JESRAEL Rule clinched the Datba President's Cup 2024 championship at SM Lanang Premier bowling center on Sunday, December 8, 2024, securing his place in the prestigious Tournament of Champions (TOC) slated for January 2025.
Competing with zero handicaps, Rule amassed 1,738 pinfalls over nine games, overcoming 34 players in a dramatic comeback. He claimed the ₱20,000 top prize, edging out Joseph Flores Jr. (1,736, 141 handicap), Ulene C. Pondoc-Rule (1,728, 155 handicap), and Crystal Chavez (1,721, 168 handicap), who placed second, third, and fourth, respectively.
Flores took home ₱12,000, while Rule's wife, Ulene, earned ₱7,000, and Chavez received ₱5,000 from organizer Davao Tenpin Bowlers Association (Datba).
"This is my redemption year," Rule said in a Messenger interview with VoxPop Davao. "Last year, I finished first runner-up, losing by just seven pins. "Ngayon, pasok nako sa Tournament of Champions sa January kay ako man nag champion sa President's Cup (Now, I’m advancing to the TOC in January as this year’s President's Cup champion).
Rule started strong in his first two games but faced setbacks as his scores dipped to 150–170 pinfalls.
"Maayo nalang gi reminds ko ni wife nga nine games pa and kaya nako apason (Thankfully, my wife reminded me there were nine games to go and I could still catch up)," he said. Rule added that qualifying for the TOC was his primary goal, as he only had two remaining chances to secure a spot.
While Rule previously claimed titles in the Sugbu Open (Classified Division) and the 1st MCBA Open in Cagayan de Oro City in September, he had yet to win a Datba monthly championship this year—a feat that would have guaranteed TOC qualification.
With this victory, Rule joins the elite roster of TOC qualifiers, including monthly champions Marc Fernandez (January), Benz Palacio (February), Kim Salvador (March), Rod Tongo (April), Gab Velasco (May), Joshua Disuacido (June), Mav Manuel (July), Emz Salvador (August), Paul Palacio (September), Chavez (October), and Kath Lee (November).
Additionally, Desperados champion Art Galendez and qualifiers Edmund Cambaliza and Jovy Uyanguren will compete in the TOC, which promises bigger cash prizes for the winners. MLSA
