khachanov in Canadian Open semi-finals
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Alexander Zverev of Germany serving during his quarter-final win over defending champion Alexei Popyrin of Australia on Aug 4. TORONTO – Alexander Zverev reached his 21st Masters 1000 semi-final on Aug 4 by ending the title defence of Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (8-10), 6-4, 6-3 at the ATP Canadian Open. The final game, with Zverev serving at 5-3, was interrupted by shouts from an unruly fan who was tossed out by security. The distraction ended a run of 14 consecutive points on serve, with the top seed double-faulting once he was able to continue serving. He finished off the evening with a sharp volley winner at the net on his first match point. Zverev completed his 40th win of 2025 in just over 2½ hours. The world No. 3 won the tournament in 2017 but had not been past the quarter-finals in Canada since. 'After losing the first set, I had to tell myself we were both playing well,' the holder of seven Masters trophies said. 'I had one or two mistakes at the end of the first, but it was a high-level match. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 'She had a whole life ahead of her': Boyfriend mourns Yishun fatal crash victim Singapore Beauty industry consumers hit by 464% rise in prepayment losses in first half of 2025 Singapore 13 taken to hospital after accident involving SBS buses, car in Tampines Singapore Singapore-made bot matchmakes strangers virtually – without profile photos Life Urinary issues: Enlarged prostate affects half of men in their 50s and up Business Lendlease Reit to sell office component of Jem to Keppel for $462 million Singapore Elderly man charged after he allegedly molested, performed sex act on 'vulnerable' man 'I felt that if I kept playing well, I would get my chances – and I did. I can't complain about the second and third sets.' Zverev will bid for the oddly scheduled Aug 7 final against three-time semi-finalist Karen Khachanov, who dismissed young American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 7-6 (7-3). 'It was a very close, competitive match,' Khachanov said. 'I had to come back from some tough situations. 'How you handle that mentally is important. I was glad to close it out in the second set. 'I had to try and not give him the opportunity to step in and attack; that's what I did today.' Zverev has won five of the seven matches he has played against Khachanov. Popyrin and Zverev duelled throughout the evenly matched 71-minute opening set as it went into a tiebreaker. Zverev was unable to convert on two winning chances, but Popyrin came good on his own second opportunity with a net cord winner that caught his opponent stranded at the baseline. The German began to turn the tables in the second set, taking a 4-1 lead only to see the Aussie level at 4-4. Zverev pulled away to level the match at a set apiece, breaking for 6-4 as Popyrin sent a volley wide. The top seed began the final set with a 3-0 lead on his way into the tournament final four at the pre-US Open event. Popyrin remains winless against Zverev after losing all four of their matches. Over in Montreal, Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko stormed into the semi-finals of the women's tournament with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro to continue her fairy-tale run. The 18-year-old, ranked 85th in the world, found herself a break down early in the second set, but won six straight games to become the first Canadian to reach the semi-finals of the Canadian Open since 2019. "I'm so excited to be in the semi-final here. I want to thank everyone for your support once again. It has been unreal," said Mboko, who beat No. 1 seed Coco Gauff on Aug 2 and is set to enter the top 50. Mboko next takes on Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, who was leading 6-1, 2-1 when her opponent, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, was forced to retire from their quarter-final match due to a wrist injury. Rybakina will meet Mboko for the second time in as many weeks, with the ninth-seeded Kazakh winning 6-3, 7-5 when the pair faced off in the Washington Open last month. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open for the second consecutive year, tournament organisers confirmed to US media on Aug 4. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has opted out of the US Open warm-up tournament following consecutive semi-final exits at the French Open and Wimbledon, where he was defeated on both occasions by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. Djokovic also withdrew from Cincinnati in 2024 as defending champion not long after his triumph in the singles event at the Paris Olympics. The US Open will take place from Aug 24 to Sept 7 in New York. AFP, REUTERS
