JKT Lim, under the leadership of skipper Ismael Buling, emerged victorious in the Lae Golf Club’s 2024 Corporate Bowls Cup, narrowly defeating defending champions Badili Hardware 16-15 in a tense grand final on the night of Wednesday, October 23rd.
The competition, sponsored by Trans Wonderland, featured 16 corporate teams from Lae competing over 16 weeks with matches held every Monday.
In a hard-fought final, Badili took an early lead of 8-0 by the fourth end, putting significant pressure on JKT Lim.
However, Buling’s team gradually fought back, gaining a point in the fifth and reducing Badili’s lead. By the eighth end, Badili was up 13-2, but JKT Lim made a strong comeback, scoring eight points over the next two rounds, bringing the score to 10-13.
With both teams nearly tied at the fourteenth end, Badili led 15-12 going into the last end. JKT Lim held their nerve, scoring three points to level at 15-15, pushing the game into a nail-biting tiebreaker.
Badili gained an early advantage in the tiebreaker, but Buling rolled the winning shot, securing a final score of 16-15 and clinching the cup for JKT Lim.
Sponsor Karen Lim expressed excitement and pride in the team’s first cup win after six years of participation, noting their improvement from last season’s runner-up finish.
Badili’s team manager, Nars Jose, commended the close match, acknowledging JKT Lim’s resilience and Buling’s decisive final shot.
The event aimed to strengthen corporate ties through sport, and TWL representative Robert Malingi praised the teams’ dedication and sportsmanship, thanking Lae Golf Club for hosting the successful competition.