Tusok Balita - MELVIN KENT PELONA: TRIPLE CROWN WINNER P325K Mayor Romualdez National Darts Tournament

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MELVIN KENT PELONA: TRIPLE CROWN WINNER
P325K Mayor Romualdez National Darts Tournament

Updated June 17, 2016

Melvin Kent Pelona is the Triple Crown winner of the 2nd Mayor Alfred Romuladez – 325K National Darts Tournament held at the Patio Victoria, Tacloban City last June 10-12, 2016. Melvin etched his name in history by hitting a perfect 9-darts out, winning the Sangyaw Open Singles title, and with his T8 performance in the Mayor’s Cup, won the MVP Most Valuable Player award of the tournament.

Melvin made his presence felt early in the tournament by making the perfect 9-darts out in the T32 of the Sangyaw Open playing against Charlie Jamolin of Butuan City, using the traditional mode of hitting 2 T80’s plus T20, T19 and D12 for the 141 out. The ballroom of Patio Victoria erupted in thunderous applause after witnessing the 2nd player in the NDFP ranking tournaments to make a perfect 9-darts out thereby winning the guaranteed cash award of P10K from the sponsorship of Robson Sportscraft through the NDFP.

Melvin proved his 9-darts out is not a fluke but borne out of consistent and accurate shooting by overpowering Ian Perez 4-2 in a fiercely fought T8 encounter. Perez was no match to the consistent T80’s of Melvin and his one-dart outings. In the crucial 6th leg with Pelona ahead 3-2, Pelona hit 2 T80s shutting the chances of Perez to even the match.

In the Top 4, Pelona faced Noel Malicdem, winner over Boy Ulang (4-2) in the T16 and Paolo Nebrida (4-3) in the T8. The quest of Noel Malicdem ended the same way as team mate Perez, when Noel shot T80, T80, T05 and with 36 left, frustratingly unable to have a chance to throw and to even the score at 3-3, for Pelona threw first with T80, 85, T40 and won 4-2 with 2 perfect darts, T20, D18, for 96 out – an 11 darter.

The finals was a showdown between 2 hot shooting players for the Sangyaw Open. Pelona met Dolreich DJ Toncopanon, who squeaked past young players John Lucanas and Balamban Festival Singles champion Jay R Laca with identical 4-3 scores, Dixie Ibañez 4-1 in the T8, and Boy Gionzon 4-1 in the T4. Pelona was playing sharp, confident and consistent - he was in a zone. Barrage of T80’s sealed the victory for Pelona as he won 5-3 and the purse of P24K for the champion.

Pelona won the P25K MVP award with the additional cash prize from finishing in the T8 of the Mayor Cup Open. It was a tough route for Pelona going to the T8. In the first round he played again Ian Perez and won a decision leg after opening with T80 and T. In the T16 match against Nelson Uligan, Pelona was left behind 0-3, but managed to even the score and won the decisive leg, not because Uligan faltered but because he elevated his play. In the T8, Pelona again played a decision match, but this time his luck ran out as Andy Villamor won the decisive leg. The total take of Pelona for the Triple Crown was P62K. Not bad for a weekend of darts.

Melvin Kent Pelona is the marketing head of Maasin Rural Bank for the past 3 years. He is born and raised in Maasin City, where he has been playing darts since 2011 and the current top player of the city. He is married with 2 children and his wife plays darts too. He practices daily for 1-2 hours.

His favorite international player is Simon Whitlock and his local idol is Christian Perez. He plays with 22gms Barneveld dart set. The highlight of his darting career came in 2013 after winning the Open Singles of the 100K Gov. Mercado Cup, an NDFP sanctioned tournament, thus earning the master title and the first of the 3 titles to be a National Master. If he continues the way he is playing darts, he will soon be a new National Master.