MAENG Viloria survived a gutsy challenge from teenage sensation Micco Necesario to win the Mixed Open Masters title by just one pin during the Sugbu Grand National Open at the SM Seaside Bowling Center on Sept. 3 to 8, 2024.
Viloria topped the six-game qualifiers with 1,791, while Necesario finished second at 1,748. gJ Buyco (1,733), Jomar Jumapao (1,689) and Syd Vista (1,685) took the third to fifth places and made the knockout round.
In the knockout stage, Syd Vista defeated Jumapao (208) and Buyco (206), after scoring 239 to move to the next match against the 15-year-old Necesario.
Necesario dropped an impressive 286, while Vista faltered with a 178 to arrange a final showdown with Viloria.
The final was a nip-and-tuck affair that was only decided in the final frame with Viloria winning, 257-256.
“He showed nerves of steel as he had to make three strikes in the last frame to even the scores but will come out the victor as he (Necesario) has a lower handicap than Viloria,” said Edgar Alqueza of the host club Sugbu Bowlers United.
“First ball in the 10th frame was a strike, followed by another strike but he got only nine pins in the last throw,” said Alqueza.
Viloria earned P50,000 for his feat, whie Necesario got P30,000.
In the Mixed Doubles Classified division, Manny Bueno and Nestor Ranido won the title over Joma Avila and Clyde Lim, 481-412, with Ranido scoring 262 and Bueno adding 219.
On the other hand, Jesrael Rule of Datba won the Mixed Classified Masters 221-193 over Ulysses Caturan, while in the Mixed Doubles Open division, Vista (229) and Andrey Barbosa took the crown over Viloria and John Galindo, 446-408.