International Competition for PBA Touring Pros

American and international PBA Tour members returned to action in January in two WTBA-PBA International Tour events: the 43rd Brunswick Ballmaster Open at Tali Bowl which concludes Sunday in Helsinki, Finland, followed by the International Bowling Championships supported by DHC Jan. 17-19 in Nagoya, Japan.

Both tournaments are new on the WTBA-PBA International Tour schedule. The Ballmaster Open and the men’s division of the International Bowling Championships will award PBA Tour titles if the winners are PBA members. Both events also will award WTBA World Bowling Tour points to male and female participants.

Bill O’Neill of Langhorne, PA, defeated fellow PBA Tour star Mike Fagan of Dallas, 236-224, to win the 42nd Ballmaster Open last January and Tommy Jones romped to a 290-204 victory over Finnish-American PBA Tour star Mika Koivuniemi to win the 2012 International Bowling Championships in Japan.

International PBA Stars To Compete For World Games Berths

Mixed doubles teams from 19 WTBA American Zone countries will compete for berths in the 2013 World Games during the Pan American Bowling Confederation Champion of Champions event May 9-12 at Kegel Training Center in Babson Park, Fla.

Team USA will be presented by amateur Steve Smith of San Diego and two-time PBA Women’s Series titlist Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, NY. Venezuela’s team will include PBA Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli, PBA Tour titlist Andres Gomez will bowl for Colombia, and PBA Tour competitor Dan MacLelland will be on Team Canada. At stake are eight spots in the World Games, which will be held in Cali, Colombia.

The Champion of Champions event will award medals in men's and women’s singles, mixed doubles, men's and women’s all-events, national all-events, men’s and women's Masters, and mixed doubles Masters. The top eight teams in the national all-events will join Colombia in qualifying for the World Games, an international showcase for more than 30 sports that are not included in the Olympics Games.