Australia’s Jason Belmonte Wins U.S. Open, Becomes Second Bowler to Complete PBA “Super Slam”

LINCOLN, Neb. - Australia's Jason Belmonte no longer will have to answer questions about when he's going to win the U.S. Open or what it would mean to have the iconic green jacket as part of his wardrobe.

The 36-year-old two-hander finally was able to add a U.S. Open title to his

resume Sunday at Sun Valley Lanes with a 226-201 win against top seed Anthony Simonsen of Little Elm, Texas.

The championship round of the prestigious event was broadcast live on FOX, and, in addition to the coveted outerwear, Belmonte took home a $30,000 top prize.

He secured his latest place in the record book in dramatic fashion, converting the difficult 3-6-9-10 spare to shut out Simonsen.

The meeting Sunday was a rematch of the title tilt at the 2019 PBA Players Championship, where Simonsen defeated Belmonte to become the youngest competitor with two major titles. At the same time, he denied Belmonte his record 11th major win, which came a month later at the PBA World Championship.

The two also met in the stepladder at the 2019 U.S. Open, where Simonsen defeated Belmonte on the way to a third-place finish.

This time, Simonsen, 23, was looking to become the youngest bowler in PBA Tour history with three major victories.

"My first thought was, I just wanted to let all the air out of my lungs and yell," Belmonte said. "It's an incredible feeling. I feel for Anthony. In 2013, I lost the U.S. Open title in the exact same way. I led by hundreds and hundreds of pins and lost to Wes Malott. We will talk later, and I'll tell him, 'Hey, mine came seven years later, you'll get yours.'"

The record-extending 12th major title Sunday was Belmonte's 23rd career victory on the PBA Tour and helped him join United States Bowling Congress and PBA Hall of Famer Mike Aulby as the only players in history to complete the Super Slam, which includes the U.S. Open, USBC Masters, PBA Tournament of Champions, PBA World Championship and PBA Players Championship.

The win came after some recent struggles on TV, including a career-low 148 game in the stepladder of the 2019 U.S. Open in Mooresville, North Carolina.

"I don't think I was bothered by it, because I don't even think I was aware of it," Belmonte said of the struggles on TV. "When something is going wrong, it's so much better to understand why, and try and fix it. Once I had a better idea of what was happening, I was able to work on it. I'm really proud of myself for not hiding behind the thought that it was just a couple of bad weeks."

Strikes in five of the first six frames, including four consecutive starting in the third frame, gave Belmonte a lead of more than 20 pins halfway through the final.

Simonsen missed the headpin in the sixth frame after two strikes of his own, leaving the 1-2-8 combination. He converted the spare and doubled again, before a 10 pin slowed the momentum. It wasn't enough to take the lead, but it did put pressure on Belmonte.

Belmonte entered his final frame with a chance to shut out Simonsen, a seven-time PBA Tour champion. He struck on his first shot, but his second offering drifted high, setting up the exciting finish.

"I know that if I shot it (the 3-6-9-10) with resin, I would have a higher chance of making it, but I would also have a higher chance of taking off the 3-9, which would've given Anthony a chance to win by one," Belmonte said. "But, I knew if I used plastic, I would definitely get three, and it all worked out."

As the event ended, Simonsen showed that he's mature beyond his 23 years, offering a heartfelt congratulations to Belmonte, who has been a pioneer using the two-handed style Simonsen also employs.

"I told him I was happy for him, and that he has given me something to shoot for," said Simonsen, who won the 2016 Masters at 19 years old for his first major title. "I bowled a pretty good last game, and there is only one shot I would want back, so, it is what it is."

Belmonte has been in Simonsen's position and reiterated that he knows the young star eventually will hoist the trophy at the U.S. Open.

"He is such a good kid," Belmonte said. "He was congratulatory, and he told me he wants me to set a number he can chase. It's an amazing thing to hear from him. He's someone I've kind of taken under my wing. We've had many great conversations about bowling and about us as human beings. He's such a good guy. He'll get his."

To earn the opportunity to take on Simonsen in the title match, Belmonte again delivered in the clutch, striking on the first shot of his final frame to shut out seven-time PBA Tour champion Dick Allen of Columbia, South Carolina, who was searching for his first major title. Belmonte advanced by a score of 215-187.

Belmonte had fallen behind early in the semifinal when Allen started the match with a double, but the 41-year-old right-hander wasn't able to strike again until his fill ball, when the game already was out of reach.
Strikes in the sixth and seventh frames gave Belmonte the lead for the first time, and that increased when Allen left, and failed to convert, the 4-6-7-10 split in the eighth frame.

On the way to the semifinal against Belmonte, Allen stayed clean, including one double, to outdistance former Team USA member Perry Crowell IV of Chesterfield, Michigan, 205-181.

Crowell, a 28-year-old right-hander and former standout at nearby Midland University, was the first amateur to make the U.S. Open stepladder since Finland's Osku Palermaa accomplished the feat in 2004.
He was looking to become the first amateur since the creation of the PBA in the late 1950s to earn the green jacket.

In the day's first match, Crowell cruised to a 241-203 win against 27-year-old two-hander and former Team USA member Chris Via of Springfield, Ohio, tossing six consecutive strikes after an opening-frame spare.
The two previously met in the televised semifinals of the 2014 Intercollegiate Singles Championships, where Crowell defeated Via and then lost to now two-time U.S. Open champion Francois Lavoie of Canada in the final.

Lavoie entered this week as the defending champion. He finished 10th, falling 204 pins short of the stepladder.

The majority of the bowlers at the 2020 U.S. Open earned direct entry into the event based on their on-lane performances throughout 2019, while 20 bowlers advanced through the 64-entrant pre-tournament qualifier.

All 108 competitors bowled 24 games of qualifying over three days (eight games each day), before the field was cut to the top 36 for the eight-game Cashers' Round.

Each day of qualifying featured a different oil pattern, and a fourth condition was introduced for the Cashers' Round, match play and the TV show. The patterns ranged from 37 to 44 feet.

Total pinfall for 32 games determined the 24 players for the round-robin portion of the event, and their 56-game totals, including bonus pins, decided the five players for the championship stepladder.

Anthony Simonsen Charges into U.S. Open Lead; Two More Rounds of Match Play on Tap for Saturday

by Bill Vint | Saturday, February 22, 5:51 AM

LINCOLN, Neb. - Not long ago, Anthony Simonsen of Little Elm, Texas, was wondering if it was the right time for him to join the PBA and embark on a full-time bowling journey.

He was only 17 years old and not yet able to drive himself to the tournaments, but he was confident in his abilities.

In the years since, the world has watched him grow up in the spotlight, and he already has enjoyed enough success on the PBA Tour to meet the performance requirements for the PBA Hall of Fame. He'll have to wait until 2034 to reach the 20 years of PBA membership required for election, however, so there's plenty of time to add to his already impressive resume.

This week, the 23-year-old two-hander is looking to become the youngest bowler in history with three major titles, and he's the leader after 40 games of competition at the 2020 U.S. Open.

Simonsen has been among the top four in the standings all week at Sun Valley Lanes, and he took hold of the top spot during the 36-player Cashers' Round on Friday morning.

He carried that momentum into the first round of match play Friday night and won six of his eight matches to maintain the lead with a 9,101 total, which includes 30 bonus pins for each victory.

"I've had past success in this building (at the 2016 World Bowling Youth Championships), and I think that definitely helped me feel more comfortable right from the start this week," Simonsen said. "I'm in a great position right now, but I still need to take it one shot and one game at a time. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself."

Reigning PBA Player of the Year Jason Belmonte of Australia is 126 pins behind Simonsen with an 8,975 total. The 22-time titlist owns a record 11 PBA major titles, with the U.S. Open being the one that has eluded him.

Dick Allen of Columbia, South Carolina, finished the day in third place with an 8,930 total and was followed by Kristopher Prather of Plainfield, Illinois (8,874), and Bill O'Neill of Langhorne, Pennsylvania (8,815).

Prather and O'Neill won the year's first two majors - the PBA Tournament of Champions and PBA Players Championships, respectively - earlier this month.

Competition at Sun Valley Lanes will resume Saturday at 11 a.m. Eastern with another eight games of match play, followed by the final round at 6 p.m. EST. Five players will advance to the championship round based on their 56-game totals, including 30 bonus pins for each win in match play. Saturday’s competition will be covered live by FloBowling.

FOX will have live coverage of the stepladder finals on Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern. The winner will take home the coveted green jacket and a $30,000 top prize.

In six previous appearances at the U.S. Open, Simonsen has finished in the top eight four times, with a best finish of third at last year's event in Mooresville, North Carolina.He hopes the things he experienced and learned will help him improve his finish in 2020.

"I think I now understand how important it is to stay in the moment and maintain the process, especially since we still have 16 games of match play left, where that may not have been the case a few years ago," Simonsen said. "I think I'm a little more mature and knowledgeable, and I've learned a lot from watching the guys who are out here week in and week out. I've been trying to understand how and why they succeed, so I can apply it to my own routine."

In all, Simonsen owns seven PBA Tour titles - five standard victories and two major titles.

In his breakout win with Conner Pickford at the Mark Roth/Marshall Holman Doubles event in January 2016, Simonsen missed becoming the youngest champion in PBA Tour history by just two days.

A month later, he claimed his place in the record book by winning the United States Bowling Congress Masters to become the youngest bowler in PBA history to win a major (19 years and 39 days).

In 2019, he added a win at the PBA Players Championship, becoming the youngest in history to win two majors.

Ultimately, nearly every time he claims another trophy on the PBA Tour, Simonsen is rewriting the record book, but he has learned not to think about it.

"The U.S. Open is one of the special ones, and I honestly don't know what it would mean to have this one and a third major overall," Simonsen said. "Of course, it would be sweet to be 23 and have three majors, but it's still so far away and way too soon to even be thinking about it. We'll take it one shot at a time and see where it goes."

The week started with 108 competitors, who bowled 24 games of qualifying over three days, on three different oil patterns, before the field was cut to the top 36 for Friday's eight-game Cashers' Round on a fourth oil pattern.

Total pinfall for 32 games determined the 24 players who advanced to the round-robin portion of the event.

The 41-foot oil pattern introduced for the Cashers' Round will be used for the remainder of the event.

2020 U.S. Open
Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Neb., Friday

Match Play Round One - Standings (after 40 games with won-lost records)

1, Anthony Simonsen, Little Elm, Texas, 6-2-0, 9,101.
2, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 4-4-0, 8,975.
3, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 6-1-1, 8,930.
4, Kristopher Prather, Plainfield, Ill., 5-3-0, 8,874.
5, Bill O'Neill, Langhorne, Pa., 5-3-0, 8,815.
6, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 4-3-1, 8,792.
7, Zach Wilkins, Canada, 5-3-0, 8,754.
8, Chris Via, Springfield, Ohio, 4-4-0, 8,735.
9, Francois Lavoie, Wichita, Kan., 2-5-1, 8,723.
10, Christopher Sloan, Ireland, 5-3-0, 8,716.
11, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 5-2-1, 8,708.
12, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 4-4-0, 8,698.
13, Patrick Girard, Canada, 5-3-0, 8,684.
14, Nathan Bohr, Austin, Texas, 5-3-0, 8,683.
15, Dominic Barrett, England, 5-3-0, 8,657.
16, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 4-4-0, 8,635.
17, Perry Crowell IV (a), Chesterfield, Mich., 4-4-0, 8,597.
18, EJ Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 4-4-0, 8,587.
19, Jesper Svensson, Sweden, 2-6-0, 8,541.
20, Rhino Page, Spokane, Wash., 1-7-0, 8,518.
21 (tie), Jake Rollins, Glen Rock, N.J., 3-5-0, and Michael Martell, Brooklyn, N.Y., 2-5-1, 8,465.
23, Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 1-6-1, 8,451.
24, Brad Miller, Raytown, Mo., 2-6-0, 8,430.

Did not advance (after 32 games):
25, Osku Palermaa, Finland, 6,759, $1,700.
26, Matt Ogle, Louisville, Ky., 6,700, $1,600.
27, Kamron Doyle, Brentwood, Tenn., 6,694, $1,525.
28, Matt Russo, Fairview Heights, Ill., 6,693, $1,475.
29, Arturo Quintero, Mexico, 6,677, $1,425.
30, Greg Young Jr., Viera, Fla., 6,672, $1,395.
31, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 6,668, $1,370.
32, Anthony Lavery-Spahr, Little Elm, Texas, 6,657, $1,350.
33, Mitch Hupe, Canada, 6,631, $1,330.
34, Patrick Hanrahan, Wichita, Kan., 6,592, $1,320.
35, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 6,585, $1,310.
36, Dino Castillo, Highland Village, Texas, 6,435, $1,300.

x-Tackett def. Palermaa, 225-204, in a one-game roll-off to break a tie for 24th place at the end of the cashers round.

Canada’s Zach Wilkins Leads Top 36 Qualifiers into U.S. Open Cashers Round

by Bill Vint  |  Friday, February 21, 5:38 AM

LINCOLN, Neb. - During the third day of qualifying at the 2020 U.S. Open, patience and mental toughness turned out to be the biggest keys to success.

The challenging 37-foot oil pattern the competitors faced Thursday at Sun Valley Lanes was the final test for the 108-player field, which has been narrowed to just 36 contenders, who now are one step closer to the coveted green jacket and $30,000 top prize.

Canada's Zach Wilkins was among the top performers for the second

consecutive day, and the fact that he accomplished that with an eight-game score that was 360 pins lower than Wednesday's second round, perfectly illustrates what a test of versatility the U.S. Open really is.

"The lanes were incredibly hard today, and you had to be very mentally stable, so you didn't end up with your emotions all over the place," Wilkins said. "Being able to grind out the 190s, or even 180s, by making your spares, really kept you in it today."

Wilkins finished the 24 games of qualifying with a 5,331 total, a 222.13 average across three lane conditions ranging from 37 to 44 feet. He had blocks of 1,699, 1,996 and 1,636.

The 27-year-old two-hander improved from 45th place to third place to the overall lead after three days, relying on his own experience, both in his career and this week at Sun Valley Lanes, along with some sage advice from his mother.

"Today took a lot more patience, but the way I was able to stay in the moment yesterday, even though I was striking a lot more, helped me come into today with the same focus on every shot," Wilkins said. "I've really just got to thank my mom for teaching me how to stay composed, whether I'm striking a lot or struggling. It's about finding an emotional plateau and just staying at that level."

Wilkins was followed in the 24-game standings by reigning Professional Bowlers Association Player of the Year Jason Belmonte of Australia and recent PBA Tournament of Champions winner Kristopher Prather of Plainfield, Illinois, who tied for second place with 5,255.

Two-time PBA major champion Anthony Simonsen of Little Elm, Texas, was fourth with 5,244, and USBC and PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke of Clermont, Florida, rounded out the top five with 5,220.

The final spot in the Cashers' Round went to former Team USA member Perry Crowell IV of Chesterfield, Michigan, who defeated two-time U.S. Open champion Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Florida, 184-151, in a one-game roll-off after the two tied for 36th place with 5,003, a 208.46 average.

Each round of the 2020 U.S. Open, leading up to the championship round, is being broadcast live on FloBowling.

All 108 competitors this week bowled 24 games of qualifying over the three days, eight games each day, before Thursday's initial cut.

The eight-game Cashers' Round will introduce the week's fourth oil pattern and get underway Friday at 11 a.m. Eastern. The players will have a chance to practice on the 41-foot pattern Thursday night and again Friday morning before the start of competition.

"My hand was a little sore Monday after three practice sessions and a lot of games the week before, so I didn't get a chance to practice on the fourth oil pattern, but I'm going to take a look at it and bowl on it tonight," Wilkins said. "I'll come up with a game plan and make sure to include what has been helping me all week, which is staying mentally tough."

Following the Cashers' Round, the 32-game pinfall totals will determine the 24 players for the round-robin portion of the event, and their 56-game totals, including 30 bonus pins for each win in match play, will decide the five players for the championship stepladder.

Matches will take place over three blocks, with eight games Friday night and 16 games throughout the day Saturday.

FOX will have live coverage of the stepladder finals Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern.

Canada's Francois Lavoie is the defending champion at the U.S. Open, an event he also won in 2016 for his first PBA Tour title. He is one of 12 bowlers in history to win the U.S. Open on multiple occasions. Lavoie cruised into the next round in sixth place with a 5,210 pinfall total.

2020 U.S. Open
Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Neb., Thursday

Third Round Standings (after 24 games; top 36 advanced to Cashers Round)
1, Zach Wilkins, Canada, 5,331. 

2, (tie), Jason Belmonte, Australia, and Kristopher Prather, Plainfield, Ill., 5,255. 

4, Anthony Simonsen, Little Elm, Texas, 5,244. 

5, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 5,220. 

6, Francois Lavoie, Wichita, Kan., 5,210.
7, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 5,205. 

8, Bill O'Neill, Langhorne, Pa., 5,193. 

9, Kamron Doyle, Brentwood, Tenn., 5,190. 

10(tie), Jake Rollins, Glen Rock, N.J., Thomas Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., and Jesper Svensson, Sweden, 5,158.
13, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 5,142. 

14, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 5,111. 

15, Rhino Page, Spokane, Wash., 5,100. 

16, Patrick Girard, Canada, 5,089. 

17, Nathan Bohr, Austin, Texas, 5,077. 

18, Chris Via, Springfield, Ohio, 5,066.
19, Brad Miller, Raytown, Mo., 5,065. 

20, Christopher Sloan, Ireland, 5,064. 

21, Patrick Hanrahan, Wichita, Kan., 5,060. 

22, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 5,051. 

23, Michael Martell, Brooklyn, N.Y., 5,049. 

24, Anthony Lavery-Spahr, Little Elm, Texas, 5,047.
25(tie), Dominic Barrett, England, and Osku Palermaa, Finland, 5,039. 27, Gregory Young Jr., Viera, Fla., 5,030. 

28, Mitch Hupé, Towanda, Kan., 5,025. 29(tie), Matt Ogle, Louisville, Ky., and Arturo Quintero, Mexico, 5,019.
31, EJ Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 5,012. 

32, Andres Gomez, Hollywood, Fla., 5,007. 

33(tie), Dino Castillo, Highland Village, Texas, and Matt Russo, Fairview Heights, Ill., 5,005. 

35, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 5,004. 

36, x-Perry Crowell IV* (a), Chesterfield, Mich., 5,003.

x-Crowell def. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 184-151, in a one-game roll-off.

Did not advance:

36, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 5,003. 

38, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 5,000. 

39, Matthew Sanders (a), Evansville, Ind., 4,993. 

40, Shawn Maldonado, Houston, 4,986. 

41, Brandon Novak, Chillicothe, Ohio, 4,983. 

42, Darren Tang, San Francisco, 4,982.
43, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 4,981. 

44, Alexander Hoskins (a), Perry, Utah, 4,977. 

45, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 4,968. 

46, Spencer Robarge (a), Springfield, Mo., 4,965. 

47, Sean Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas, 4,963. 

48, AJ Chapman, South St. Paul, Minn., 4,962.
49, Kyle Sherman, O'Fallon, Mo., 4,959. 

50, Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz., 4,942. 

51, Tom Daugherty, Riverview, Fla., 4,933. 

52, Graham Fach, Canada, 4,932. 

53, Jake Peters, Henderson, Nev., 4,931. 

54, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 4,923.
55, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 4,912. 

56, Michael Tang, San Francisco, 4,911. 

57, Anthony Neuer (a), Lewisburg, Pa., 4,903. 

58, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., 4,896. 

59, Nick Kruml, Downers Grove, Ill., 4,895. 

60, Nate Garcia, Riverview, Fla., 4,885.
61, Thomas Larsen, Denmark, 4,882. 

62, Mykel Holliman, Collierville, Tenn., 4,878. 

63, Ryan Ciminelli, Lancaster, S.C., 4,877.

64, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 4,865. 

65, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 4,864. 

66, Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, 4,850.
67, (tie), Zeke Bayt, Westerville, Ohio, and Jonathan Simoneau (a), Canada, 4,834. 

69, Victor Florie, Henrico, Va., 4,828. 

70, Russ Oviatt, Sioux Falls, S.D., 4,827. 

71, Stuart Williams, Phoenix, 4,811. 

72, Nicholas Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 4,801.
73, Michael Davidson, Versailles, Ohio, 4,798. 

74, Greg Ostrander, Freehold, N.J., 4,787. 

75, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 4,774. 

76, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 4,763. 

77, Andrew Cain, Phoenix, 4,745. 

78, Brian Robinson, Morgantown, W.Va., 4,732.
79, Adam Zimmerman (a), Deer Park, N.Y., 4,731. 

80, Tom Hankey (a), Great Barrington, Mass., 4,727.

81, DJ Archer, Houston, 4,722. 

82, Pontus Andersson, Sweden, 4,719. 

83, Maria José Rodriguez, Colombia, 4,718. 

84, Richard Teece, England, 4,717.
85, Michael Coffey, Melbourne, Fla., 4,703. 

86, Michael Ruben (a), Selden, N.Y., 4,702. 

87, Sean Wilcox (a), Altamonte Springs, Fla., 4,699. 

88, Jason Sterner, Rockledge, Fla., 4,686. 

89, Solomon Salama (a), Beverly Hills, Calif., 4,676. 

90, Kenneth Ryan, Farmingdale, N.J., 4,674.
91, Kristopher Yadao (a), Fremont, Neb., 4,673. 

92, Ryan Burton (a), Los Altos, Calif., 4,670. 

93, Matthew Kuba, Tinley Park, Ill., 4,658. 

94, Trey Brand (a), Clever, Mo., 4,638. 

95, Richard Benard (a), Rio Rancho, N.M., 4,623. 

96, Gary Faulkner Jr., Memphis, Tenn., 4,622.
97, Brent Boho, Colgate, Wis., 4,617. 

98, Alec Keplinger (a), Coldwater, Mich., 4,591. 

99, Blake Earnest (a), Wood River, Neb., 4,563. 

100, Michael Kristofik (a), Naperville, Ill., 4,551. 

101, Wesley Low, Palmdale, Calif., 4,538. 

102, Chad Stephen (a), Flint, Mich., 4,502.
103, Cameron Hurwitz (a), Rochester, N.Y., 4,469. 

104, Justin O'Shaughnessy (a), Jackson, Mich., 4,458. 

105, Roy Turner, O'Fallon, Mo., 4,425. 

106, Stephen Hahn, Ashburn, Va., 4,405. 

107, Duane Kilts (a), Marion, Iowa, 4,364. 

108, Mike Thompson, Sarasota, Fla., 4,146.

CBS SPORTS NETWORK TO TELEVISE 17 BOWLING EVENTS, FEATURING PWBA, COLLEGIATE AND YOUTH, IN 2020

ARLINGTON, Texas – Live coverage of a Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour event finals that will 

take place at the Hammer Junior Gold Championships is one of the many highlights of the 17 bowling shows CBS Sports Network will televise in 2020.

The live finals of the PWBA Las Vegas Open, scheduled as part of the Junior Gold Opening Ceremony at The Orleans Arena, is set for July 12 at 9 p.m. (Eastern). Located in The Orleans Hotel and Casino, the arena will seat approximately 9,000 spectators for the show. The 1995 U.S. Open set the attendance record for a bowling event at 7,212.

CBS Sports Network will have live coverage of seven PWBA stepladder finals in 2020, including all majors, plus four shows from the Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships, the finals of all four divisions of the Junior Gold Championships, and the two title matches at the USA Bowling National Championships.

Las Vegas also will host the stepladder finals of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Queens, on Tuesday, May 19 at 8 p.m. (Eastern) at the South Point Bowling Plaza. It is the first of the four PWBA majors that will be televised live. Dasha Kovalova of Ukraine won her first career PWBA Tour title and major championship at last year’s event.

The U.S. Women’s Open stepladder finals are June 30 (8 p.m. Eastern) at USA Bowl in Dallas, the PWBA Players Championship finals are Aug. 23 (5 p.m. Eastern) at Seminole Lanes in Seminole, Florida, while the PWBA Tour Championship will be announced at a later date.

The finals of college bowling’s major events, the Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships that will be held at the Spectrum Entertainment Complex in Wyoming, Michigan, to kick off the action. The ISC women’s finals will air Tuesday, April 21, at 8 p.m. (Eastern), and the ISC men’s singles will be televised April 28 at 11 p.m. (Eastern).

The ITC women’s title match will be televised May 5 at 8 p.m. (Eastern) and the men’s final will air May 12 at 11 p.m. (Eastern).

Six TV shows will be taped for broadcast when the Junior Gold Championships and USA Bowling National Championships are held in Las Vegas in July.

The boys and girls finals in each of the four divisions of the Junior Gold Championships will air on four consecutive Tuesdays starting July 21 with the 12-and-under finals, followed by the U15 (July 28), U17 (Aug. 4) and U20 (Aug. 11) divisions. All finals will air at 8 p.m. (Eastern).

The U15 title match of the USA Bowling National Championships will air Aug. 18, and the U12 final will be on CBS Sports Network on Aug. 25, with both starting at 8 p.m. (Eastern).

The 2020 CBS Sports Network bowling schedule (all times Eastern):

• Tue., April 21, Intercollegiate Singles Championships (women), Wyoming, Mich., 8 p.m.
• Tue., April 28, Intercollegiate Singles Championships (men), Wyoming, Mich., 11 p.m.
• Tue., May 5, Intercollegiate Team Championships (women), Wyoming, Mich., 8 p.m.
• Tue., May 12, Intercollegiate Team Championships (men), Wyoming, Mich., 11 p.m.
• *Tue., May 19, USBC Queens, Las Vegas, 8 p.m.
• *Tue., June 30, U.S. Women's Open, Dallas, 8 p.m.
• *Sun., July 12, PWBA Las Vegas Open, Las Vegas, 9 p.m.
• Tue., July 21, Junior Gold Championships (Under 12), Las Vegas, 8 p.m.
• Tue., July 28, Junior Gold Championships (Under 15), Las Vegas, 8 p.m.
• Tue., Aug. 4, Junior Gold Championships (Under 17), Las Vegas, 8 p.m.
• *Sat., Aug. 8, PWBA Greater Columbus Open, Columbus, Ohio, 7:30 p.m.
• Tue., Aug. 11, Junior Gold Championships (Under 20), Las Vegas, 8 p.m.
• *Sat., Aug. 15, PWBA Tennessee Open, Clarksville, Tenn., 5 p.m.
• Tue., Aug. 18, USA Bowling National Championships (Under 15), Las Vegas, 8 p.m.
• *Sun., Aug. 23, PWBA Players Championship, Seminole, Fla., 5 p.m.
• Tue., Aug. 25, USA Bowling National Championships (Under 12), Las Vegas, 8 p.m.
• *TBA, PWBA Tour Championship, TBA

    *televised live

CBS Sports Network will re-air many of the events, so check local listings. Visit CBSSportsNetwork.com for listings and channel information.

Visit BOWL.com/Collegiate to learn more about the Intercollegiate Team and Singles Championships.

For information on the Junior Gold Championships and USA Bowling National Championships, visit BOWL.com/Youth.

Go to PWBA.com for information on the PWBA Tour, including news, player bios, and more.

The PWBA Tour, Junior Gold Championships and USA Bowling National Championships are collaboratively funded by the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) and USBC.

Simonsen Retains Lead While Belmonte Makes Run in PBA Tournament of Champions After First Round of Match Play

by Jerry Schneider  |  Thursday, February 06, 7:56 PM

FAIRLAWN, Ohio – Despite a 4-4 record, seven-time PBA Tour titlist Anthony Simonsen was able to retain his lead in the PBA Tournament of Champions after the first round of match play at AMF Riviera Lanes Thursday but defending champion and fellow two-hander Jason Belmonte made a run to finish the day in eighth.

After earning top qualifier honors earlier in the day to lead 24 players advancing to match play, Simonsen ended the day with a 5,869 26-game pinfall total including 30 bonus pins for each match win. He won matches with games of 226, 235, 238 and 213 and lost with games of 202, 182, 207 and 235.

“It seemed like the lanes just played difficult in general and adjusting pair to pair was tricky,” said the 23-year-old Simonsen. “I felt like I had the pocket under control but it seemed like if I wasn’t striking I was getting splits which made it hard to keep any momentum going.”

Simonsen became the youngest player to win two majors when he defeated Belmonte 232-212 in the title match of the 2019 PBA Players Championship at age 22. He won the 2016 USBC Masters at age 19 to become the youngest to win a major.

In pursuit of a record fourth Tournament of Champions title, Belmonte narrowly made it into match play taking the 24th and final spot by just one pin earlier in the day. After losing his first two matches with games of 197 and 191, he won the next six matches with games of 232, 214, 255, 222, 242 and 247 posting a 6-2 record and finishing the day with a 5,733 pinfall.

It was reminiscent of 2018, when Belmonte took the last match play spot with a seven-pin cushion and proceeded to make a steady climb through the standings to qualify third for the stepladder finals finishing fourth after losing the second stepladder match to eventual winner Matt O’Grady 229-225.

“You just have to remember that once qualifying ends you’re not even halfway through the tournament so there’s time to make a move,” said the five-time and reigning PBA Player of the Year. “I started using a urethane ball to start the round but that wasn’t working so we tried some things and a couple different balls. Fortunately, I found one that I felt comfortable with and started striking.”

Belmonte’s win in the 2019 Tournament of Champions was his 10th major title which tied Pete Weber and Earl Anthony for first on the all-time list. He won the PBA World Championship for his 11th major win a few weeks later to take sole possession of first on the all-time majors win list.

Rounding out the top five after Thursday’s first match play round were Andrew Anderson, 5,861 (6-2); Bill O’Neill, 5,850 (6-2); Tom Daugherty, 5,786 (4-4) and Dom Barrett, 5,763 (6-1-1).

After the final two rounds of match play Friday at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET, the top five will be determined for Sunday’s stepladder finals which will be televised live at 5 p.m. ET on FOX. The winner will earn a $100,000 first prize and a $1 million bonus will be paid if the winner bowls a 300 game in the title match.

Friday’s match play rounds will be streamed live by FloBowling which is also livestreaming the finals to international subscribers.



PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

(a 2020 Go Bowling PBA Tour Tier 1 event)

AMF Riviera Lanes, Fairlawn, Ohio, Thursday

Fourth Round Standings (Includes total pinfall for 26 games including match play bonus pins. All 24 players return for the second round of match play Friday morning at 11 a.m. ET)



1, Anthony Simonsen, Little Elm, Texas, 4-4, 5,869.
2, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 6-2, 5,861.
3, Bill O'Neill, Langhorne, Pa., 6-2, 5,850.
4, Tom Daugherty, Riverview, Fla., 4-4, 5,786.
5, Dom Barrett, England, 6-1-1, 5,763.
6, EJ Tackett, Bluffton, Ind., 4-4, 5,751.
7, Kristopher Prather, Plainfield, Ill., 5-3, 5,735.
8, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 6-2, 5,733.
9, Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz., 4-4, 5,727.
10, AJ Chapman, Manchester, Iowa, 5-3, 5,721.
11, Stuart Williams, England, 4-4, 5,715.
12, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 3-5, 5,705.
13, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 4-4, 5,697.
14, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 3-5, 5,696.
15, Kyle Sherman, O'Fallon, Mo., 2-6, 5,685.
16, Cristian Azcona, Puerto Rico, 3-5, 5,660.
17, Mitch Hupe, Canada, 4-4, 5,640.
18, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 5-3, 5,627.
19, Dick Allen, Lexington, S.C., 5-3, 5,597.
20, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 2-6, 5,564.
21, Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 5-3, 5,558.
22, Richard Teece, England, 3-4-1, 5,513.
23, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 2-6, 5,465.
24, Connor Pickford, Charlotte, N.C., 0-8, 5,188.

Third Round Standings (after 18 games. Top 24 players advanced to first round of match play)

1, Anthony Simonsen, Little Elm, Texas, 4,011.
2, Cristian Azcona, Puerto Rico, 3,954.
3, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 3,951.
4, EJ Tackett, Bluffton, Ind., 3,932.
5, Bill O'Neill, Langhorne, Pa., 3,922.
6, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 3,908.
7, Kyle Sherman, O'Fallon, Mo., 3,904.
8, Tom Daugherty, Riverview, Fla., 3,898.
9, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 3,885.
10, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 3,870.
11, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 3,864.
12, Kristopher Prather, Plainfield, Ill., 3,848.
13, Stuart Williams, England, 3,831.
14, Richard Teece, England, 3,825.
15, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 3,823.
16, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 3,822.
17, Dick Allen, Lexington, S.C., 3,819.
18, AJ Chapman, Manchester, Iowa, 3,785.
19, Mitch Hupe, Canada, 3,784.
20, Connor Pickford, Charlotte, N.C., 3,782.
21, Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 3,776.
22, Dom Barrett, England, 3,766.
23, Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz., 3,764.
24, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 3,753.

Failed to advance:
25, Jon Van Hees, Charlestown, R.I., 3,752, $2,500.
26, Tom Hess, Granger, Iowa, 3,721.
27, DJ Archer, Spring, Texas, 3,715.
28, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 3,710.
29, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 3,696.
30, Jake Peters, Henderson, Nev., 3,692.
31, Darren Tang, Las Vegas, 3,689.
32, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 3,686.
33, Osku Palermaa, Finland, 3,674.
34, Thomas Larsen, Denmark, 3,663.
35, BJ Moore, Greensburg, Pa., 3,653.
36, (tie) Matthew Ogle, Louisville, Ky., and Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 3,644.
38, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 3,624.
39, Rhino Page, Spokane, Wash., 3,616.
40, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 3,614.
41, Chris Collins, Myrlte Beach, S.C., 3,606.
41, Francois Lavoie, Canada, 3,606.
43, Jesper Svensson, Sweden, 3,591.
44, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3,573.
45, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3,550.
46, (tie) Gary Faulkner Jr., Memphis, Tenn., and Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 3,535.
48, Jason Sterner, Rochester, N.Y., 3,511.
49, Matt Sanders, Evansville, Ind., 3,502.
50, Brian Robinson, Morgantown, W.Va., 3,495.
51, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 3,484.
52, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 3,482.
53, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 3,481.
54, Anthony Pepe, Long Island City, N.Y., 3,473.
55, Matt O'Grady, Rahway, N.J., 3,466.
56, Ryan Ciminelli, Lancaster, S.C., 3,454.
57, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., 3,404.
58, Graham Fach, Canada, 3,338.
59, Carmen Salvino, Schaumburg, Ill., 2,714.