Returning home just a week ago from a demanding tournament in the United States, Singapore national bowler Arianne Tay wasn’t feeling her best heading into the 55th Singapore International Open. Fatigue from a packed month on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour and limited practice time on home lanes left the 20-year-old uncertain about her form.
But Tay’s self-doubt proved unnecessary. On June 13, she delivered a commanding performance at SingaporeBowling @ Rifle Range, defeating Malaysia’s Lavinia Kho 245-176, 244-193 in the women’s Open grand final to claim her third senior individual title.
“There was a lot of worry and doubt,” Tay admitted after her stepladder final victory. “Even throughout the tournament, I kept doubting myself. So today’s performance gave me a boost in confidence.”
She added, “I have to give myself credit — the hard work I’ve put in on and off the lanes is paying off. It’s a sign I’m on the right path.”
Tay worked closely with her coaches to address her biggest concern: spare conversions. She had been feeling anxious about missed opportunities, but that preparation helped settle her nerves during the event.
After qualifying second with a six-game total of 1,333 pinfalls — just 35 behind top-seed Kho — Tay advanced to the stepladder finals alongside teammates Nur Irdina Hazly (1,325) and Jermaine Seah (1,307). She began with a dominant 206-130 win over Seah in the semi-finals before storming past Kho in the final.
Despite opening the second game with a split and open frame, Tay rallied with eight strikes to seal the title and collect the $15,000 winner’s prize.
She credited her recent experience on the PWBA Tour, where she finished ninth at the BowlTV Open in May, as instrumental in sharpening her skills and mental game. “Going to the PWBA helped me learn and grow. I was happy with my results there, and now here too.”
Still, Tay remains grounded. She pointed to her earlier struggles at the Malaysian International Open, where she failed to get past the qualifying round, as a reminder of the sport’s unpredictability.
“Bowling is very erratic. There are always ups and downs,” she said. “So I treat every competition like it’s a fresh start — just like I take every shot one at a time.”
