Minhee Kim’s Stunning Comeback Secures Suncity Women’s Open Victory

Logan City Tenpin bowler Minhee Kim captured the 2024 Suncity Women’s Open in style this weekend at the AGL National High-Performance Centre on the Sunshine Coast with a dominant display in the Matchplay finals.

The 41-year-old Kim, who bowls out of Logan City Tenpin in Queensland, made her initial breakthrough at the 2018 NSW Open, where she came tantalisingly close to victory as the runner-up to Bec Whiting. The following year, she solidified her reputation with another runner-up finish at the 2019 Kegel QLD Open, narrowly losing in the final to Jarrod Langford, who has a knack for winning that event. This performance kicked off a promising 2019, filled with multiple podium finishes and never placing below sixth. A third-place finish at the 2020 Kegel QLD Open seemed to set the stage for future success until the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her momentum.

Roaring back in 2023 with a sixth-place finish at the TBA Australian Masters, Kim returned in 2024, clinching the inaugural Ultimate Tenpin Cup on the Gold Coast, which set the stage for her triumphant return to the national spotlight at the Suncity Women’s Open.

Minhee timed her run to perfection this weekend, bowling consistently throughout and becoming the dominant player on moving day during the Matchplay finals, where she left her mark on the competition and claimed the title in the second edition of this women’s division event.

A field of nearly 40 women gathered on the Sunshine Coast to compete for this year’s crown. The absence of defending champion Bec Whiting, who withdrew due to injury, meant a new champion would be crowned. While the path to the title was open, it was anything but easy.

The tournament kicked off with bowlers vying for the highest 8-game totals during the qualifying stage. Angela Fan, representing the Australian Capital Territory, emerged as the top qualifier with a +111, totalling 1,711. Bowling out of ZONE Bowling Tuggeranong, Fan posted a high game of 279 in the sixth round which remained the highest score of the tournament, securing an 86-pin lead over NTS 50 member and TBA Hall of Fame legend Sue Cassell, and Maryborough’s Yvette Green.

Minhee Kim initially placed 8th in the qualifiers, trailing the leader by 152 pins. The top 12 bowlers advanced to stage two, competing in an additional four games with the goal of finishing in the top 8 to move on to the Matchplay finals.

Angela Fan held her lead after the second stage, but the gap narrowed significantly as Sarah Phillips from Victoria bowled a standout 276 in the first game, moving from 7th place to just 36 pins behind Fan. Minhee Kim began her ascent, moving into 4th place with a strong +59 over four games, now only 7 pins behind third-place Sue Cassell.

The Matchplay finals saw the top 8 bowlers compete in another eight games, where the intensity ramped up, and bonus pins added an extra layer of motivation to win as many head-to-head battles as possible on the way to the title. Angela Fan clung to her lead, but back-to-back games of 165 and 195 in the closing stretch opened the door. Minhee didn’t just walk through it—she kicked it down. Winning six of her eight matches, Minhee delivered when it mattered most, piling up bonus pins along the way.

Minhee’s collection of 120 bonus pins brought her overall score to 4,323, enough to clinch the title and send a message to her peers: Minhee Kim is back!

Yvette Green from Maryborough earned the runner-up position for the second consecutive year. The talented 38-year-old bowler demonstrated consistency throughout the weekend, matching Minhee in the Matchplay stage by collecting 120 bonus pins from six wins, finishing just 43 pins behind the champion. Sarah Phillips, despite only winning three matches in the finals, secured third place with consistent high scores, narrowly holding off Angela Fan by just 5 pins.

Tenpin Bowling Australia expresses its appreciation to Cornerpin Standings for stepping in as the event promoter this year. With their backing, the prize money was increased, and extra incentives were introduced, adding an extra layer of excitement to an already intense competition.

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Champion

MINHEE KIM

LOGAN CITY TENPIN, QUEENSLAND

Qualifying

Stage 2

Matchplay Finals

Final Stats

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FUTURE FRAMES

With three events down, the race for the 2024 Women’s crown is heating up. Next, the division heads to iPlay Tenpin City in New South Wales from September 6-8 for the NSW Open, before wrapping up back at the AGL National High-Performance Centre in October for the TBA Australian Masters. The season finale promises high stakes and even higher drama.

As the 2024 season barrels toward its conclusion, one thing is clear: the battle for the Women’s division crown is far from over.