AMF Adds Recovery to Friction

AMF Mega Recovery is the first extension to the popular Mega line. The Recovery features a lower (2.45) symmetric RG Core with 0.054 Diff and "F75" Orange and Black reactive shell finished at 1000 Abralon. Developed to go further down the lane with a stronger backend motion compared to the Mega Friction.

Smallwood December Bowler of Month

Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, Michigan, has been named the December 2009 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA).

Smallwood captured his first Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title, the PBA World Championship, by defeating reigning PBA Player of the Year Wes Malott, 244-228.

In a close vote, Smallwood edged out Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, winner of the PBA Red, White, and Blue Open presented by the USBC and the PBA Midwest/Southwest Region Wichita Bowling for Wishes Super Regional.

45th PBA Tournament of Champions

When the Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions was introduced in 1962 by PBA founder Eddie Elias and the organization’s tournament committee, it provided the PBA Tour with an elite platform to showcase an exclusive field of champions.

The 45th PBA Tournament of Champions, to be conducted Jan. 19-24 at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas, will feature 63 players who have earned their right to
compete in the second major of the 2009-10 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season by virtue of winning a PBA title. The finals will be televised live on ESPN on Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Pacific).

With an event that has a rich tradition and a stellar field of players there are many storylines. Here are a few especially noteworthy stories:

*Kelly Kulick of Union, NJ, will once again make PBA Tour history by becoming
the first woman to compete in a Tournament of Champions. She earned her berth by winning the first PBA Women’s World Championship. Kulick originally made history by becoming the first woman to qualify for the PBA’s Exempt Tour in 2006.

*Tom Smallwood, of Saginaw, MI, who earned a Tour exemption after being laid off from his job at General Motors last spring, will try to win his second major after winning the PBA World Championship in December in storybook fashion against reigning Player of the Year Wes Malott.

*At age 50, Hall of Famer and all-time PBA Tour titles leader Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, FL, is still trying for his first Tournament of Champions win. As one of the few things the 46-time titlist has yet to accomplish in his career, a Tournament of Champions win would enable him to complete the Triple Crown (PBA World Championship, U.S. Open and Tournament of Champions), Grand Slam (Triple Crown plus the USBC Masters) and Super Slam (Grand Slam plus the Touring Players Championship).

*Australian two-handed specialist Jason Belmonte will compete in his first Tournament of Champions after winning his first Tour title in 2008-09.

*Thirteen-time PBA Tour Champion Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, FL, will be
looking to defend his 2009 Tournament of Champions title.

*Jason Couch of Clermont, FL, is the only player to have won three consecutive
Tournament of Champions titles and will be looking to become the first bowler to win it four times.

The Tournament of Champions is open exclusively to Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exempt-player champions; the winners of the most recent PBA Regional Players Championship and Regional Players Invitational; the United States Bowling Congress Masters winner; the USBC Senior Masters, PBA Senior U.S. Open and PBA World Championship winners; all Tournament of Champions past winners, PBA Hall of Famers, and for the first time, the PBA Women’s World Championship titlist.

The first Tournament of Champions was conducted in 1962 in Indianapolis. The
event was not conducted in 1963 and ’64 but moved to Akron, Ohio, in 1965 where it was conducted until 1994. Since then, it has been conducted in various
locations.

PBA's Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open presented by USBC

This Sunday JAN. 10, 1 P.M. (E) on ESPN: Professional Bowling Association (PBA)'s Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open presented by USBC

ROUND ONE:
Match One: Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, FL, vs. Michael Machuga, Erie, PA
Match Two: Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, TX def. Mike Fagan, Patchogue, NY

ROUND TWO:
Match One: Williams-Machuga winner vs. Wayne Garber, Modesto, CA
Match Two: Scroggins-Fagan winner vs. Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, FL

Championship Match: Winners of Round Two match one and match two
Prize Money: 1, $25,000; 2, $13,000; 3-4, $8,000; 5-6, $5,500
● Williams is trying for his 47th PBA Tour title, Machuga his third, Scroggins
his seventh, Fagan his second (first singles), Garber his first and Allen his 14th
● Williams is making his record 171st TV appearance
● Allen earned No. 1 qualifying position with a 300 in the final position round
match; it was a record 31st perfect game of the tournament
● Garber, a 42-year-old rookie, is making his first TV appearance
● Eighth event of 2009-10 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season
● TV finals conducted on USBC’s Blue lane conditioning pattern (most challenging of the Red, White and Blue lane conditioning patterns used during qualifying and match play)

Tournament Recap:
First round leader (after 8 games): Cassidy Schaub, Polk, OH 2,070
Second round leader (after 16 games): Schaub, 4,116
Third round leader (after 24 games): Schaub, 5,991
Fourth round leader (after 32 games, including match play bonus pins): Michael Machuga, Erie, PA, 5-3, 8,166
Fifth round leader (after 40 games, including bonus pins): Machuga, 11-5, 10,411
Final match play leader (after 48 games, including bonus pins):
Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 14-10, 12,308

New 7 Series Ball From Track

The 715C was designed to be a stronger version of the popular 505C. The designers set out to make a more aggressive product without compromising on the continuous/control factor at the breakpoint. Look for an all “NEW” coverstock for this ball, the “UMP GEN 4C” with pearl essence, which boasts a greater surface texture.

The “Catback” asymmetrical core is still a 0.015 intermediate differential. The Black/Red/Gold combination will have great shelf appeal, at 2000 grit Abralon® sanded and polished with Powerhouse Factory Finish. The pearl essence has no performance benefit; it is purely to enhance the look of the product. #15 - 2.52, RG Diff - .052. Available 2/2/2010.

Ebonite to Release the Mission

The all new Ebonite Mission is the latest Ebonite High Performance Product.

The Mission is the most tested product the brand has ever released. The coverstock is "XL1200", in red designed for a strong mid lane continuation with the new ‘Mission 1.0” core. #15 RG 2.48, RG Diff - .050 Available 2/2/2010

Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour ReAirs Motor City Open

PBA MOTOR CITY OPEN, Sunday, January 3, 1 p.m. Eastern

Match One: (5) Bill O'Neill, Southampton, PA vs. (4) Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, SC
Match Two: Winner of Match One vs. (3) Pete Weber, St. Ann, MO
Semifinal Match: Winner of Match Two vs. (2) Chris Barnes, Double Oak, TX
Championship Match: Winner of Semifinal Match vs. (1) Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, FL