Thursday, March 31, 2011

900 Global Introduces Hook

900 Global introduces a new entry level series called Hook

Featuring their "S43" coverstock in three combinations: Purple/Orange Pearl Polished, Yellow/Red Solid Polished, and Blue/Blue Pearl 4,000 Abralon. 

The surface options afford three different looks with a center heavy Symmetric core that should HOOK

#15 pound balls have Radius of Gyration (RG) of 2.551, with RG Differential of .046

OMG! in a Bowling Ball from AMF


AMF OMG! is the ball for bowlers looking to add an aggressive hooking ball to their arsenal. The OMG features "F84" Purple/Black shell finished to 1,000 Abralon, the most aggressive AMF shell to date and is wrapped around the half-metrical core used in the Shredder and Shred/IT, with a higher RG and lower Differential. #15  RG 2.520  Diff 0.044.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Will Barnes or O'Neill Make the Player of the Year Race Interesting?

Chris Barnes and Bill O’Neill will try to keep their long-shot bids for Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Player of the Year honors alive during Sunday’s ESPN telecast of the Lucas Oil Regional Championship round of the inaugural Dick Weber PBA Playoffs at Woodland Bowl. 

The ESPN telecast, featuring nine players competing for the final three berths in the April 10 PBA Playoffs Conference Championships, will air Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern. 

Barnes, who won the PBA World Championship in January to become the sixth member of the PBA Triple Crown club, and O’Neill, the 2010 Pepsi Viper Champion, are the only players who still have a chance to win two titles during the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season, and put up a last-minute challenge to leading contender Mika Koivuniemi. 

Koivuniemi won the $250,000 top prize in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions and became the first player in PBA history to appear in the television finals of all four PBA Tour major championships in a single season (PBA World Championship, Bayer USBC Masters and U.S. Open)

Despite Koivuniemi’s extraordinary season, Barnes and O’Neill also have had strong seasons and a second title could influence some voters. 

O’Neill will bowl in the one-game Midwest Region championship match against Jack Jurek and Wes Malott after qualifying second in his region. Jurek, the 2011 Bayer USBC Masters runner-up, led the region’s final elimination round. Malott, the 2008-09 PBA Player of the Year, grabbed the third spot and will try to end a two-year title drought. 

Sunday’s Lucas Oil Regional Championships round also will include the Southwest and West/Northwest Region finals. The Southwest Region final will include Dino Castillo, a former Exempt Tour player who is trying for his first PBA Tour title; Australian two-handed star Jason Belmonte and Tour veteran Brad Angelo. Castillo was runner-up in the 2010 Japan Cup. Belmonte, the 2008-09 Rookie of the Year, and Angelo, the 2002-03 Rookie of the Year, both are trying for their second career titles. 

Barnes will be the West/Northwest Region favorite in a match featuring Lennie Boresch Jr. and Barnes’ former Wichita State University teammate, Lonnie Waliczek. The 48-year-old Boresch, a first-year Exempt Tour player, will make his national television debut in his bid for his first PBA Tour title. Waliczek is a two-time PBA Tour title winner who hasn’t won since 2003. 

A preview of Sunday’s Regional Championships can be seen on pba.com’s Xtra Frame. To subscribe to the PBA’s exclusive online video streaming service, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame logo. 

The Lucas Oil Regional Championships winners will advance to the Conference Championships airing on Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern, where they will join the winners of the Go RVing Regional Championship round. East Region winner Steve Jaros will bowl one game against the South Region winner Randy Weiss, Central Region winner Dick Allen will take on the Midwest Region winner, and the Southwest winner will meet the West/Northwest winner. The three Conference Championship survivors will return to Indianapolis on Sunday, April 17, at 1 p.m. Eastern for the final live ESPN telecast of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season. 

Midwest Regional Standout Advances to Dick Weber PBA Playoffs

After years of success on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Regional Tour, long-time PBA Midwest Region star Lennie Boresch Jr. of Kenosha, WI, will make his national television debut Sunday when the Lucas Oil Regional Championships round of the Dick Weber PBA Playoffs airs on ESPN Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern. 

Boresch, who earned his first Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exemption by finishing fourth in the 2010 PBA Regional Players Invitational, has won 24 titles at the regional level and was the 1997 and ‘98 PBA Midwest Region Player of the Year

The 48-year-old pro shop operator and father of two teenagers will compete in the West/Northwest Region finals in the Lucas Oil Regional Championships round at Woodland Bowl, bowling a one-game match against 13-time PBA Tour titlist Chris Barnes and two-time Tour and 10-time regional titlist Lonnie Waliczek. 

The winner of the three-player match – along with the Midwest and Southwest Region winners – will advance to the Conference Championship round which airs on ESPN on Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern. 

The unique PBA Playoffs format featured six independent regional groups bowling elimination rounds within their respective regions (North, South, East, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest and West/Northwest). A total of 108 PBA members who qualified through their respective Regional programs, along with the top 72 players on the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour competition points list were seeded into the event. Boresch, who finished 48th on the points list, was seeded into the West/Northwest Region for the opening round of the Playoffs. 

A series of elimination rounds culled the starting field to three survivors in each of the six regions. Steve Jaros (East), Randy Weiss (South) and Dick Allen (Central) won their respective regional titles in the Go RVing Regional Championship round to advance to the Conference Championships. 

The three Conference Championship survivors will return to Woodland Bowl on Sunday, April 17, to bowl for the $50,000 first prize in the live ESPN finale at 1 p.m. Eastern. The Dick Weber PBA Playoffs is the final event of the PBA Tour’s 2010-11 season. 

“It’s a great format and it was a lot of fun,” Boresch said of the PBA Playoffs. “With the elimination format your odds are better to make the TV show because you just have to make sure you bowled well enough within your division and not be one of the bottom few players to be eliminated. It’s not like a normal Tour event where you have to be in the top five out of however many are entered in the entire tournament to make the TV show."

“But, you also still had to bowl a lot of games during the week, so you weren’t going luck into anything.” After struggling during the season (his previous best finish was 18th in the Brunswick Pro Bowling Cheetah Championship at the PBA World Series of Bowling in October), making the Playoffs regional finals fulfilled one of Boresch’s career goals of making a Tour telecast. 

“It was a dream come true to make a TV show,” said Boresch, who is also a three-time USBC Open Championships titlist. “It wasn’t looking good the way the season was going, but it finally happened and it has kind of made the whole season worthwhile.” 

Boresch has been a PBA member since 1980 and toured briefly in the 1982 and ’83 seasons. Ironically, his best Tour finishes came later on when he bowled only occasionally in Tour events. He finished fifth in the 1998 Showboat Invitational and sixth in the 1989 USBC Masters

After opening a pro shop in ’83, getting married shortly thereafter and starting a family, it became apparent that PBA’s regional program was going to be the best fit for his professional career. 

“Being able to compete in regionals, have a business and a family is really the best of all worlds because I’m still able to enjoy the sport competitively by competing in the majors and a tournament like the Playoffs,” Boresch added.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Go RVing Regional Championship Round Advances Three To Dick Weber PBA Playoffs

Seven-time Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour champion Steve Jaros of Yorkville, IL; 10-time PBA Regional winner Randy Weiss of Columbia, SC, and two-time PBA Tour titlist Dick Allen, also of Columbia, SC, advanced to the Conference Championships in the Dick Weber PBA Playoffs after victories in the Go RVing Regional Championships Round at Woodland Bowl. 

The Go RVing Regional Championships Round, which aired Sunday on ESPN, featured three three-player regional championship matches with the winners advancing to the Conference Championship Round, and the two lowest scores being eliminated. 

The Conference Championships will air Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. Jaros, who has now made a television appearance in 20 consecutive seasons, nipped Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, MI, 258-257, to win the East Region championship. Scott Norton of Costa Mesa, CA, finished third in the three-player East Regional final with a 224. 

Weiss, in his national television debut, threw five strikes in a row to end his game and stun 12-time PBA Tour champ Tommy Jones of Greenville, SC, 239-238, in the South Region championship. Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, NY, also was eliminated after rolling a 207 game. 

Allen was nearly perfect in throwing a 289 game that eliminated Walter Ray Williams Jr. (221) of Ocala, FL, and Mika Koivuniemi (201) of Hartland, MI, in the Central Region finale. 

In the East Region championship, Jaros started with seven strikes before leaving back-to-back 10 pins, but Smallwood battled Jaros into the 10th frame. Jaros finished first, throwing a strike on his first ball in the 10th and filling the frame with a 10 pin/spare. Smallwood needed the first strike to win, but left a 7 pin. After converting the spare, he then needed a strike to tie Jaros, but he left a 4 pin on his fill ball. Jaros said he thought the match would be close, but “I figured it would be Tom or me versus Scott after the way he bowled in practice. But Scott just didn’t look comfortable once the show started.” 

Weiss was the surprise of the day with his clutch finish to nip Jones after a horrible break ended Shafer’s hopes. Shafer was very much in the hunt, but trying to extended a double in the eighth and ninth frames, the four-time PBA Tour winner left a 7-10 split on a pocket hit in the 10th frame to end his chances. At the same time, Jones overcame the carry issues he had during the first half of his game, stringing five strikes before leaving a 4 pin on his fill ball in the 10th frame. That pin gave Weiss an opportunity to strike out in the 10th to win by one pin. 

“I knew I was going to have to strike because these guys are really good,” Weiss said, “but they are human, so I knew I had to stay in my world and see what happens. “My thought in the last frame was that there is no way you could ask for anything better than an opportunity to win in the 10th, so I told myself to get a good shot off my hand and let the chips fall where they may. 

“Mike Machuga may have given me the best advice when he said it’ll be the fastest 10 minutes of your life, so slow it down in your mind as much as you can, and that’s exactly what I did,” Weiss added. “I just kept slowing my thoughts and not watching what they were doing, and I focused on what my job was.” 

In the Central Region match, Allen and Williams both started with five strikes while Koivuniemi struggled to strike after starting with a double. Williams’ string ended when he also left a pocket 7-10 in the sixth frame, but Allen kept on striking until leaving a 10 pin on his 11th attempt. By that time, thanks to a 4-6-7-10 split by Williams in the ninth frame, the match was over. 

“I followed all of the old clichés – keep your head down, don’t watch what they’re doing, make one shot at a time – and that’s exactly what I did,” Allen said. “I wasn’t worried about anybody else. I know when I throw it good, I can strike with the best of them.” 

Allen has a history of being one of the PBA Tour’s more volatile players, but after the birth of his first child in early March, “I came here with less negative thoughts,” he said. “I’ve got some cool pictures on my phone, I’m smiling more because of daughter Piper. My mind’s in a different place and I’m not so upset if I make a bad shot. And I’m not making as many bad shots because of a grip change and a swing change I made, and those are probably the keys to success more than anything. 

“I got away with about three bad shots,” Allen added. “That was probably the highest 220 game I’ve ever shot; let’s put it that way. Without a doubt I knew I was going for 300. When Walter got that second split in the ninth frame and I knew the match was over, I told myself to finish it off. Unfortunately I threw a really good shot in the 10th and they didn’t fall.” 

The Lucas Oil Regional Championships Round will complete the field for the Conference Championships. The Lucas Oil Regional round, which airs Sunday on ESPN at 1 p.m., will feature three finalists each in the Midwest (Jack Jurek, Wes Malott, Bill O’Neill), Southwest (Brad Angelo, Dino Castillo, Jason Belmonte) and West/Southwest (Chris Barnes, Lennie Boresch Jr., Lonnie Waliczek) Regions. 

On Sunday, April 10, the Conference Championships telecast at 1 p.m. Eastern will include the East Region winner (Jaros) against the South (Weiss), the Central (Allen) vs. the Midwest winner, and the Southwest vs. the West/Northwest winner. 

Those three winners will return to Woodland Bowl on Sunday, April 17, for the live ESPN finals at 1 p.m. Eastern. First prize in the inaugural Dick Weber PBA Playoffs is $50,000.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Professional Bowling Association's Senior Tour

The 2011 Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Senior Tour season will get underway with a sold-out field of 120 players in the PBA Senior Don Carter Open at CarterFamily Bowl in Winter Garden, FL, April 17-21.
 
The Senior Don Carter Open will be followed by another Florida stop when the
50-and-older generation returns to Spanish Springs Lanes in The Villages, FL,
April 23-26, after a one-season absence. Heading up the 120-player field in Winter Garden will be PBA Hall of Famer and 2010 Senior Rookie of the Year Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, FL.
 
The 2010 Senior Tour was one of the most exciting in history with a Senior Player of the Year race involving three Hall of Famers that was decided in the last tournament of the season.
 
Wayne Webb secured Senior Player of the Year honors by winning the Senior
Jackson Open
, outlasting Williams and another Hall of Famer, Mark Williams of Beaumont, Texas. W.R. Williams, who earlier in the 2010 season earned PBA Player of the Year, narrowly missed in his bid to become the first to win PBA Player and Senior Player of the Year honors in the same year.
Named after one of bowling’s all-time greats, the Senior Don Carter Open, will also benefit two charities — United Cerebral Palsy and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
 
Other stars scheduled to compete are PBA Hall of Famers Dave Soutar, Bradenton, FL; Johnny Petraglia, Jackson, NJ; Tom Baker, King, NC; Dale Eagle, Frisco, Texas; and Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, WA. 

Also entered are 2009 Senior Player of the Year Ron Mohr of Eagle River, Alaska, and 1998 Senior Player of the Year Pete Couture, Titusville, FL.
 
Other Florida standouts entered are five-time PBA Tour and one-time Senior Tour titlist Bob Handley of Winter Park, six-time Senior Tour and four-time PBA Tour winner Steve Neff of Homosassa Springs and four-time Senior Tour and two-time PBA Tour winner Bob Chamberlain of The Villages.
 
Qualifying rounds will be conducted April 18-20 and match finals rounds on April 21. Practice rounds will be conducted the morning of April 17 with pro-am squads conducted at 1, p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. with a special youth pro-am conducted April 16 at 5 p.m. Pro-am entry information may be obtained by contacting Carter Family Bowl at (407) 656-2000. Tickets for qualifying and match play finals rounds are also available by calling Carter Family Bowl.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

O’Neill, Barnes To Represent U.S. In PAN AMERICAN GAMES

Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour stars Bill O'Neill of Southampton, PA, and Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, will represent the United States in the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, in October as points leaders based upon a Pan Am Games qualifier plus their finishing positions in the Bayer USBC Masters and the U.S. Open

O'Neill led with 100 points after topping the Pan Am Games qualifier. Barnes finished with 94 points, nipping Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, SC, by two (92) points. O’Neill topped the 32-game, two-day Pan Am Games qualifier at the International Training and Research Center (ITRC) in Arlington, Texas, with 7,386 pins. Patrick Allen was second with 7,185 and Barnes was third with 7,160. 

The two women representatives will be determined based on finishes in the USBC Queens, U.S. Women's Open and Pan Am Games Trials in early May.

CIMINELLI, WARREN CAPTURE REGIONAL TITLES

With the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season winding down, the PBA Regional program is heating up. In Hubbard, Ohio, Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, N.Y., defeated Brian Kretzer of Dayton, Ohio, 233-226, to win the joint PBA Central/East Region Hubbard Open at Bell-Wick Bowl on March 20. 

The regional title was the first of the year for the 2011 Earl Anthony Memorial champion. Ciminelli earned $2,600 along with his third career regional title. Ciminelli defeated another Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exempt player, Jeff Zaffino of Warren, PA, 199-182, to advance to the title match while Kretzer edged Rhino Page of Dade City, FL, 213-205, in the other semifinal round match. 

In Grants Pass, OR, qualifying leader and hometown favorite Chris Warren defeated Kevin Foley of Reno, Nev., 215-196, to win the PBA Northwest Region’s Caveman Bowl Open on Sunday. The title was Warren’s 26th in the Northwest Region. He also earned $1,700. 

Assuming the qualifying rules remain the same, Jeff Schrum of Cherryville. NC, became one of the year’s first to qualify for the 2012 PBA Tournament of Champions when he defeated William Banks of Laurel Hill, NC, 238-139, to win his first PBA title and $1,700 in the PBA Fayetteville NC, Senior Open Sunday at Lafayette Lanes. 

The only PBA regional scheduled for this weekend is the joint PBA Midwest/Central Region Stars & Strikes Open sponsored by Allstate at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., near St. Louis.

Loschetter Wins Kuwait International Open

Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour competitor Chris Loschetter defeated Norway’s Tore Torgersen, 255-186, to win the $25,000 first prize in the Kuwait International Open at Cozmo Bowl in Kuwait City, Kuwait, Tuesday. 

Loschetter was the top qualifier for the stepladder finals. Finland’s Osku Palermaa, who won the GEICO Shark Championship earlier in the season to lock up an exemption for the 2011-12 PBA Tour campaign, finished fifth. 

Exempt Tour players Sean Rash of Montgomery, IL, finished sixth; Jason Belmonte of Australia finished eighth; Stuart Williams of England finished 10th and Ronnie Russell of Marion, IN, finished 17th. 

The Kuwait Open was the fifth of seven events on the new World Bowling Tour schedule. The final two events will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 24-30, and in Sydney, Australia, Oct. 10-22.

Bowling on ESPN Classic

ESPN Classic will air the finals of the 2008 PBA Chameleon Championship from Taylor, MI, on Monday, April 11, at 11 p.m. Eastern and the finals of the 2008 PBA Ultimate Scoring Challenge, also from Taylor, on Monday, April 18, at 11 p.m. Eastern.

Kulick and O'Neill Named Bowler(s) of the Year

Kelly Kulick of Union, NJ, and Bill O'Neill of Southampton, PA, capped off impressive years by being named 2010 female and male Bowlers of the Year by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA).

Kulick was a near-unanimous selection with 46 of 48 first-place votes from BWAA members. With each vote worth five points and no second- or third-place votes (two and one point, respectively), Kulick totaled 230 points. Wendy Macpherson of Henderson, NV, received the other two top votes but finished third in the voting with 25 points behind Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, NY, with 43. Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, was fourth with 16 points and Brenda (Edwards) Padilla of Mansfield, Texas, fifth with 14.  

O'Neill led the men's voting with 25 of 48 first-place votes and 152 total points. Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, had 11 first-place votes and 100 points while Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, FL, had 12 first-place votes and 95 points. Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, with four points and Mike Fagan of Patchogue, NY, with three were the other finalists.

Kulick had one of the greatest years of any bowler in 2010. In January, she became the first woman to win a Professional Bowlers Association national title in the PBA Tournament of Champions. In April, she captured her second United States Bowling Congress Queens title. And just two weeks later, she won the U.S. Women's Open.

Those feats alone likely would have netted Kulick the top 2010 honor but she wasn't finished. Later in the year, she captured gold medals in doubles and team, silver in all-events and bronze in singles and trios in the Pan American Confederation Women's Championships (PABCON). She also won a PBA regional in Lakewood, WA, and the Malaysian Open.

For the year, she averaged 219.32 and earned $46,440 in the PBA Women's Series.

O'Neill nearly matched Kulick. He captured the Men's U.S. Open and the PBA Pepsi Viper Championship, was runner-up in the PBA World Championships and fifth in the USBC Masters. He also earned gold medals in the singles, all-events and team events in the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Championships.

O'Neill averaged 222.32 and earned $140,565 during PBA competitions held in 2010.

Kulick and O'Neill will receive their awards in June during the BWAA Annual Meetings and International Bowl Expo in Grapevine, Texas.

Women's US Open Lane Play Discussion Complete Series

Thanks to Ebonite International and their family of Brands. The Complete Video Series with Del Warren, Kelly Kulick and Liz Johnson. Click Here.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The TV Match-ups for The PBA Dick Weber Playoffs Sunday on ESPN

Walter Ray Williams Jr. will try to extend his Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) record for winning at least one title in a season to 18 years during Sunday’s ESPN telecast of the Go RVing Regional Championship round of the inaugural Dick Weber PBA Playoffs at Woodland Bowl, in Indianapolis, IN.  

The ESPN telecast, featuring nine players competing for three berths in the PBA Playoffs Conference Championships on April 10, will air Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. 

Williams, who came into the final event of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season without a title, qualified second in the three-player Central Region field behind Dick Allen and ahead of Mika Koivuniemi. The 47-time PBA Tour champion from Ocala, FL, must beat Allen and Koivuniemi in their one-game match to keep his titles streak alive. Allen is trying for his first PBA Tour title since winning the Motel 6 Classic in January 2006. Koivuniemi, who won the $250,000 first prize in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions in January, is trying for his second title of the season. 

Sunday’s Go RVing Regional Championships round also will include the East and South Region finals. The East Region final will include PBA Rookie of the Year candidate Scott Norton; seven-time PBA Tour champion Steve Jaros and 2009 PBA World Champion Tom Smallwood. Norton, a practicing attorney, won his first title in the PBA Chameleon Championship in Las Vegas earlier in the season. Jaros is making a television appearance for the 20th consecutive season. Smallwood is making his fourth TV appearance of the season. 

The South Region championship will be decided among 13-time PBA Tour winner Tommy Jones, four-time PBA Tour titlist Ryan Shafer and regional qualifier Randy Weiss. Jones is making his fourth TV appearance of the season. Shafer is trying for his first title in seven years. Weiss, a 10-time PBA Regional title-winner and former PBA Tour exempt player, will make his national television debut in his bid for his first PBA Tour title. 

A preview of Sunday’s Go RVing Regional Championships round can be seen on pba.com’s Xtra Frame. To subscribe to the PBA’s exclusive online video streaming service, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame logo. 

The Lucas Oil Regional Championship round which airs at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 3, will feature the Midwest, Southwest and West/Northwest Region Championship matches. The Midwest Region finalists are Bill O’Neill, Jack Jurek and Wes Malott. Advancing to the Southwest Region finale are Dino Castillo, Jason Belmonte and Brad Angelo. West/Northwest finalists are Lennie Boresch Jr., Chris Barnes and Lonnie Waliczek. 

In the Conference Championship airing on Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern, the East Region winner will bowl one game against the South Region winner, the Central Region winner will bowl against the Midwest winner, and the Southwest winner will meet the West/Northwest winner. The three Conference Championship winners will return to Indianapolis on Sunday, April 17, for the final live telecast of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season.  

DICK WEBER PBA PLAYOFFS Go RVing Regional Championships 
Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis (ESPN, Sunday, 2:30 p.m. Eastern) 

East Region Finalists (highest score from one-game match advances to Conference Championships to meet South Region winner in a one-game match on ESPN on Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern): Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, CA; Steve Jaros, Yorkville, IL, and Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, MI. 

South Region Finalists (highest score from one-game match advances to Conference Championships to meet East Region winner in a one-game match on ESPN on Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern): Tommy Jones, Greenville, SC; Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, NY, and Randy Weiss, Columbia, SC. 

Central Region Finalists (highest score from one-game match advances to Conference Championships to meet Midwest Region winner in a one-game match on ESPN on Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern): Dick Allen, Columbia, SC; Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, FL, and Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, MI.

Friday, March 11, 2011

After 5 Rounds, Upsets Pepper the Field Of The PBA Dick Weber Playoffs

Walter Ray Williams Jr., trying to extend his
Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) record for winning at least one title in a season to 18 years, was among 18 players who advanced to Sunday’s Regional Championships in the Dick Weber PBA Playoffs at Woodland Bowl Friday.

Williams, who owns the PBA Tour record for career titles with 47, finished second in the four-player Central Region, to keep his title hopes alive. The Dick Weber PBA Playoffs is the final tournament of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season, which means it’s the last chance for the 51-year-old from Ocala, FL.

The PBA Playoffs is six tournaments-in-one, featuring six regional groups 
bowling elimination rounds within their respective regions. Three players of 
four players from each Region remain in the hunt after Round Five, but like the 
NCAA basketball brackets, upsets took a toll on the inaugural event.

In Round Four, 2011 U.S. Open Norm Duke of Clermont, FL, became the third PBA 
Hall of Famer eliminated during Friday’s action. Duke finished sixth in the 
South Region, missing the cut to the top four by 24 pins. Among the Tour’s top 
six points leaders for 2010-11 who were seeded into the Regions for Round Four, 
only Sean Rash of Montgomery, IL, failed to advance when he finished fifth in 
the East Region.

In Round Three earlier Friday, where the top five of eight advanced, bowlers 
eliminated included Rhino Page of Dade City, FL, who had been the top 
qualifier in both previous rounds in the East Region, and Kelly Kulick of Union, 
NJ, who finished eighth in the Southwest Region after leading Round One and 
finishing fifth in Round Two. PBA Hall of Famers Parker Bohn III of Jackson, 
NJ and Tom Baker of King, NC. (South Region), and 2011 Bayer USBC Masters 
champion Tom Hess of Urbandale, Iowa (Midwest Region) also failed to survive 
Round Three.

In Round Five, Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland, MI, who won the $1 million PBA 
Tournament of Champions earlier in the season, but lost the U.S. Open title two 
weeks ago when he missed a 10 pin in the 10th frame, kept his hopes alive by 
converting the 2-8 in the 10th frame and striking on his fill ball to edge Dan 
MacLelland of Saginaw, MI, was three pins for the third spot in the Central 
Region. Dick Allen of Columbia, SC, and Williams also advanced.

In the East Region, PBA Rookie of the Year candidate Scott Norton of Costa Mesa, 
CA; seven-time PBA Tour champion Steve Jaros of Yorkville, IL, and 2009 
PBA World Champion Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, MI, advanced.

In the South Region, 13-time PBA Tour winner Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, SC; 
four-time titlist Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, NY, and regional qualifier Randy 
Weiss of Columbia, SC, advanced. Weiss has never won a PBA Tour title.

Current season points leader Bill O’Neill of Southampton, PA, moved on with a 
second-place finish in the Midwest Region along with six-game leader Jack Jurek 
of Lackawanna, NY, and third-place finisher Wes Malott of Pflugerville, TX. 
Malott fired a 248 final game to overtake local favorite Ronnie Russell of 
Marion, IN, for the final spot in the Midwest.

Chris Barnes of Double Oak, TX, the 2010 PBA World Champion, was second in 
the West/Northwest along with Round Five leader Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, 
WI, and Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, KS. Boresch is trying for his first PBA 
Tour title. Waliczek, who won both of his titles during the 2002-03 season, 
rolled a 248 final game to knock Baltimore’s Danny Wiseman out of the Regional 
Championship round.

Advancing in the Southwest Region were Dino Castillo, Carrollton, TX; 
Australian two-handed star Jason Belmonte and Brad Angelo, Lockport, NY. 
Castillo is trying for his first title. Belmonte and Angelo each have won one 
title.

In Sunday’s first Regional Championship at 9 a.m., the three East, South and 
Central Region survivors will bowl one game matches with the winner in each 
Region advancing to the Conference Championship at 3:30 p.m. In the second 
Regional Championship at 1 p.m., the three Midwest, Southwest and West/Northwest 
survivors will bowl one-game matches to determine the other three Conference 
Championship finalists.

In the Conference Championship, the East Region winner will bowl one game 
against the South Region winner, the Central Region winner will bowl against the 
Midwest winner, and the Southwest winner will meet the West/Northwest winner.

The Regional Championships will air on ESPN on Sunday, March 27, at 2:30 p.m., 
and Sunday, April 3, at 1 p.m. Eastern, respectively. The Conference 
Championship will air on Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern, respectively.

The three Conference Championship winners will return to Indianapolis on Sunday, 
April 17, for the final live telecast of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour 
season. In the first match, the three finalists will bowl one game with the 
lowest score finishing third. The two survivors will bowl two one-game matches. 
If one player wins both, he will win the $50,000 first prize. If they split the 
two games, a one-ball roll-off will decide the title.

DICK WEBER PBA PLAYOFFS Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, Friday

ROUND FIVE (after 6 games, top 3 per region advance to Conference Championships 
Sunday at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Eastern)

East Region
1, Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, Calif., 1,402.
2, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 1,360.
3, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 1,350.
Did not advance:
4, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 1,244, $3,000.

South Region
1, Tommy Jones, Greenville, S.C., 1,455.
2, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,368.
3, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 1,332.
Did not advance:
4, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 1,313, $3,000.

Central Region
1, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,513.
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,479.
3, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 1,452.
Did not advance:
4, Dan MacLelland, Saginaw, Mich., 1,449, $3,000.

Midwest Region
1, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 1,351.
2, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 1,272.
3, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 1,269.
Did not advance:
4, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 1,239, $3,000.

Southwest Region
1, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,309.
2, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 1,296.
3, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 1,283.
Did not advance:
4, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 1,221, $3,000.

West/Northwest Region
1, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 1,342.
2, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1,309.
3, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 1,295.
Did not advance:
4, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 1,283, $3,000.

ROUND FOUR (after 6 games, top 4 per region advance to Round Five Friday night):

East Region
1, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 1,395.
2, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 1,391.
3, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 1,370.
4, Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, Calif., 1,340.
Did not advance:
5, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 1,299, $2,500.
6, Jeffrey Voght, Canojaharie, N.Y., 1,225, $2,500.

South Region
1, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,467.
2, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 1,418.
3, Tommy Jones, Greenville, S.C., 1,414.
4, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 1,362.
Did not advance:
5, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 1,355, $2,500.
6, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 1,338, $2,500.

Central Region
1, Dan MacLelland, Saginaw, Mich., 1,523.
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,410.
3, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,396.
4, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 1,384.
Did not advance:
5, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 1,257, $2,500.
6, Brian Thompson, Flat Rock, Mich., 1,234, $2,500.
  300 game – Walter Ray Williams Jr.

Midwest Region
1, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 1,492.
2, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 1,377.
3, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 1,365.
4, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 1,311.
Did  not advance:
5, Sean Swanson, Springfield, Mo., 1,304, $2,500.
6, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 1,271, $2,500.

Southwest Region
1, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 1,471.
2, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 1,312.
3, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,307.
4, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 1,302.
Did not advance:
5, Mike DeVaney, Murrieta, Calif., 1,301, $2,500.
6, D.J. Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas, 1,237, $2,500.

West/Northwest Region
1, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 1,603.
2, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1,471.
3, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 1,459.
4, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 1,447.
Did not advance:
5, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 1,404, $2,500.
6, Gregory Thompson Jr., Dublin, Calif., 1,220, $2,500.
  300 games – Danny Wiseman (2).

ROUND THREE (after 6 games, top 5 per region advance):

East Region
1, Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, Calif., 1,425.
2, Jeffrey Voght, Canojaharie, N.Y., 1,423.
3, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 1,410.
4, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 1,348.
5, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 1,347.
Did not advance:
6, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 1,328, $2,000.
7, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 1,308, $2,000.
8, Jeff Zaffino, Warren, Pa., 1,300, $2,000.
  300 game – Jeffrey Voght.

South Region
1, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 1,455.
2, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,442.
3, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 1,383.
4, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 1,380.
5, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 1,328.
Did not advance:
6, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,310, $2,000.
7, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 1,299, $2,000.
8, Kip Roberts, Glenallen, Va., 1,290, $0,000.

Central Region
1, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,501.
2, Dan MacLelland, Saginaw, Mich., 1,459.
3, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,458.
4, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 1,385.
5, Brian Thompson, Flat Rock, Mich., 1,360.
Did not advance:
6, Troy Stus, South Lyon, Mich., 1,356, $2,000.
7, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 1,340, $2,000.
8, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 1,320, $2,000.
  300 game – Troy Stus.

Midwest Region
1, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 1,500.
2, Sean Swanson, Springfield, Mo., 1,470.
3, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 1,413.
4, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 1,368.
5, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 1,366.
Did not advance:
6, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 1,356, $2,000.
7, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 1,305, $2,000.
8, Michael Steil, Wheeling, Ill., 1,234, $2,000.

Southwest Region
1, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 1,442.
2, D.J. Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas, 1,422.
3, Mike DeVaney, Murrieta, Calif., 1,400.
4, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,366.
5, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 1,343.
Did not advance:
6, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,340, $2,000.
7, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 1,324, $2,000.
8, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 1,244, $2,000.

West/Northwest Region
1, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 1,530.
2, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 1,518.
3, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 1,500.
4, Gregory Thompson Jr., Dublin, Calif., 1,490.
5, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 1,445.
Did not advance:
6, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 1,409, $2,000.
7, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 1,398, $2,000.
8, PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 1,334, $2,000.
  300 games – Lennie Boresch Jr., Michael Haugen Jr.

Dick Weber PBA Playoffs Chock Full of Surprises

In the grand tradition of basketball’s March Madness, the Dick Weber PBA Playoffs staged its own series of dramatic surprises Thursday night at Woodland Bowl.

Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli of Venezuela, who earlier in the day dominated the South Region, was eliminated from the tournament in Round Two when he finished the six-game round in 10th place. The top seven of 10 players in each Region advance to Round Three. Mike Edwards of Tulsa, OK, led the South Region in Round Two with a 1,407 pinfall total.

The Dick Weber PBA Playoffs is six-tournaments-in-one, featuring six independent regional groups bowling elimination rounds within their respective regions. The event is named in honor of the PBA Tour legend who grew up in Indianapolis.

In other Thursday night highlights, Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, FL, the PBA Tour’s all-time titles leader with 47, advanced in the Central Region in second place behind Region leader Dick Allen of Columbia, SC. Williams needs to win the PBA Playoffs, the final event of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season, in order to extend his PBA record of winning at least one title per year to 18 years.

Also in the Central Region, Troy Stus of South Lyon, MI, rolled a 224 game to win a one-game roll-off against PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber (197), Dick Weber’s son, and Kenneth Kolberg Jr. (191) of Cleveland, Ohio, after they tied for seventh place. Weber and Kolberg were eliminated from the playoffs.

In the East Region, Rhino Page of Dade City, FL, led his group after both rounds, finishing the second round with 1,421 pins, but 13-time PBA Tour champion Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, FL, finished ninth in Round Two and was eliminated after a fourth-place finish earlier in the day.

In the Midwest, Tom Hess of Urbandale, Iowa, who won his first PBA Tour title in the Bayer United States Bowling Congress Masters in February, paced his Region with 1,402 pins, but the drama in Hess’ group came from local favorite Ronnie Russell of Marion, Ind., who was last after two games, but rallied with a 239 final game to earn the sixth of seven spots advancing to Friday’s Round Three.

Eugene McCune of Munster, IN, led the Southwest Region with 1,400 pins after barely sneaking into Round Two. Round One leader Kelly Kulick of Union, NJ, advanced by placing fifth in Round Two.

Baltimore’s Danny Wiseman, a 12-time PBA Tour winner, paced the West/Northwest Region with 1,440 pins.

In Friday’s Round Three, the PBA Tour players who finished seventh through 12th on the 2010-11 points list will be seeded into the competition (Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, MI, in the East; Dan MacLelland, Saginaw, MI, in the Central; Norm Duke, Clermont, FL, in the South; Wes Malott, Pflugerville, TX, in the Midwest; Mike DeVaney, Murrieta, CA, in the Southwest, and Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, AZ, in the West/Northwest. After six games, the top five out of seven in each Region will advance to Round Four.

For Round Four, the six top seeds for the season – Sean Rash, Montgomery, IL, East; Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, MI, Central; Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, SC, South; Bill O’Neill, Southampton, PA, Midwest; Jason Belmonte, Australia, Southwest, and Chris Barnes, Double Oak, TX, West/Northwest – will enter the tournament for another six-game round. The top four of six per Region will advance to Round Five.

After Friday night’s Round Five, three survivors in each Region will advance to two Regional Championship and one Conference Championship television shows. The television rounds will be contested at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday for for delayed telecast on ESPN on Sunday, March 27, at 2:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 3, at 1 p.m. Eastern, and Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern, respectively.

The six Conference Championship survivors will return to Indianapolis on Sunday, April 17, for the final live telecast of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season. ESPN will air the finals at 1 p.m. Eastern. First prize in the event is $50,000.

All of the remaining elimination rounds are being covered live on Xtra Frame, pba.com’s exclusive online video streaming service. To subscribe, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame logo.

All rounds also are being covered via special brackets on pba.com.

DICK WEBER PBA PLAYOFFS - Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, Thursday

ROUND TWO (after 6 games, top 7 per region advance to Round Three Friday morning):

East Region
1, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 1,421.
2, Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, Calif., 1,382.
3, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 1,363.
4, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 1,356.
5, Jeffrey Voght, Canojaharie, N.Y., 1,331.
6, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 1,308.
7, Jeff Zaffino, Warren, Pa., 1,278.
Did not advance:
8, Tom Sorce, Blasdell, N.Y., 1,246, $1,500.
9, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1,194, $1,500.
10, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 1,144, $1,500.

South Region
1, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 1,407.
2, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,378.
3, Kip Roberts, Glenallen, Va., 1,347.
4, (tie) Tom Baker, King, N.C., and Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 1,345.
6, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 1,340.
7, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,331.
Did not advance:
8, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 1,320, $1,500.
9, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 1,269, $1,500.
10, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 1,204, $1,500.

Central Region
1, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,488.
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,463.
3, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 1,368.
4, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 1,353.
5, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 1,326.
6, Brian Thompson, Flat Rock, Mich., 1,320.
7, x-Troy Stus, South Lyon, Mich., 1,284.
Did not advance:
8, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1,284, $1,500.
9, Kenneth Kolberg Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, 1,284, $1,500.
10, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 1,255, $1,500.
  x-Stus (224) defeated Weber (197) and Kolberg (191) in a one-game roll-off for seventh place.

Midwest Region
1, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 1,402.
2, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 1,396.
3, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 1,356.
4, Michael Steil, Wheeling, Ill., 1,341.
5, Sean Swanson, Springfield, Mo., 1,298.
6, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 1,270.
7, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 1,265.
Did not advance:
8, Stuart Williams, England, 1,261, $1,500.
9, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 1,251, $1,500.
10, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 1,214, $1,500.
Southwest Region
1, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,400.
2, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 1,361.
3, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 1,348.
4, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 1,343.
5, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 1,307.
6, D.J. Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas, 1,305.
7, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,277.
Did not advance:
8, Brett Cooper, Fort Worth, Texas, 1,252, $1,500.
9, Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., 1,199, $1,500.
10, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 1,164, $1,500.

West/Northwest Region
1, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 1,440.
2, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 1,391.
3, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 1,375.
4, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 1,357.
5, Gregory Thompson Jr., Dublin, Calif., 1,350.
6, PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 1,335.
7, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 1,333.
Did not advance
8, Thomas Ault Jr., Portland, Ore., 1,331, $1,500.
9, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 1,280, $1,500.
10, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 1,194, $1,500.
ROUND ONE (after 15 games, top 9 per region advanced to Round Two Thursday evening):

East Region
1, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 3,564.
2, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 3,495.
3, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 3,408.
4, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3,388.
5, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 3,351.
6, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 3,256.
7, Tom Sorce, Blasdell, N.Y., 3,235.
7, Jeffrey Voght, Canojaharie, N.Y., 3,235.
9, Jeff Zaffino, Warren, Pa., 3,211.
Did not advance:
10, John Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y., 3,204, $1,200.
11, Joe Paluszek, Bensalem, Pa., 3,202, $1,150.
12, Terry Miller, York, Pa., 3,199, $1,120.
13, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 3,198, $1,100.
14, David Beres, Waukesha, Wis., 3,192.
15, Jason Stadtler, Cherry Hill, N.J., 3,142.
16, John Furey, East Windsor, N.J., 3,118.
17, Jim Tomek Jr., Camp Hill, Pa., 3,045.
18, Jason Weaver, Denver, Pa., 3,004.
19, Tommy Gollick, Oberlin, Pa., 2,988.
20, Charles Anderson, Sloatsburg, N.Y., 2,969.
21, Kevin Cartier, Beverly, N.J., 2,962.
22, Stephen Haas, Enola, Pa., 2,961.
23, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 2,888.
24, Michael Tweed Sr., Camp Hill, Pa., 2,743.

South Region
1, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3,521.
2, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 3,442.
3, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 3,394.
4, Kip Roberts, Glenallen, Va., 3,363.
5, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 3,329.
6, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 3,318.
7, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 3,287.
8, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3,255.
9, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3,247.
Did not advance:
10, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 3,237, $1,200.
11, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3,220, $1,150.
12, Bobby Hall II, Landover, Md., 3,203, $1,120.
13, Dave Arnold, Dublin, Calif., 3,167.
14, Ronnie Horton, Christiansburg, Va., 3,165.
15, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 3,164.
16, Joseph Hostetler, Minerva, Ohio, 3,157.
17, Christopher Collins, Savannah, Ga., 3,089.
18, Dale Eagle, Tavares, Fla., 3,079.
19, Ron Schoenbachler, Indianapolis, 3,065.
20, Seby Silvestri, Louisville, Ky., 3,050.
21, (tie) Richard Chmura, Lumberton, N.C., and Steve Taylor, Madison Heights, Va., 3,017.
23, Josh Chambliss, Charleston, S.C., 3,015.

Central Region
1, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 3,404.
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,357.
3, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 3,327.
4, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 3,314.
5, Brian Thompson, Flat Rock, Mich., 3,305.
6, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 3,302.
7, Troy Stus, South Lyon, Mich., 3,252.
8, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 3,240.
9, Kenneth Kolberg Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, 3,212.
Did not advance:
10, Jack Laffey, Indianapolis, 3,211, $1,200.
11, Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 3,207, $1,150.
12, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 3,201, $1,120.
13, Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 3,161.
14, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 3,137.
15, Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 3,128.
16, Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., 3,120.
17, Larry Verble, Mason, Mich., 3,063.
18, Tim Bell, Garden City, Mich, 3,061.
19, Paul Gibson, Brunswick, Ohio, 3,056.
20, Rick Zakrajsek, Lorain, Ohio, 3,028.
21, Matt Freiberg, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,969.
22, Carleton Chambers, Detroit, 2,898.
23, Ted Rosenquist Jr., Valparaiso, Ind., 2,860.

Midwest Region
1, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 3,541.
2, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 3,540.
3, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 3,445.
4, Stuart Williams, England, 3,433.
5, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 3,409.
6, Michael Steil, Wheeling, Ill., 3,402.
7, Sean Swanson, Springfield, Mo., 3,333.
8, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 3,274.
9, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 3,271.
Did not advance:
10, Marc Heninger, Tonganoxie, Kan., 3,212, $1,200.
11, Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa, 3,198, $1,150.
12, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 3,189, $1,120.
13, Chad Maas, Waukesha, Wis., 3,168.
14, Mark London, Ingleside, Ill., 3,133.
15, Quinton Bohlen, Decorah, Iowa, 3,104.
16, Dallas Baldridge, Lenexa, Kan., 3,061.
17, Brian Menini, Brookfield, Mo., 2,987.
18, Carmen Salvino, Schaumburg, Ill., 2,986.
19, Tim Mack, Indianapolis, 2,957.
20, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 2,946.
21, John Slavich IV, Schaumburg, Ill., 2,898.
22, Nick Weber, Foristell, Mo., 2,842.
23, Jason Wojnar, Chicago, withdrew.
  300 game – Jack Jurek.

Southwest Region
1, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 3,475.
2, Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., 3,453.
3, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 3,401.
4, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 3,385.
5, D.J. Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas, 3,360.
6, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 3,322.
7, Brett Cooper, Fort Worth, Texas, 3,301.
8, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 3,187.
9, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 3,182.
Did not advance:
10, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 3,147, $1,200.
11, Bill Alexander, San Angelo, Texas, 3,133, $1,150.
12, Chris Hibbitts II, Ft Worth, Texas, 3,116, $1,120.
13, Jay Futrell, Derby, Kan., 3,108.
14, Kurt Gengelbach, Carrollton, Texas, 3,088.
15, Jim Carter, Keller, Texas, 3,075.
16, Andy Patterson, Tyler, Texas, 3,036.
17, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 2,994.
18, Andy Mortensen, Tulsa, Okla., 2,977.
19, Danny Neill, Allen, Texas, 2,972.
20, Kris Koeltzow, Wheat Ridge, Colo., 2,936.
21, Robert McBride, Mesquite, Texas, 2,839.
22, Darren Comardelle, Gretna, La., 2,750.
23, Mike Keily, Littleton, Colo., 2,646.
  300 game – Stevie Weber.

West/Northwest Region                     
1, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 3,576.
2, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 3,543.
3, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 3,524.
4, Gregory Thompson Jr., Dublin, Calif., 3,506.
5, Thomas Ault Jr., Portland, Ore., 3,435.
6, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 3,414.
7, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 3,405.
8, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 3,364.
9, PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 3,351.
Did not advance:
10, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 3,322, $1,200.
11, Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., 3,315, $1,150.
12, Corey Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., 3,303, $1,120.
13, Dave Wodka, Chatsworth, Calif., 3,302.
14, Rick Francis, Linden, Calif., 3,275.
15, Jon Brandon, Santa Clarita, Calif., 3,207.
16, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 3,111.
17, Justin Howard, Rushville, Ind., 3,018.
18, Andre Eubanks, Los Angeles, 3,005.
19, Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 2,972.
20, Kerry Fulford, Brownwood, Texas, 2,906.
21, John Wilcox, Kirkland, Wash., 2,576.
22, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, withdrew.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Kelly Kulick Tops First Round of PBA Dick Weber Playoffs

Kelly Kulick of Union, NJ, the only woman ever to win a Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title, took command of her regional group Wednesday after the first 10 of 15 games in the opening round of the Dick Weber PBA Playoffs at Woodland Bowl Wednesday.

Kulick, who won the 2010 PBA Tournament of Champions, averaged 247.2 for 10 games for a 2,472 pinfall total to not only lead the Southwest Region into Thursday’s final five first-round games, but to pace the entire tournament field. Kulick, who was seeded into the Southwest Region after qualifying a disappointing 50th on the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour competition points standings, had 299, 290 and a pair of 278s games Wednesday.

Other regional leaders were Rhino Page of Dade City, FL, the South Region leader with 2,471 pins – one behind Kulick; Lonnie Waliczek of Wichita, KS, in the West/Northwest Region with a 2,358 total; Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, with a 2,399 total in the Midwest Region; Venezuela’s Amleto Monacelli with a 2,324 total in the South Region, and Billy Oatman of Chicago paced the Central Region with a 2,246 total. Among the six regional leaders, Oatman is the only one without a PBA Tour title.
“I’ve known something was wrong for a while,” Kulick said of her sub-par season. “The (Earl Anthony Memorial) in Dublin (CA) was frustrating, but the eye-opener was last week at the Mark Roth Plastic Ball Championship. It didn’t matter if I was throwing plastic or urethane balls. I was getting the same reactions, so that re-confirmed my problem was physical rather than mechanical to get the ball to do what I wanted it to do.

“My arm swing bumped right at start and went behind my back,” she continued. “My swing plane wasn’t straight, so my hand couldn’t repeat a consistent release. It magnified my misses. With Mike Machuga’s help, I have created a different feel by pushing the ball left in my approach, which makes my swing straighter and my release effortless. And so far it’s working; I’m not trying to over-analyze it. It’s still a long week.”

The PBA playoffs feature six independent regional groups bowling elimination rounds within their respective regions. The first round concludes Thursday morning with a final five-game session. After 15 games, the top nine from each Region will advance to the second round Thursday evening where they will be joined by six Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour players who finished 13th through 18th in 2010-11 competition points (Ronnie Russell, Marion, IN; Pete Weber, St. Ann, MO; Jason Couch, Clermont, FL; Mike Fagan, Patchogue, NY; Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, CA, and Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, NY. Elimination rounds will continue Friday when 12 more seeded Exempt Tour players will enter the competition.

On Sunday, the three survivors in each Region will advance to two Regional Championship and one Conference Championship television shows. The television shows at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern will be taped for delayed telecast on ESPN on Sunday, March 27, at 2:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 3, at 1 p.m. Eastern, and Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Eastern, respectively.

The six Conference Championship survivors will return to Indianapolis on Sunday, April 17, for the final live telecast of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season. ESPN will air the finals at 1 p.m. Eastern. First prize in the event is $50,000.

All of the elimination rounds Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are being video streamed live on Xtra Frame, pba.com’s exclusive online video streaming service. To subscribe, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame logo.

All rounds also are being covered via special brackets on pba.com.

DICK WEBER PBA PLAYOFFS - Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, March 9, 2011

ROUND ONE (after 10 of 15 games; final 5 games Thursday morning; top 9 per region after 15 games advance to Round Two):

East Region
1, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 2,471.
2, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 2,315.
3, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 2,266.
4, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,260.
5, Jeffrey Voght, Canojaharie, N.Y., 2,220.
6, Tom Sorce, Blasdell, N.Y., 2,190.
7, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 2,187.
8, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 2,155.
9, John Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y., 2,145.
10, Terry Miller, York, Pa., 2,130.
11, Jason Stadtler, Cherry Hill, N.J., 2,109.
12, Jeff Zaffino, Warren, Pa., 2,105.
13, David Beres, Waukesha, Wis., 2,089.
14, Joe Paluszek, Bensalem, Pa., 2,083.
15, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 2,081.
16, Jim Tomek Jr., Camp Hill, Pa., 2,019.
17, Kevin Cartier, Beverly, N.J., 2,014.
18, Jason Weaver, Denver, Pa., 2,012.
19, Stephen Haas, Enola, Pa., 2,001.
20, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,985.
21, Tommy Gollick, Oberlin, Pa., 1,969.
22, John Furey, East Windsor, N.J., 1,962.
23, Charles Anderson, Sloatsburg, N.Y., 1,941.
24, Michael Tweed Sr., Camp Hill, Pa., 1,838.

South Region
1, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 2,324.
2, Kip Roberts, Glenallen, Va., 2,323.
3, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 2,321.
4, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 2,320.
5, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 2,262.
6, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 2,261.
7, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 2,240.
8, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 2,209.
9, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 2,186.
10, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,178.
11, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 2,177.
12, Bobby Hall II, Landover, Md., 2,151.
13, Joseph Hostetler, Minerva, Ohio, 2,131.
14, Christopher Collins, Savannah, Ga., 2,126.
15, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 2,109.
16, Ron Schoenbachler, Indianapolis, 2,096.
17, Ronnie Horton, Christiansburg, Va., 2,086.
18, Josh Chambliss, Charleston, S.C., 2,085.
19, Dave Arnold, Dublin, Calif., 2,068.
20, Seby Silvestri, Louisville, Ky., 2,067.
21, Dale Eagle, Tavares, Fla., 2,057.
22, Steve Taylor, Madison Heights, Va., 2,011.
23, Richard Chmura, Lumberton, N.C., 2,002.
  300 game – Bobby Hall II.

Central Region
1, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 2,246.
2, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 2,199.
3, Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 2,191.
4, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 2,189.
5, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 2,180.
6, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 2,176.
7, Larry Verble, Mason, Mich., 2,152.
8, Jack Laffey, Indianapolis, 2,148.
9, Brian Thompson, Flat Rock, Mich., 2,144.
10, Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 2,130.
11, Troy Stus, South Lyon, Mich., 2,121.
12, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 2,115.
13, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 2,085.
14, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 2,065.
15, Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., 2,064.
16, Tim Bell, Garden City, Mich, 2,061.
17, Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 2,059.
18, Matt Freiberg, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,042.
19, Kenneth Kolberg Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, 2,024.
20, Paul Gibson, Brunswick, Ohio, 2,022.
21, Rick Zakrajsek, Lorain, Ohio, 2,004.
22, Ted Rosenquist Jr., Valparaiso, Ind., 1,948.
23, Carleton Chambers, Detroit, 1,843.
  300 game – Anthony LaCaze.

Midwest Region
1, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 2,399.
2, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 2,339.
3, Stuart Williams, England, 2,309.
4, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 2,288.
5, Michael Steil, Wheeling, Ill., 2,260.
6, Sean Swanson, Springfield, Mo., 2,253.
7, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 2,222.
8, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 2,211.
9, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 2,145.
10, Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa, 2,123.
11, Marc Heninger, Tonganoxie, Kan., 2,089.
12, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 2,081.
13, Mark London, Ingleside, Ill., 2,070.
14, Dallas Baldridge, Lenexa, Kan., 2,057.
15, Chad Maas, Waukesha, Wis., 2,023.
16, Brian Menini, Brookfield, Mo., 2,017.
17, Quinton Bohlen, Decorah, Iowa, 2,008.
18, John Slavich IV, Schaumburg, Ill., 1,992.
19, Carmen Salvino, Schaumburg, Ill., 1,990.
20, Tim Mack, Indianapolis, 1,988.
21, Nick Weber, Foristell, Mo., 1,977.
22, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 1,972.
23, Jason Wojnar, Chicago, 1,894.
  300 game – Mike Steil.

Southwest Region
1, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 2,472.
2, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 2,304.
3, D.J. Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas, 2,299.
4, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 2,275.
5, Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., 2,207.
6, Brett Cooper, Fort Worth, Texas, 2,177.
7, Chris Hibbitts II, Ft Worth, Texas, 2,158.
8, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 2,132.
9, Kris Koeltzow, Wheat Ridge, Colo., 2,095.
10, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 2,074.
11, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 2,072.
12, Kurt Gengelbach, Carrollton, Texas, 2,070.
13, Jay Futrell, Derby, Kan., 2,069.
14, Danny Neill, Allen, Texas, 2,039.
15, (tie) Andy Patterson, Tyler, Texas, and Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 2,035.
17, Bill Alexander, San Angelo, Texas, 2,019.
18, Andy Mortensen, Tulsa, Okla., 1,979.
19, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,970.
20, Jim Carter, Keller, Texas, 1,922.
21, Robert McBride, Mesquite, Texas, 1,846.
22, Darren Comardelle, Gretna, La., 1,773.
23, Mike Keily, Littleton, Colo., 1,619.

West/Northwest Region
1, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 2,358.
2, Gregory Thompson Jr., Dublin, Calif., 2,331.
3, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 2,316.
4, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 2,298.
5, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 2,294.
6, Thomas Ault Jr., Portland, Ore., 2,284.
7, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 2,280.
8, (tie) Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., and Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 2,276.
10, Rick Francis, Linden, Calif., 2,263.
11, Corey Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., 2,224.
12, PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 2,199.
13, Dave Wodka, Chatsworth, Calif., 2,160.
14, Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., 2,147.
15, Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 2,104.
16, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 2,083.
17, Jon Brandon, Santa Clarita, Calif., 2,080.
18, Justin Howard, Rushville, Ind., 1,998.
19, Kerry Fulford, Brownwood, Texas, 1,988.
20, Andre Eubanks, Los Angeles, 1,952.
21, John Wilcox, Kirkland, Wash., 1,680.
22, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, withdrew.

Dick Weber PBA Playoffs

The final event of the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour’s 2010-11 season got underway Wednesday at Woodland Bowl when 156 PBA exempt players and PBA Regional competitors butt heads in a new Dick Weber PBA Playoffs.

The inaugural PBA Playoffs will feature three “elimination” television shows leading into the final live telecast of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season on Sunday, April 17, when the PBA Playoffs championship and its $50,000 first prize will be decided.

Final seedings into the six regional pods for the playoffs were confirmed Tuesday. The new playoffs structure provides for up to three bye rounds for PBA Tour players based upon their points ranking. The top six players who have earned “byes” for three rounds are Bill O'Neill, Southampton, PA; Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, MI; Chris Barnes, Double Oak, TX; Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, SC; Sean Rash, Montgomery, IL, and Jason Belmonte, Australia. Players ranking seventh through 12th will enjoy two bye rounds while those who rank 13th through 18th in points earned one bye round.

The Dick Weber PBA Playoffs is named in honor of the PBA legend who was born and raised in Indianapolis.

DICK WEBER PBA PLAYOFFS
Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, Ind., March 8-13 (live TV finals on April 17)

REGIONAL POD ASSIGNMENTS
(Regional qualifiers are listed below. Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Exempt Players have been seeded into pods based upon their positions on the PBA Tour competition points list as of March 6)

EAST POD
Charles Anderson, Sloatsburg, N.Y.
Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa.
Kevin Cartier, Beverly, N.J.
John Furey, East Windsor, N.J.
Tommy Gollick, Oberlin, Pa.
Stephen Haas, Enola, Pa.
Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y.
Terry Miller, York, Pa.
Joe Paluszek, Bensalem, Pa.
Tom Sorce, Blasdell, N.Y.
Jason Stadtler, Cherry Hill, N.J.
John Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y.
Jim Tomek Jr., Camp Hill, Pa.
Michael Tweed Sr., Camp Hill, Pa.
Eddie Van Daniker, Essex, Md.
Jeffrey Voght, Canojaharie, N.Y.
Jason Weaver, Denver, Pa.
Exempt Tour Players:
Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill.
Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore.
Dave Beres, Waukesha, Wis.
Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla.
John Nolan, Waterford, Mich.
Jeff Zaffino, Warren, Pa.
Elimination Round One bye:
Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, Calif.
Elimination Round One, Two byes:
Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich.
Elimination Round One, Two, Three byes:
Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill.

CENTRAL POD
Tim Bell, Garden City, Mich
Carleton Chambers, Detroit
Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio
Matt Freiberg, Simpsonville, S.C.
Paul Gibson, Brunswick, Ohio
Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich.
Brian Himmler, Cincinnati
Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y.
Nick Kokenos, St. Clair Shores, Mich.
Kenneth Kolberg Jr., Cleveland, Ohio
Jack Laffey, Indianapolis
Billy Oatman, Cleveland
Ted Rosenquist Jr., Valparaiso, Ind.
Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio
Troy Stus, South Lyon, Mich.
Brian Thompson, Flat Rock, Mich.
Larry Verble, Mason, Mich.
Rick Zakrajsek, Lorain, Ohio
Exempt Tour Players:
Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y.
Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C.
Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan.
Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla.
Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill.
Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan.
Elimination Round One bye:
Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo.
Elimination Round One, Two byes:
Dan MacLelland, Saginaw, Mich.
Elimination Round One, Two, Three byes:
Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich.

SOUTH POD
Tom Baker, King, N.C.
Josh Chambliss, Charleston, S.C.
Richard Chmura, Lumberton, N.C.
Chris Collins, Savannah, Ga.
Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Dale Eagle, Frisco, Texas
Ronnie Horton, Christiansburg, Va.
Joseph Hostetler, Minerva, Ohio
Scott Newell, Deland, Fla.
Kip Roberts, Glenallen, Va.
Ron Schoenbachler, Indianapolis
Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga.
Sebi Sylvestri, Louisville, Ky.
Steve Taylor, Madison Heights, Va.
Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C.
Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C.
Exempt Tour Players:
Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J.
Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela
Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio
Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga.
Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla.
Dave Arnold, Dublin, Calif.
Bobby Hall II, Landover, Md.
Elimination Round One bye:
Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y.
Elimination Round One, Two byes:
Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla.
Elimination Round One, Two, Three byes:
Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C.

MIDWEST POD
Diandra Asbaty, Chicago
Dallas Baldridge, Lenexa, Kan.
Quinton Bohlen, Decorah, Iowa
Marc Heninger, Tonganoxie, Kan.
Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa
Mark London, Ingleside, Ill.
Tim Mack, Indianapolis
Chad Maas, Waukesha, Wis.
Brian Menini, Brookfield, Mo.
Carmen Salvino, Schaumburg, Ill.
Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa
John Slavich IV, Schaumburg, Ill.
Mike Steil, Wheeling, Ill.
Sean Swanson, Springfield, Mo.
Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill.
Nick Weber, Foristell, Mo.
Jason Wojnar, Chicago
Exempt Tour Players:
Andres Gomez, Colombia
Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y.
Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill.
Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas
Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind.
Stuart Williams, England
Elimination Round One bye:
Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind.
Elimination Round One, Two byes:
Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas
Elimination Round One, Two, Three byes:
Bill O’Neill, Southampton, Pa.

SOUTHWEST POD
Bill Alexander, San Angelo, Texas
D.J. Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas
Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan.
Jim Carter, Keller, Texas
Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas
Darren Comardelle, Gretna, La.
Brett Cooper, Fort Worth, Texas
Jay Futrell, Derby, Kan.
Kurt Gengelbach, Carrollton, Texas
Chris Hibbitts II, Ft. Worth, Texas
Mike Keily, Littleton, Colo.
Kris Koeltzow, Wheat Ridge, Colo.
Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas
Robert McBride, Mesquite, Texas
Andrew Mortensen, Tulsa, Okla.
Danny Neill, Allen, Texas
Andy Patterson, Tyler, Texas
Exempt Tour Players:
Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y.
Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind.
Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y.
Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J.
Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La.
Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio
Elimination Round One bye:
Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y.
Elimination Round One, Two byes:
Mike DeVaney, Murrieta, Calif.
Elimination Round One, Two, Three byes:
Jason Belmonte, Australia

WEST/NORTHWEST POD
Thomas Ault Jr., Portland, Ore.
Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash.
Jon Brandon, Santa Clarita, Calif.
Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore.
Andre Eubanks, Los Angeles
Rick Francis, Linden, Calif.
Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif.
PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif.
Justin Howard, Rushville, Ind.
Corey Husted, Milwaukie, Ore.
J.T. Jackson, Los Angeles
Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash.
Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore.
Greg Thompson Jr., Dublin, Calif.
John Wilcox, Kirkland, Wash.
Dave Wodka, Chatsworth, Calif.
Exempt Tour Players:Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan.
Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio
Danny Wiseman, Baltimore
Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis.
Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa.
Dave D’Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio
Elimination Round One bye:
Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla.
Elimination Round One, Two byes:
Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz.
Elimination Round One, Two, Three byes:
Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas