Jim Corr to BLBC Bowlers on 5/12/2024:

The final rounds of BLBC’s 2024 2-Bowl Singles Tournament were held on Saturday, May 11 amid lovely bowling weather. HC Yung, our dual member from the Kowloon Green Bowling Club (Hong Kong), emerged as champion after a show of steady, steady bowling over the three games.

The tournament started with four groups containing four players who played in round robin format with the top two from each group qualifying for the final day’s play. They were—in order of seeding—Cris Benton, Daniel Gorelick, Hugo Deaux, HC Yung, Gary “Bing” Burns, Tom Birt, Kevin Reynolds, and Jim Audas.

In the opening quarter final play, HC, drawn against Bing, jumped into an early lead, up 11-4 at one stage in the first-to-15-points game. But Bing fought back eventually edging in front 13-12. However, HC recovered his form on the next two ends to claim first one, then two points thus coming out on top 15-13. Meanwhile, on the other side of the green Hugo was winning his match against Tom with relative ease in a 15-7 victory. In the other two quarter-finals, Daniel beat Kevin 15-11 and Cris won 15-10 against Jim.

The semifinals saw Hugo in an early back-and-forth against Daniel, the score tied 5-5 after six ends. Daniel kept up the pressure to hold the game to 11-10 in Hugo’s favor on the thirteenth end. But three winning ends brought Hugo through to the final with a 15-10 victory. In the other semi, HC and Cris fought a ding-dong battle, each enjoying mini “streaks” and the score tied on a couple of occasions through the first sixteen ends. The game was still anyone’s on the 22nd end at 14-13for HC, but he got the necessary decisive point on the next end to win 15-13.

In the final, played to 18 points, HC turned on a show with one fine shot after another to run up a dominating lead of 15-3. But Hugo was not letting go quite that easily and with several winning ends battled back to put an additional eight points on the board before HC recovered and took the game—and the championship—to an 18-11 victory.

Congratulations to HC and thanks to all the bowlers who put on a fine display for the spectators. Also, thanks to Daniel for a well-organized tournament from start to finish, to Sarah Allday and Susan Jamart for supplying the vittles, and, as always, to our greenskeepers for providing a beautiful-to-the-eye and beautifully-running green.

HC Yung, Winner (right), and Hugo Deaux, Runner Up (left), BLBC 20204 2-Bowl Singles