Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Pan American Bowling Confederation Championships

Chris Barnes and Kim Terrell-Kearney capped off a successful week for Team USA by winning gold medals in Masters match play Saturday night at the 2009 Pan American Bowling Confederation (PABCON) Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Barnes’ title helped the men’s team sweep all six gold medals — singles, doubles, trios, team, all-events and Masters.

He defeated Ernesto Franco of Mexico, 2-1, in front of a full house of spectators at Carolina Bowling Center. Barnes took game 1, 246-203; dropped the second
game, 233-208, and then won the decider, 218-188, in a game in which Franco never put any pressure on him.

“This was a week where I really just rode my teammates to gold medals,”
Barnes said. “I was just kind of in the background all week, but it feels good to help us come through and complete the sweep.”

Terrell-Kearney swept Canada’s Robin Orlikowski, 2-0, to win the women’s gold medal. The finish gave the Team USA women gold medals in four of the six events — trios, team, all-events and Masters.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever had as much fun bowling as I had this week,” Terrell-Kearney said. “I bowled great all week and fell short a few times, but I was able to come through when I really needed to.”

Terrell-Kearney won the opening game, 224-223, when Orlikowski failed to strike
on her fill ball after throwing two strikes in the final frame. Terrell-Kearney then swept the match with a 213-186 win.

The Masters match play competition featured the top 16 men and top 16 women from the all-events standings after 24 games of competition. All 12 Team USA members advanced to the Masters, but Barnes and Terrell-Kearney were the
only ones to earn medals.

Franco and Orlikowski earned the silver medals as the championship match losers.

Daniel Falconi of Mexico, Frankie Colon of Puerto Rico, Clara Guerrero of Colombia
and Karen Marcano of Venezuela all received bronze medals after losing in the semifinals.

For more information on the 2009 PABCON Championships, visit bowl.com.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Two New From Brunswick

The Wild Card utilizes "ConneXion™" coverstock known for its traction response (finished at 2000 Siaair Micro Pad) from foul line to head pin. The ultra low RG "Paragon™" core was designed with two intentions. First, lower the Radius of Gyration (RG) to create a faster revving core that will provide improved mid-lane traction. And second, raise the RG differential to increase the track flare potential which will generate more overall hook with standard layouts and the use of interchangeable thumb sleeves. RG max: 2.514, RG min: 2.469, RG diff: 0.045

The Diamondback™ is the first ball with "Activator Solid" coverstock (finished at 2000 grit) available at the Advanced Performance price point. The original Activator coverstock used on the Diamondback is a proven formula that provides strong downlane recovery, longevity of ball reaction, and unprecedented durability with superior resistance to cracking. The Diamondback uses the proven Brunswick multi-sided "Rocket™" core. RG Max: 2.539 RG Diff.: 0.043. A November 9th intro date is planned.

USBC Youth Scholship Deadlines

The deadlines for the Star of Tomorrow and Youth Ambassador of the Year scholarships are quickly approaching! Every year, these honors are awarded to one male and one female USBC Youth member.

The Star of Tomorrow scholarship recipients receive $6,000; the Youth Ambassador scholarship recipients receive $1,500 and could be chosen to serve on the USBC Youth Committee. Click here for eligibility criteria and application forms. Deadline for the Star of Tomorrow awards is October 1st, 2009, and the Youth Ambassador of the Year deadline is November 1st, 2009.

Nominate Your Favorite Youth Coach or Volunteer

The application forms for the David Dahms USBC Coach of the Year, Kerm Helmer Horizon, and Youth Volunteer of the Year awards are now available.


If you know a Coach or Volunteer that deserves to be recognized for his or her work in youth bowling, nominate him or her now. Click here for eligibility criteria and nomination forms. The deadline for applications is November 1st, 2009.


PBA Celebrity Bowling Event Rescheduled

The Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational, which was to have taken place September 25th, in Winston-Salem, N.C., has been postponed due to celebrity scheduling conflicts.

A PBA spokesperson said that the event would be rescheduled for sometime in November, and most likely in New Orleans. The postponement will not impact the program’s scheduled air date on ESPN, which remains Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 7, 2010).

Thursday, September 24, 2009

O'Neill, Jones and Barnes Win In Record Fashion

From BJI e-newsletter:
Competing as a Team USA member for the first time, Bill O’Neill put on a record-breaking performance in winning the singles gold medal Tuesday at the 2009 Pan American Bowling Confederation Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

O’Neill totaled 1475 for six games (an average of nearly 246) to win the opening event at Carolina Bowling Center. He had games of 229, 204, 238, 279, 246 and 279 on the day’s opening squad and broke the previous record of 1428, set in 2001 by Canada’s Danyck Briere.

A DAY AFTER Team USA’s O’Neill broke the singles record, his teammates Chris Barnes and Tommy Jones smashed the doubles record at the 2009 Pan American Bowling Confederation Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Barnes and Jones combined to shoot 2788 on the first of three squads Wednesday morning, and the score held up throughout the day to bring the pair the title at Carolina Bowling Center.

Jones led the duo with 1404 for six games, an average of 234, while Barnes totaled 1384, an average of 230.67. Their total broke the previous record of 2709, set by Mexico’s Victor Mar and Vicente Mendez in 1989.

“We are really pleased with how we performed, especially since the lanes played completely different today than they did in the practice session a couple days ago,” Barnes said. “We came in with a strategy and had to change that quite a bit. We could have given away a lot of pins, but we changed our strategy.”

Barnes and Jones used a final game of 536 to push their score over the recordmark. Jones closed with 279, while Barnes added 257. “It was a huge advantage for Tommy and [me] to get to bowl together,” Barnes said. “We see the lane very similarly, and we both had a very clear picture of what was going on. We talked our way through everything today.”

Lanemaster Adds The Xtreme Damage

The Xtreme Damage is a particle pearl 2 piece ball, a throwback with new Technology. If you remember the Yeah Baby and the Masterpiece this is the ball for you.

The
Xtreme Damage combines throwback Technology with today's powerful "Endurance X-Treme" Coverstock in orange and ruby colors finished to a sheen with a gray pad. The symmetric core provides a Radius of Gyration (RG) of 2.570 and RG Differential of .050.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Xtra Frame Features New Bowling Balls

Starting today, the Xtra Frame bowling channel on pba.com will begin airing a weekly bowling product series.

The World Series of Bowling Product Spotlight will feature nine of the PBA’s product-registered ball manufacturer sponsors, and will star top PBA players and equipment experts who will demonstrate each manufacturer’s new lineup of bowling balls.

“These product spotlights are the perfect way to get all the latest info on new
equipment for the league season,” said Xtra Frame color commentator Jeff “The
Bowling Doctor” Mark. “Plus, they’ll serve as a great complement to the
exclusive on-lane interviews that will air on Xtra Frame just prior to the start
of each of the PBA World Series of Bowling telecasts on ESPN.”


This week’s spotlight features Storm staffers Liz Johnson, Rhino Page and Osku Palermaa talking about the latest Storm bowling balls.

Other manufacturers featured will be Ebonite, Brunswick, AMF, Roto Grip, 900 Global, Hammer, Track and Columbia. A new manufacturer will be featured each Wednesday through Nov. 18.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Lane #1 Adds New Massacre

Lane #1 has a new ball arriving first week of October. called the Massacre Red Death.

The Massacre Red Death is red/black, solid "Pure Grip/Explosion" Hybrid coverstock, with a 2000 Grit Abralon finish. The Hybrid cover is wrapped around the "Bomb MassaCORE" with 15# core numbers of 2.558 Radius of Gyration max, and an RG Differential of .038.


Friday, September 18, 2009

AZO's New Introductions

Introduced Tuesday, AZO’s new ball is called Area, a Red and Midnight Blue Pearl Reactive cover called “3.14” finished at 1500 then polished surrounds the “CCS09” asymmetrical core. The core generates an RG value of 2.51 and RG Differential of .051 with Intermediate Diff of .016.

A second introduction, AZO’s Strike is Red/Purple, the “SHP”
solid reactive coverstock is finished at 2000 Abralon. The core is described as “Eolotropic” symmetrical, RG of 2.57 and Differential of .048.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Lynda Barnes in Woman's Day Magazine

By Erin Easley Posted September 03, 2009 from WomansDay.com

Woman’s Day recently caught up with professional bowling champion and “First Lady of Bowling” Lynda Barnes, to hear about how she manages to stay on top of her game while balancing both a family and a career.

WD: How did you become the first woman to beat a man in a professional sport since Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs?

Wow, that’s a good one. I’d like to take full responsibility for lots of practice and hard work, but there was some luck involved in that match. And we just had a really good time. Sean Rash and I are really good friends and we just wanted to make it a really good, interesting match for the audience, and I’m hoping I put on more of a race for him than he expected.

WD: Your family is known as the “First Family of Bowling.” Do your sons bowl too?

They’ve been bowling for about three years, although I think they came out bowling. As soon as they could pick up a ball they were on the lanes. We didn’t get them into a league until about three years ago. They love it.

WD: How do you stay on top of your game while managing the responsibilities of motherhood?

We just try to make sure that everyone is getting as much as we can give, which sometimes can be a little draining, but at the same time it’s so rewarding. The kids really love to travel and as long as Daddy or Mommy come home with trophies they’re happy.

WD: One of your sons was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes last year; do you have advice for moms also dealing with the disease?

For me it was finding a support group, because it’s overwhelming and it’s a lot of information. The idea that he has to have insulin to live is very scary. As a mom, the fact that I can’t rub his tummy and make it better is awful. We’re doing the best to learn all we can learn, and we’re getting involved in fundraising aspects for JDR [Juvenile Diabetes Research]. I can’t find a cure myself, but I sure can do my best to help find one.

WD: What’s your indulgence when you find a few extra minutes to spare?

Well, riding on the golf course with my family is fantastic. I just love to watch them play and have a good time. We hang out in the swimming pool a lot, when we have time. If we get the chance we just try to get the four of us together, alone, and just hide somewhere and have a good time together.

Lynda made the quarterfinals telecast of the U.S. Women’s Open last month. Her matches will be airing on ESPN Sunday, September 27 at 2 p.m. ET. She is also competing in the PBA Women’s Series as part of the PBA World Series of Bowling in Detroit.

By Erin Easley Posted September 03, 2009 from WomansDay.com

PBA Extra Frame Internet Coverage

In anticipation of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) World Series of Bowling telecasts
which begin on ESPN Oct. 25,
pba.com emerged as a fan favorite during the recent PBA World
Series
of Bowling (WSOB)
with its landmark coverage of early round Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour
competition. Pro bowling fans responded with a 20% increase in Xtra Frame subscriptions during the
WSOB.

With more than 100 hours of programming, from live match play competition to up-to-the-minute
commentary by expert analysts, PBA provided daily coverage of
the
WSOB in August and early
September through its Xtra Frame
video feature on pba.com. For the first time, Xtra Frame
subscribers were able
to view daily live streaming and archived content from the 13 World Series of
Bowling tournaments that were held during the five-week run of the event at Thunderbowl Lanes in
Allen Park, MI.


As a prelude to the upcoming ESPN final round coverage, PBA Tour fans are able to relive the
excitement of the World Series of Bowling and other bowling
features throughout the season by
subscribing to Xtra Frame on pba.com for
$64.99 per year or $7.99 per month. All of the World
Series
content is
available for “on-demand” viewership for those who missed the original live
sessions and a schedule is available by clicking on pba.com/xtraframe.

“Bowling fans have longed for coverage of the preliminary rounds of PBA events and they got it like
never before through Xtra Frame coverage,” said PBA Deputy
Commissioner Tom Clark. “As the
next best thing to a bowling television
channel, Xtra Frame provided coverage of every match play
round plus numerous
hours of bonus coverage and features.”

Xtra Frame was hosted by Mike Jakubowski, a.k.a. Mike J. Laneside, and “The Bowling Doctor” Jeff
Mark, along with commentary provided by several of the PBA
Tour’s top players including official Xtra
Frame expert analysts Jason Couch and
Tim Mack plus other special guests.

In addition to comprehensive play-by-play coverage of the World Series of Bowling, fans received
the latest tournament recaps, player interviews and event
news through Xtra Frame’s exclusive
PBA: 39X60 show.


PBA:39X60 was designed with the fans of ESPN GameDay and SportsCenter in mind,” said
Jakubowski. “The PBA has created a show worthy of every other sports
update show on television,
showcasing the personalities and storylines
surrounding professional bowling.”

Xtra Frame also includes pre-show commentary from TV finalists and their ball reps who provided
insight into the strategies used during the finals. After the
ESPN shows have aired, fans will be
directed back to Xtra Frame for complete
post event coverage including check and trophy
presentations and pressroom
interviews presented in their entirety. The World Series of Bowling
included seven Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour events
(including the PBA World Championship),
five PBA Women’s Series presented by
BOWL.COM events (including the PBA Women’s World
Championship), plus the PBA
Senior World Championship. Events were taped by ESPN for airing
beginning
Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. Eastern.

Here is what the fans of Xtra Frame are saying:
“As a serious bowler who enjoys learning more every
day it was a joy to watch
the best bowlers in the world compete and have an appreciation for what
it takes
to get to the shows. An excellent value in all with the live and archived match play, live
scoring and commentary, things we generally never get to see prior to
the Sunday finals.”
--Paul Baumgartner


“This extra session again today is so totally awesome. I was able to make sure I am having lunch at
my desk, watching it. I am sure you are getting a lot of
these compliments, but this deluge of
bowling that we are getting now makes my
day. Wish I was there now, you guys did great work last
month to bring us all
the action!” --Rob Arsenault

“I am really enjoying the Xtra Frame product this year. I have been a loyal user for a few years now
and the progress that has been made is pretty
remarkable. Great job!” --Britton Reider

“Fact is, via this Internet programming, there never has been a better way to stay on top of the
Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour. In fact, it’s probable even the
players will find themselves tuning in
to get extra news about the very
tournament in which they were bowling.” --Lyle Zikes, Bowlers
Journal
International.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Bowling History Blog

Check out the bowling blog (Dr. Jake's Bowling History Blog) that has been launched by long-time Bowlers Journal International (BJI) contributor J.R. Schmidt.

In addition to
Schmidt’s always-engaging storytelling, the blog also includes an array of vintage photographs. To see what Schmidt is up to, go to: bowlinghistory.wordpress.com.

Bowling Center Steps Up to Limit Swine Flu

ANY PUBLIC gathering place is a potential base for the H1N1 virus, otherwise
known as swine flu. That includes bowling centers.

Recognizing this, Fannin Lanes in central Mississippi has decided to take a proactive approach, placing Germ X hand sanitizer dispensers in strategic locations throughout the center.

“You never know who
has what or if anybody’s sick,” Fannin’s Olivia Whatley told WAPT. So, in addition to providing complimentary Germ X, the center is having employees wipe down everything — house balls, house shoes, tables, chairs — constantly.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Zombie Bowling

The dead rise to pick up the spare! The Wildclaw Theater is proudly sponsoring Zombie Bowling II, The Dawn of the Dude, to take place next Saturday, September 19th, at the Timber Lanes Bowling Alley in Chicago.

The affair is scheduled to play out like a most (ir)regular evening of bowling with one vital twist; you and your bowling comrades will have the opportunity to shamble down the lane as a member of the undead. For five bucks over the flat twenty dollar admission fee, guests will be zombified by Zombie Engineers and make-up specialists.

Included in the general festivities are a number of zombie friendly contests, including:

  • The Horror Queen Scream-off!
  • The Maniacal Laugh-off!
  • Zombie-oke!
  • The Ultimate Horror Movie Trivia Contest!
  • The Undead Prize Lane!

Proceeds from this benefit will go directly towards WildClaw Theatre's DEATHSCRIBE 2009, The Second Annual International Festival of Radio Horror Plays, which will take place on Monday, October 5th, at the historic Music Box Theater. For additional and up-to-date information on this upcoming event, including opportunities to purchase tickets, visit the official Wildclaw Theater Webpage!

Monday, September 14, 2009

Chris and Lynda Barnes at Kegal Training Center

October 16th and 17th is your chance to meet and bowl with Chris and Lynda Barnes at The Kegel Trainging Center in Lake Wales FL.

Chris is a Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Superstar. PBA Player of the Year (2007-08)… PBA Rookie of the Year (1998)… George Young High Average Award (2000)… Harry Smith Point Leader Award (2000).


Lynda is one of the top competitors in international women’s bowling.

12-time member of Team USA…won 1998 and 2008 USBC Queens titles … defeated PBA champion Sean Rash to win the 2008 USBC Clash of Bowling Champions

Both players have competed at the youth, international and now professional level with success at each level.

Friday Only - $99 plus tax. Saturday Only - $299 plus tax. Friday and Saturday - $349 plus tax

Schedule of Events
Friday - $99
6:30-7pm Food
7-8:15pm Q & A
8:15-9pm Exhibition Match - Chris vs. Lynda
Each Person Receives: Food, Columbia Towel, Autograph Pin w/Sharpie

Saturday - $299
8:30 am Check In
9:00-9:30 Introductions
9:30-12:00 Demo Day, Ball Selection, Fits, Layouts
12:00-12:45 Lunch
12:45-4:45 Video Tips – 15 min each – 2 stations
4:45 – 6:30 Pro Am Match

Each Person Receives: High Performance Columbia Ball including drilling (grips and slugs extra), Columbia Towel, Autograph Pin, "PBA 50 Greatest Players" Book, On Lane Training, Personalized DVD, CATS Analysis, Revive Ball Cleaner.

www.KegelTrainingCenter.com
Tel: 800-280-2695
1951 Longleaf Boulevard,
Lake Wales, FL 33859 .

The Storm Forecast

A "Storm Forecast" was announced today.


"Storm Forecast" presented by Storm Products Inc, the Brigham City, Utah manufacturer of high performance bowling equipment, is a fall seminar series.


At these seminars pro shops and consumers will be introduced to the new Match Maker™ program. Match Maker™ is one of the most visited sections on stormbowling.com. Match Maker™ uses Experience Level, Current Average, Ball Speed, Rev Rate, Axis of Rotation and Lane Condition to help predict what type and what ball performance best suits you.


In conjunction with Turbo Switch Grip pro shops and consumers will be able to experience this “try before you buy” program. Bowlers will be able to throw the newest products from Storm and Roto Grip and determine which balls fit into their arsenals.


Storm has the most complete line of bowling equipment” said Dave Symes, President of Storm. “The Match Marker™ program allows bowlers the chance to experience our full line and discover for themselves what ball(s) are best suited for their needs.”


Seminars will be held nationwide. Pre-registration will begin on October 9, 2009 and seminars will run through the middle of November. For more information about a seminar in your area please contact a Storm Regional Sales Manager or visit stormbowling.com

Sunday, September 13, 2009

New Mutant Cell Intro in November

Roto Grip’s next high performance ball introduction (Cell) will be the Mutant Cell. Expected in November, the Mutant Cell contains the “Nucleus II” core wrapped in a Red/Black/Yellow solid reactive “Cytoplasmic XL” coverstock. Factory finish on the new Cell is 2000 Abralon.


Friday, September 11, 2009

Boomershine Named Bowler of the Month

Tammy Boomershine has been named Kegel Bowler of the Month for August by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA). Boomershine captured the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open, defeating Carolyn Dorin-Ballard in the title match.


Thursday, September 10, 2009

Walter Ray Williams Jr. Joins 900 Global

900 Global announced the signing of Walter Ray Williams Jr. to its PBA national staff September 8th. The addition of Williams solidifies 900 Global as an emerging brand in a highly competitive market place.

Williams will not only expose 900 Global and AMF products domestically, but internationally as well. He will be representing the United States at the 45th AMF World Cup to be held in Melaka Malaysia in November 2009.

Williams is the all time PBA National Tour title holder with 45, the first and only bowler to amass over four million dollars in life time earnings, has won 7 PBA majors, and 28 regional titles in his 26 year PBA career.

Dave Smart of 900 Global stated, "900 Global is extremely excited about the opportunity to work with Walter and the exposure he can bring to the 900 Global brand and family of brands including AMF. As one of the all time greats of the sport, one knows the excellence Walter demands of himself and equipment and we look forward to working with him".

900 Global manufactures an entire line of performance bowling balls from entry level to high performance. 900 Global has a license agreement with AMF to promote and market the AMF brand from balls to bags.

900 Global produces 3G shoes, a premier high performance shoe company for serious bowlers. Known for comfort, quality, and performance, they feature interchangeable heels and soles.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

US Woman's Open Coverage Starts Sunday

A field of 170 of the best women bowlers in the world took the lanes last month for the U.S. Women’s Open. Twelve of them advanced to the ESPN2 televised finals.

Tune in this Sunday Sept. 13 at 2 p.m. EDT on ESPN2 for the March to the Championship. This sunday's featured players are Shannon Pluhowsky, Kim Terrell-Kearney and Kelly Kulick.

A new show will air each Sunday for five weeks, with the final show (featuring the championship match) airing on Oct. 11.

Friday, September 4, 2009

PBA World Championsip Finals Set

Reigning Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Player of the Year Wes
Malott of Pflugerville, TX, will get his chance to win the PBA World Championship
and his first Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour major title on Dec. 13 at Northrock
Lanes in Wichita, KS.

Malott, who entered the best-of-seven-game, single-elimination match play
portion of the tournament as the No. 1 qualifier, survived an upset-filled day
Friday at Thunderbowl Lanes, defeating Sweden’s Martin Larsen, 4-3, and Jeff
Carter of Springfield, IL, 4-1, to advance to the championship round.

Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, MI; Rhino Page, Wesley Chapel, FL, and Bill
O’Neill, Southampton, PA, also advanced to the finals with victories Friday
night.

Earning berths in the Women’s World Championships title match were Shannon
Pluhowsky of Phoenix and Kelly Kulick of Union, NJ, Harry Sullins of
Chesterfield Township, MI, and Hugh Miller of Mercer Island, WA, are the
Senior World Championships finalists.

It was a day filled with upsets, however, as 11 of the 16 men, women and seniors
who earned byes for two rounds were eliminated during Friday’s early rounds.

“That’s something that always happens in this event,” Malott, the only top 8
survivor in the men’s field, said. “The guys ahead of you get two matches to see
how the lanes are going to set up, but I’ll take my chances with two byes any
day. At least it guarantees you’ll be in the top 16.

“I made a risky move against Martin (Larsen), and it worked, and I was able to
shot 279 at him in the last game to win the match,” Malott continued. “I kind of
wish we could keep the tour going because every week of the World Series, I’ve
been getting better. Hopefully I can end it with a title on Sunday (in the PBA
Shark Championship), and then go for my first major title in December.”

“It wasn’t just a tough day; it’s been a tough month,” Page said, “but what a
way to finish it. You’d ideally like to carry the momentum of the tournament
into the TV show, but that won’t happen in this case. I’m just excited I have to
wait until December.”

Smallwood, who is bowling on the PBA Tour only because he was laid off from
General Motors earlier in the year, will bowl O’Neill in the first World
Championship semifinal match in December. Each is looking for his first PBA
Tour
title.

“I won't say this has been a dream month for me, but it has exceeded
expectations,” Smallwood said. “I was hoping to come out of here maybe in the
top 15 in points or make a couple top eight finishes, so I'm pretty happy. This
has validated what I can do out here.”

“I’m thrilled,” O’Neill said of making his third TV final of the World Series.
“It’s been tough to put your opponent away here, even when you’re up 3-0. But
now I’ve got to take it to the next level.”

Sullins, the only top four Senior qualifier to advance, slipped past Kerry
Painter of Henderson, NV, 4-3, and Brian Brazeau of Ocala, FL, 4-3. Sullins,
who made the championship round for the fourth time in six PBA Senior Tour
events, hasn’t won a PBA title since winning in Windsor Locks, CT, 15 years
ago.

“It was fun, exhilarating, pressure-packed,” Sullins said. “It was like, ‘Holy
cow, throw the ball, Batman!’ but in a good way.”

Miller knocked out No. 4 Dave Patchen of Oregon, OH, 4-1, and won a tense 4-3
contest over four-time PBA Senior Tour Player of the Year Tom Baker of King,
NC, in his semifinal match.

“I’ve bowled Baker many times on the regular Tour and the Senior Tour and he
was always especially tough to bowl against,” Miller said. “On the Senior Tour it
seems like he's gotten the best of me, so it was nice to turn the tables this time.”

The top two Women’s qualifiers will meet in their TV final. Pluhowsky defeated
Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of Keller, TX, 4-1, and Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga,
NY, 4-3, to earn her third television finals berth of the World Series. No. 2
Kulick defeated Diandra Asbaty of Chicago, 4-3, and Missy Bellinder of
Fullerton, CA, 4-2.

“My brain hurts,” Kulick said. “Those were some good matches. I think my
advantage was moving in to where my opponents were playing so I could take
advantage of what they were doing.”

Pluhowsky, the 2006 USBC Queens champion and a three-time U.S. Amateur
champion, will be trying for her second major title and her second PBA Women’s
Series
presented by BOWL.COM title. “This is my third TV show of the World
Series, so I’m happy,” she said. “Anything can happen in one game on TV, but
getting there is the biggest part.”

The Women’s and Senior World Championship title matches will be contested
Saturday at noon for delayed telecast to open the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour
season on ESPN on Sunday, Oct. 25. The men’s finals will be contested live on
ESPN on Dec. 13 at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, KS.

PBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich., Sept. 4

Round of 8 (best of 7 games, losers eliminated and earned $6,300; winners advanced to live ESPN
finals on Sunday, Dec. 13, at Northrock Lanes, Wichita, KS)
Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, def. Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 4-1
Rhino Page, Wesley Chapel, Fla., def. Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 4-1
Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., def. Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 4-2
Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., def. Steve Rogers, Bourbonnais, Ill., 4-2


PBA SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich., Sept. 4

Semifinal Round (best of 7 games, losers eliminated and earned $3,800; winners advanced to title
match Saturday)
Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash., def. Tom Baker, King, N.C., 4-3
Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., def. Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., 4-3

PBA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich., Sept. 4

Semifinal Round (best of 7 games, losers eliminated and earned $4,000; winners advanced to title
match Saturday)
Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, def. Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 4-3
Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., def. Missy Bellinder, Fullerton, Calif., 4-2

PBA World Championships Start Matchplay

Reigning Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Player of the Year Wes Malott of Pflugerville, TX, led the field of 40 PBA World Championship finalists who moved into match play rounds at Thunderbowl Lanes Thursday by sitting on the sidelines, resting.

Malott, Ron Mohr of Eagle River, Alaska, and Shannon Pluhowsky of Phoenix, AZ were the top qualifiers in the PBA, PBA Women’s and PBA Senior World Championships, respectively, which earned each of them – and a handful of others – byes for the first two rounds of best-of-seven-game, single elimination match play.

Also earning byes in the PBA World Championship field were Mike Scroggins,
Amarillo, TX; Sean Rash, Wichita, KS; Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, MI; Mike DeVaney, San Diego, CA; Chris Barnes, Double Oak, TX; Walter Ray Williams
Jr., Ocala, FL, and Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, SC.

Senior World Championship players earning byes along with Mohr were Kent Wagner, Palmetto, FL; Harry Sullins, Chester Township, MI, and Dave Patchen, Oregon, OH. Joining Pluhowsky in the women’s bye pool were Kelly Kulick, Union, NJ; Michelle Feldman, Auburn, NY, and Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, NY.

The remainder of the top 40 men, 20 seniors and 20 women’s advanced to
best-of-seven-game, single-elimination match play rounds. During Thursday’s
afternoon PBA World Championship Round of 32 session, Michigan players Thomas Smallwood, Brian Waliczek and Dan MacLelland advanced to Friday’s Round of 16 while PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber of St. Ann, MO, and Australian two-handed star Jason Belmonte were eliminated. The Senior and Women’s Rounds of 16 were contested Thursday night.

Three rounds of matches Friday will reduce the fields to four men, two seniors
and two women for the ESPN finals.

“My concern was staying in the top four,” Malott said. “Scroggins has a great
look on fresh lane conditions. He has been bowling some big games, so I figured
if I could stay in the top four, the first time I’ll have to bowl against him
would be on TV. That was on my mind. Now I can get some rest, which is always a good thing.

“But I will be in the center watching to see how the guys break down the lane
condition on the pairs I’ll be on tomorrow.”

“I’m tired,” Mohr admitted. “When you’re trying to bowl at this level, every
shot is important. It’s draining. It’ll be nice to have a couple of rounds to
rest.

“The lanes today played the hardest they have all week,” the three-time 2009 PBA Senior Tour titlist said. “There was no mistake room. When that happens, you become afraid of making a shot too fast or too slow. You just can’t relax.”

Pluhowsky overtook Kulick for the first time, but being the top women’s
qualifier didn’t excite her.

“All pins are dropped now and we’re moving into a different section of the
bowling center for match play, so there’s no advantage to being No. 1 other than
having fewer matches to bowl and the guarantee of a bigger check,” Pluhowsky
said. “So far I’m very pleased with the way I have been bowling. Everything’s
good. It’s going to be a busy weekend (she has already qualified for two
television finals over the weekend), but that’s much better than watching.”

The Women’s and Senior World Championship title matches will be contested
Saturday at noon for delayed telecast on ESPN. The men’s finals will be
contested live on ESPN on Dec. 13 at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, KS.

PBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich., Sept. 3

Round of 40 (best of 7 games, losers eliminated and earned $2,000)
Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, def. Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 4-2
Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., def. PJ Haggerty, Clovis, Calif., 4-1
Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., def. Andres Gomez, Colombia, 4-1
Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., def. Ken Simard, Greenville, S.C., 4-1
Rhino Page, Wesley Chapel, Fla., def. Jeffrey Roche, Dearborn, Mich., 4-1
Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, def. Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 4-2
Jay Futrell, Derby, Kan., def. Chad Kloss, Greenfield, Wis., 4-0
Brian Waliczek, Birch Run, Mich., def. Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 4-1
Martin Larsen, Sweden, def. Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 4-1
Steve Rogers, Bourbonnais, Ill., def. Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 4-0
Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., def. Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 4-0
Chris Johnson, Garland, Texas, def. Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 4-0
Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., def. Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., 4-2
Dan MacLelland, Saginaw, Mich., def. Robert Lawrence, Austin, Texas, 4-2
Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., def. Jason Belmonte, Australia, 4-1
Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., def. Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 4-1

Final Qualifying Standings (after 24 games, top 40 advance to match play; top 8
earned byes for the first two rounds of match play)
1, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 5,573
2, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 5,544
3, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 5,524
4, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 5,487
5, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 5,457
6, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 5,454
7, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 5,441
8, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 5,433
9, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 5,370
10, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 5,345
11, Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 5,341
12, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 5,330
13, Jeffrey Roche, Dearborn, Mich., 5,311
14, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 5,291
15, Chad Kloss, Greenfield, Wis., 5,284
16, Brian Waliczek, Birch Run, Mich., 5,272
17, Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 5,257
18, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 5,244
19, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 5,242
20, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 5,230
21, (tie) Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., and Robert Lawrence, Austin, Texas, 5,226
23, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 5,225
24, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 5,223
25, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 5,214
26, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 5,210
27, Dan MacLelland, Saginaw, Mich., 5,202
28, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 5,197
29, Chris Johnson, Garland, Texas, 5,191
30, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 5,185
31, Steve Rogers, Bourbonnais, Ill., 5,178
32, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 5,175
33, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 5,170
34, Jay Futrell, Derby, Kan., 5,163
35, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 5,157
36, Rhino Page, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 5,123
37, Ken Simard, Greenville, S.C., 5,115
38, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 5,098
39, PJ Haggerty, Clovis, Calif., 5,083
40, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 5,070

PBA SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich., Sept. 3


Final Qualifying Standings (after 24 games, top 20 advance to match play; top 4
earned byes for the first two rounds of match play)
1, Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 5,238
2, Kent Wagner, Palmetto, Fla., 5,195
3, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 5,151
4, Dave Patchen, Oregon, Ohio, 5,124
5, Henry Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 5,077
6, Ted Hannahs, Zanesville, Ohio, 5,064
7, Steve Neff, Homosassa Springs, Fla., 5,056
8, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 5,034
9, Roy Buckley, Westerville, Ohio, 5,028
10, Michael Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 5,019
11, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 5,005
12, Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash., 4,993
13, Robert Harvey, Boise, Idaho, 4,984
14, Dale Csuhta, Wadsworth, Ohio, 4,970
15, Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., 4,968
16, Carl Kinyon, Lockport, N.Y., 4,956
17, Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 4,951
18, Wayne Webb, Sacramento, Calif., 4,939
19, Kerry Painter, Henderson, Nev., 4,912
20, John Bennett, Clarkston, Mich., 4,901

Did not advance:

21, Charlie Tapp, Kalamazoo, Mich., 4,885, $1,500
22, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 4,869, $1,450
23, Michael Lucente, Warren, Mich., 4,858, $1,400
24, Jeff Schrum, Cherryville, N.C., 4,856, $1,350
25, Dale Eagle, Frisco, Texas, 4,849, $1,320
26, Bob Knipple, Long Beach, Calif., 4,836, $1,280
26, Dick Selgo, Archbold, Ohio, 4,836, $1,280
26, Rick Minier, Houston, 4,836, $1,280
29, Bobby Johnson, Chillicothe, Ohio, 4,832, $1,240
30, Larry Franz, Redford, Mich., 4,829, $1,220
31, Rick Vittone, Canada, 4,813, $1,200
32, Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., 4,812, $1,180
33, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 4,785, $1,160
34, William Peters, Dayton, Ohio, 4,779, $1,140
35, Dave Bernhardt, Shelby Twp., Mich., 4,715, $1,120
36, Randy Rau, Belleville, Ill., 4,696, $1,100

Super Senior cashers (after 18 games)
37, Bob Chamberlain, Auburn Hills, Mich., 3,586, $700
38, Harv Pallas, Stevensville, Mich., 3,584, $700
40, Barry Gurney, West Hills, Calif., 3,580, $700
54, John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 3,520, $700
58, Timothy Kauble, Marion, Ohio, 3,499, $700
61, George Lord, Lakeland, Fla., 3,479, $700
62, Derek Smith, Hicksville, Ohio, 3,478, $700
63, Harley Trumbull, New Boston, Mich., 3,477, $700
66, Dennis Lane, Kingsport, Tenn., 3,457, $700

PBA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich., Sept. 2


Final Qualifying Standings (after 24 games, top 20 advance to match play; top 4
earned byes for the first two rounds of match play)
1, Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix, 5,482
2, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 5,332
3, Michelle Feldman, Auburn, N.Y., 5,250
4, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 5,187
5, Tammy Boomershine, North Ogden, Utah, 5,157
6, Cheryl Daniels, West Bloomfield, Mich., 5,125
7, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 5,101
8, Robin Orlikowski, Grand Rapids, Mich., 5,093
9, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Texas, 5,065
10, Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 5,062
11, Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, Nev., 5,060
12, Shannon O'Keefe, Arlington, Texas, 5,054
12, Joy Esterson, Annapolis, Md., 5,054
14, Missy Bellinder, Fullerton, Calif., 5,010
15, Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., 4,974
16, Adrienne Miller, Albuquerque, N.M., 4,969
17, Amanda Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 4,931
18, Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 4,914
19, Lindsay Baker, Waterford, Mich., 4,883
20, Paola Gomez, Colombia, 4,874