South Korean's Qualify for Scorpion Championship Finals

South Korea’s Jun-Yung Kim and countryman Yong-Jin Gu became the first Korean bowlers to reach the television finals of a Professional Bowlers Association (PBA)Tour event on American soil Tuesday when they qualified first and fifth for Saturday’s stepladder finals in the Scorpion Championship at South Point Bowling Center.

Kim, a 30-year-old amateur bowling in his first professional event, became the fourth consecutive bowler in the PBA’s five-event World Series of Bowling to reach the television finals as the No. 1 qualifier for the first time. Previously, Eugene McCune of Munster, IN; Andres Gomez of Colombia, and PBA Tour rookie Scott Norton of Costa Mesa, CA, qualified No. 1 for the first time in their careers in the Cheetah, Viper and Chameleon Championships, respectively.

The Scorpion Championship, the fourth of five PBA “lane condition” championships being contested during the PBA World Series of Bowling, will feature the first stepladder finals field with four international players and one United States player. Australia’s Jason Belmonte qualified second, Bill O’Neill of Southampton, PA, qualified third and Canada’s Dan MacLelland qualified fourth.

O’Neill is the first World Series competitor to qualify for two television finals. He also qualified fourth for Friday’s Pepsi Viper Championship.

“I am very, very happy,” Kim said through his interpreter. “I hoped to bowl well, but I never dreamed I would qualify first. The players here were much better than I thought they would be. It was fun, but very difficult. It’s a good omen to be the No. 1 person.”

Kim has been a member of South Korean’s Inchun Transportation Team, but he has never experienced a professional event in Asia or the United States before because it would jeopardize his amateur status. He entered the PBA World Series of Bowling because it was open to international amateurs.

South Korean bowlers have appeared in the finals of the Japan Cup – an invitational event including PBA stars - in the past, but this will be the first time Korean bowlers have bowled for a Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title in the United States.

The Scorpion Championship stepladder finals will be conducted at 11 a.m. Pacific on Saturday at South Point Bowling Center for delayed airing on ESPN on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 1 p.m. Eastern. Match play qualifying in the final pattern championship being contested in the PBA World Series – the GEICO Shark Championship – will be held at 9 a.m. Pacific on Wednesday.

Bowling fans around the world are following the action on Xtra Frame, the PBA’s exclusive video-streaming service. Full-year, World Series only and one-day trial memberships are available by visiting www.xtraframe.tv.

2010 PBA WORLD SERIES OF BOWLING
South Point Bowling Center, Las Vegas, Nev., Tuesday

SCORPION CHAMPIONSHIP
(After 21 games, including match play bonus pins; top five advance to stepladder 
finals at 11 a.m. Pacific Saturday; finals will air on ESPN at 1 p.m. Eastern on 
Sunday, Dec. 19)
1, Jun-Yung Kim, Korea, 7-2, 4,901.
2, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 4-5, 4,898.
3, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 6-2-1, 4,894.
4, Yong-Jin Gu, Korea, 5-2-2, 4,883.
5, Dan MacLelland, Canada, 4-4-1, 4,879.

Other Cashers:
6, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 6-3, 4,844, $2,500.
7, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 5-3-1, 4,827, $2,300.
8, Chad Kloss, West Allis, Wis., 4-5, 4,801, $2,200.
9, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 5-4, 4,800, $2,150.
10, Paul Moor, England, 3-6, 4,791, $2,100.
11, Mike DeVaney, Murrieta, Calif., 3-6, 4,781, $2,025.
11, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 4-5, 4,781, $2,025.
13, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 3-6, 4,761, $1,950.
14, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3-5-1, 4,666, $1,900.
15, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 3-6, 4,665, $1,850.
16, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 4-5, 4,609, $1,800.