Ng, Fong log wins in 1st round

By JACK AMI
DEFENDING champion Marcus Ng and Nathan Fong easily beat their opponents in the BSP PNG National Men’s Snooker Titles opening round one at the Q Club, Port Moresby, last night.
Both were not in real danger as they had the big game experience over their opponents to make it one win up and three more to go in their respective groups.
Ng bearly raised a sweat in beating Group A opponent Rodney Oala.
Ng’s composure and skill was on display as he racked up scores of 94-8, 89-9 and 58-16 in the opening three frames of a best of five.
Ng also recorded the highest break on opening night of 53.
Oala said it was the luck of the draw that he was up against the country’s number one snooker player in the first game.
“That’s how the groups were drawn and I was pretty nervous playing Marcus,” Oala said.
Oala conceded that Ng just had too much experience and skill for him to overcome.
In Group B, Fong beat Clyde Palmah 3-0 albeit with closer scores of 59-30, 62-10 and 62-28.
Fong said after he was pleased with his form despite not having much practice heading in.
“I started slowly but picked up after the first frame. I haven’t had much practice coming in but I got the win and I’ve got three more group games to go and hopefully I make the last 16,” Fong said.
“I lost to Marcus in the semifinal last year so I’m hoping to do better this time.”
In Group C, Noel Ramos beat Francis Theseria 3-0 with scores of 59-43, 58-11 and 66-26.
All the round robin games are played over a best-of-five frames while the last 16, quarterfinals and semifinals are over seven frames and the grand final a best-of-nine frames.
There are eight groups of five with four games each to complete the round robin before the last 16 and quarterfinals on Saturday.