Jurek Leading US Open Field

Jack Jurek of Lackawanna, NY, who ended a record 14-year drought between titles earlier this season, claimed the early second round lead in the 67th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open at Woodland Bowl Wednesday, averaging 222 for 12 games to take a 20-pin lead over Jason Wojnar of Chicago.

With one-third of the field of 352 yet to bowl Wednesday, Jurek had posted a
2,672 pinfall total to lead Wojnar’s 2,652. First round leader Robert Smith of
Columbus, Ohio, was third with 2,650 pins followed by Australian two-handed
player Jason Belmonte at 2,624 and Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, NY, at 2,621.
Four-time U.S. Open champion Pete Weber of St. Ann, MO, was 15 pins behind
Shafer.

Jurek, 46, is trying for his first PBA Tour major title after defeating Mike
Fagan of Patchogue, NY, to win the PBA Shark Championship over Labor Day
weekend in Detroit and end his quest for a second title. With the pressure to
end his streak gone, he has bowled himself into unfamiliar territory in a
tournament that has traditionally stymied him.

“This is by far the best start I’ve ever had in a U.S. Open,” he said. “The
whole season has been going well. It’s a combination of things.

“Today I started with a 179, but then I stumbled into a little better shot. The
second squad has always been a little tougher for me because the condition is
broken down and you have to move to an inside angle where the ball returns get
in the way on the right lane,” Jurek added. “This year I’ve been able to stay a
little farther right, so I felt like I bowled 200 (pins) over (a 200 average)
today.

“I know the lanes will be different tomorrow morning, but I usually do a little
better on the freshly-oiled surfaces.”

Wojnar, a 30-year-old Chicago area pro shop operator, is contending for his
first PBA Tour title after an unsuccessful season as a PBA Tour exempt player
during the 2006-07 season.

“My secret today was keeping my hand behind the ball and letting it roll. Any
time I got my hand to the side of the ball, I got too much reaction,” he said.
“It’s something I worked on last year after what I learned out on tour."

“It stinks to get one chance to bowl on tour and you’re out if you don’t earn
enough points, but it was a great learning experience. I learned a lot and
that’s what helped me today. I only used two balls. You have to limit your
equipment options, or you start second-guessing yourself. I know what these two
balls do, so I’m sticking with the basics.”

Other players who made huge moves Wednesday included PBA Player of the
Year contender Bill O’Neill of Southampton, Pa., was averaged 242 during the
second round to advance from 185th place to 10th, and reigning PBA Player of
the Year Wes Malott, who jumped from 135th place to 25th among the early
finishers.

All players in the U.S. Open will bowl six more qualifying games Thursday before
the field is cut to the top 87 for a cashers’ round Friday morning. The top 24
will then advance to eight-game match play rounds Friday night and Saturday to
determine the four finalists for Sunday’s live ESPN telecast at 12:30 p.m.
Eastern. At stake in the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour’s final major championship
of the 2009-10 season is a $60,000 first prize and a three-year PBA Tour
exemption.

67TH LUMBER LIQUIDATORS U.S. OPEN
Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, Feb. 24

EARLY SECOND ROUND (top 50 after 12 games, 2/3 of field only)
1, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 2,672.
2, Jason Wojnar, Chicago, 2,652.
3, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 2,650.
4, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 2,624.
5, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 2,621.
6, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 2,606.
7, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,601.
8, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 2,599.
9, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 2,596.
10, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 2,590.
11, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 2,588.
12, Anthony Jordan, Sycamore, Ill., 2,583.
13, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 2,569.
14, Chad Kloss, West Allis, Wis., 2,567.
15, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 2,559.
16, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 2,555.
17, Troy Wollenbecker, Miami, 2,549.
18, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 2,548.
19, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 2,542.
20, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 2,537.
21, John Szczerbinski, Wichita, Kan., 2,530.
22, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 2,522.
23, Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 2,521.
24, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 2,520.
25, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 2,512.
26, Shannon Buchan, Waterloo, Iowa, 2,510.
27, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 2,505.
28, Andrew Cain, Phoenix, 2,503.
29, Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., 2,502.
30, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,500.
31, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 2,497.
32, (tie) Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., and Tim Mack, Indianapolis, 2,489.
34, Carleton Chambers, Detroit, 2,485.
35, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 2,481.
36, Peter Spreadbury, Oak Forest, Ill., 2,480.
37, Jeff Clark, Indianapolis, 2,478.
38, Daniel Hannagan, Mt. Juliet, Tenn., 2,476.
39, Bob Hale, Louisville, Ky., 2,476.
40, (tie) Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., and Ken Simard, Greenville, S.C., 2,472.
42, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 2,470.
43, Corey Young, Steeleville, Ill., 2,464.
44, Matthew Gasn, Laurel, Md., 2,460.
45, Bo Goergen, Midland, Mich., 2,458.
46, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 2,457.
47, Jacob Peters, Decatur, Ill., 2,453.
48, Joe Bailey, Doylestown, Ohio, 2,450.
49, Justin Williams, Barrett, Tenn., 2,437.
50, Ryan Abel, Bel Aire, Kan., 2,435