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SUMMATION:
Malaysian Open 2017 (MO17)
September 28-October 2, 2017
Federal Hotel, Kuala Lampur, Malaysia |
Updated October 09, 2017 |
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Malaysian Open 2017 - Asia's Biggest Darts Event
Billed as "Asia's Biggest Darts Event", the Malaysian Open 2017 (MO17) lived up to expectations, as described by Nancy Ambrose, President of the Malaysian Dart Association (MDA) "an amazing tournament...with over 800 participants in the Team, Men's and Ladies Singles events.. from 17 countries across the globe."
Two (2) big ballrooms with additional conference rooms for the 50 dart stands were used to facilitate the smooth running of the tournament. Indeed, a gargantuan organizing effort - kudos to the officers of the Malaysian Darts Association, organizers of the MO17, for a job well done.
Philippine Contingent
The Philippines was represented by the contingent of around 40 darters coming from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. To name a few, the teams of DOT -Gunner of Cong Bem Noel (9) Shanghai Darts of Allen Kea (6), Julio (5), Robson (4), and corporate sponsored players such as Prussian Arceno and company, and teams from Baguio and Cagayan de Oro.
Malaysian Open Team Event
From a field of 145 teams, 2 teams from the Philippines went down the wire for the Team Event Championship. Team Robson led by Christian Perez, Noel Malicdem, Dolreich Toncopanon and Donjem Dimaculangan played the Team Event championship against Shanghai Darts of Boie Parfan, JP De Tablan, PJ Hugo, Nelson Uligan and alternates Chris Salinas and Leo Buizon.
Team Robson was smoothly sailing in the finals leading 6-3 and needing only a win to wrap up the championship when Team Shanghai streaked to 3 straight wins to set up the final 1001 team event leg. In the final leg, the exchange was fairly even with the score at 160 for Robson and Shanghai at 198, with Donjem Dimaculangan to throw. Donjem threw T20-T20 for the winning D20 championship dart, a superb and incredible finish! A confidence-boosting finish for Team Robson.
On the way to the championship, Team Shanghai went the maximum decisive leg against the team of Prussian Arceno, Boy Gionson, Nayr Ocampo and Yong Thanawat, the top player of Thailand, to reach the finals. On the other hand, Team Robson defeated the strong Singapore PDC World Cuppers of Paul and Harith Lim, Atan and Eric Pedley, in the early rounds. In the T4, Robson overcame the early lead of Team Home and Away Taffy of Roby Modra, Bong Gabiana, Aris Quijano, and Kenneth Madalang.
MO17 Men's Singles
Over 600 players were divided into 64 groups in the elimination rounds for the T64 slot. There were 15 Filipino darters who entered the top 64 scattered evenly in the bracketing. Eight (8) of the 11 NDFP National Masters who played, entered the T64 except for Boy Gionson, Boie Parfan and Lourence Ilagan, who lost to Ulang in the elimination,
The Road to the Top 4
Christian Perez played against an almost all Filipino opponents going to the T4. In the T64, he beat Dixie Ibanez in a close decision match, then Alexis Toylo 3-1 in the T32, then again a close decision match against JP De Tablan in the T16. Perez won against Satthiyan Anbarajan, in the T8.
Noel Malicdem was in a collision bracket to play Prussian Arceno in the T32. Unfortunately, Prussian lost to the Brunei player in straight legs which Noel was able to beat. T16, saw Malicdem facing the winner between Boy Ulang and Rolly Gabiana. Gabiana won over Ulang but lost to Malicdem. In the T8, Noel Malicdem was totally focused to beat Paul Lim, who beat him in the decisive 3rd leg in the singles of the Team Event, a day earlier. Noel was in a zone as he raced to a 3-1 lead and played the 5th leg with an authoritative T40-T40-T80 ending with an 11 darts out.
Donjem Dimaculangan won by default over Harith Lim in the T64. In the T16, he beat Thailand based compatriot Adrian Marcelino to set up a T8 duel with John Lucanas of CDO. Donjem won 4-2 over Lucanas with a leg of T40-T80-T45 for a 36 set up and a 10 darts out.
In the T4, Donjem played against Yong Thanawat, the top player of Thailand, who won a close match over top Hongkong player Royden Lam in the T8. The match with Yong was close in the first 4 legs as the match was tied 2-2, before Donjem exploded with 2 straight leg wins. Donjem goes for the Singles Championship.
The T4 match of long time Robson teammates Malicdem and Perez was an exciting match. Malicdem raced to a 2-0 lead only to see Perez regain his usual fighting form to even the match 2-2. Playing first, Malicdem won the 5th leg to lead 3-2. Having the first to throw advantage, Perez burned the back to back T80’s of Malicdem with his own T80 and T40 to even the match 3-3. Experience prevailed as Perez beat Malicdem in the decisive leg. Perez plays another Robson teammate, Donjem Dimaculangan, for the MO17 Singles Championship.
In the championship, Donjem threw 3 T80's in the first 4 legs to lead 3-1. Donjem countered the T40's of Perez with T80's, keeping every leg close to win them. Perez won a leg with a string of 140's. In the end, Donjem was unstoppable with his sustained T20's and one-dart outings. Donjem wins his 1st International Title.
Nancy Ambrose, President of MDA, wrote a fitting tribute to the recently concluded MO17 in his FB post “This year, we have seen a raise in the standard of darts throughout this event and we look forward to developing the standards further and draw more talented players for the next Cosmo Malaysian Open.” See you all in the Malaysian Open 2018.
RTSoncuya
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TUSOK BALITA ONLINE - A Publication of the National Darts Federation of the Philippines