プロボウリング情報
2016/11/30

 

Veteran Mike DeVaney Rides Rollercoaster into PBA Chameleon Championship Qualifying Lead

Mike DeVaney, now a part-time competitor in his 25th year of Professional Bowlers Association competition, had one of those days that reminded him he can still bowl with the best as he rolled into the qualifying lead in the PBA Chameleon Championship, presented by HotelPlanner.com, Wednesday at the National Bowling Stadium.

The Chameleon Championship is the second of four animal pattern qualifying stages leading to the PBA World Championship finals that will air live on ESPN on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 1 p.m. ET.

DeVaney, 43, averaged 236.6, bowling games of 255, 244, 290, 289, 155, 279, 181 and 200 to finish with a 1,893 pinfall total and a 13-pin lead over Canada’s Patrick Girard. Both players, along with the other top eight finishers, earned first-round byes in the best-of-five-game Chameleon elimination match play rounds that will take place next Tuesday and Thursday.

“That was a rollercoaster,” DeVaney, a two-time PBA Tour winner from Temecula, Calif., said. “I was all over the place; hot early, cold late.

“I don’t bowl full-time anymore, so it’s always nice to have some success to prove to myself I can still bowl with the best,” he added. “It’s been a while. Hopefully I can carry it over to the rest of the event.”

DeVaney, who won his last title in the 2009 Scorpion Championship during the inaugural PBA World Series of Bowling, said the bowlers he was paired with (Germany’s Pascal Winternheimer, PJ Haggerty of Roseville, Calif., and Zeke Bayt of Westerville, Ohio) helped keep him on track.

“The guys I was bowling with were very focused, so that helped me bowl stay in concert with them,” he said. “Everyone was kind of cheering each other on, so it made it much easier to stay in the moment.”

Girard, a 33-year-old 13-year PBA member, posted games of 267, 227, 213, 215, 264, 209, 247 and 238 for his 1,880 pins on the 43-foot Chameleon oiling pattern. It was a performance that also moved him up from 29th place after the Cheetah Championship round to fourth place as qualifying for the PBA World Championship hit the halfway point.

It was, he said, “a good day, a really good day.”

Girard, the self-proclaimed “old man” among Canadian players who are making their mark in PBA Tour competition this year, finished fourth twice in 2005 PBA Tour events, but continues his quest for a title. He was well aware a Canadian had never won on the PBA Tour until this year when Ontario’s Graham Fach became the first, winning the Barbasol PBA Players Championship at age 24, followed by 23-year-old Francois Lavoie, a fellow Quebec native, winning the U.S. Open earlier in November.

“I was really happy for Francois, and for Graham as well. Just to see those kids coming from our country doing so well was really wonderful,” Girard said. “I’m the old guy now, so it’s really a privilege just to lead this tournament against all of these young kids.

“I don’t want to make (a title) my goal,” he continued. “That’s obviously the ultimate goal, but I just want to bowl consistent. As long as I stay consistent and don’t miss too many spares, that’s my goal. Today I only missed one spare. It was a really good day. Now my goal is to make one TV show this year.

“I want to be like Francois when he won the Masters – just stick to the process of making good shots. I need to stay steady with my emotions. I tend to get a little excited, but for right now, just keep it steady. When the time comes, I’ll let it all go.”

In another highlight of the Chameleon round, Shaoyi Liu, who uses the Asian “spinner” technique, missed becoming the first bowler from China to cash in PBA competition when he finished 26th, one pin behind Haggerty and Dave Wodka of Beavercreek, Ohio, who tied for the 24th berth in the match play eliminations. In the subsequent one-game roll-off for 24th place, Wodka defeated Haggerty, 219-202, to advance to match play.

Tuesday’s stars, 28-year-old fourth-year PBA members Brandon Novak of Chillicothe, Ohio, and BJ Moore III of Greensburg, Pa., followed up their one-two finishes in the Cheetah round with solid Chameleon rounds to remain one-two after 16 games of PBA World Championship qualifying. Novak finished with 3,817 pins while Moore had a 3,741 total.

WSOB VIII competition continues Thursday with qualifying in the PBA Scorpion Championship presented by Reno Tahoe USA. The Scorpion round is the third of four stages in PBA World Championship qualifying. After the Shark Championship stage on Friday, the top 42 players based on 32-game pinfall totals for the four animal patterns will advance to the PBA World Championship cashers on Sunday.

All qualifying and match play elimination rounds in the World Series are being covered live, exclusively by PBA’s online live-streaming service, Xtra Frame. To sign up for an Xtra Frame subscription, visit xtraframe.tv.

 

2016/11/29

 

Perfect Game Vaults Ohio’s Brandon Novak into Cheetah Championship Qualifying Lead as GEICO PBA WSOB VIII Gets Underway

A 300 in his final game Tuesday pushed three-time Professional Bowlers Association’s regional titlist Brandon Novak of Chillicothe, Ohio, into the qualifying lead in the PBA Cheetah Championship, presented by PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game, as well as the early lead in PBA World Championship qualifying, as the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VIII got underway at the National Bowling Stadium.

The Cheetah Championship is a PBA Tour title event, and it also is the first of four animal pattern qualifying stages leading to the PBA World Championship, the final major championship of the 2016 season. The World Championship will be decided live on ESPN on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 1 p.m. ET.

Novak rolled games of 205, 269, 268, 247, 212, 226 and 231 before capping his round with his perfect game. With a 1,958 total, he overtook early leader BJ Moore III of Greensburg, Pa., by nine pins. Novak and Moore are both 28-year-old fourth-year PBA Tour competitors who are trying for his first PBA Tour title.

“I had the front seven strikes in the last game and realized if I could shoot 300, I’d lead the tournament,” said Novak, whose highest previous finish in a PBA Tour event was a tie for ninth place in the United States Bowling Congress Masters earlier in the year. “I practiced with two balls yesterday, and I just happened to pick the right ball today. It matched up perfectly. Then it was just a matter of making good shots and staying focused.”

Moore, a newlywed (he married Professional Women’s Bowling Association competitor T’Nia Falbo in September), was a member of the 2016 PBA League Elias Cup champion Dallas Strikers team, but he has never finished higher than sixth place in PBA Tour singles competition.

“This has always been an event where I’ve been close to making the cut, but I never could get past the edge,” Moore said. “I worked with (long-time PBA Tour ball rep) Chris Schlemer during practice Monday and he gave me a couple of trigger points to try to make things as simple as possible. Admittedly, I have a tendency to over-think things, but with one or two things to think about, it helped me slow down and become more fluid. That’s all I worked on in practice and obviously it paid off.”

In third place was Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., who won his 10th and 11th PBA Tour titles earlier in the year. Rash closed his round with back-to-back 279 games to finish with a 1,898 total, 20 pins ahead of Greg Ostrander of Freehold, N.J., and 27 pins ahead of EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind.

Among the surprise contenders was Poland’s Daria Pajak who finished one pin behind Tackett. A June graduate of Florida’s Webber International University bowling in her first PBA Tour event, Pajak hopes to join Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y. (2014), and Clara Guerrero of Colombia (2013) as the third woman to advance to a Cheetah Championship television final. She will be among the top 24 Cheetah qualifiers who will return to the National Bowling Stadium for best-of-five-game match play eliminations on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and Thursday, Dec. 8. As one of the top 8 qualifiers, Pajak also will receive a bye out of the Round of 24 elimination matches and will be seeded directly into the Cheetah Round of 16.

The match play eliminations will determine the top four players for the ESPN match play finals that will be contested on Saturday, Dec. 10, for tape-delayed telecast on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m. ET.   The Cheetah finals will be live-streamed on ESPN3 on Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. ET.

WSOB VIII competition, which includes 169 bowlers from 23 countries, continues Wednesday with qualifying in the PBA Chameleon Championship presented by HotelPlanner.com. The Chameleon round also is the second stage in PBA World Championship qualifying. After the Scorpion and Shark Championship stages Thursday and Friday, respectively, the top 42 players based on 32-game pinfall totals will advance to the PBA World Championship cashers on Sunday.

All qualifying and match play elimination rounds in the World Series are being covered live, exclusively by PBA’s online live-streaming service, Xtra Frame. To sign up for an Xtra Frame subscription, visit xtraframe.tv.

 

野仲美咲選手　優勝！

11月23日（水祝）に承認大会・第2回三多摩プロアマオープンが立川スターレーン（東京）にて開催されました。

予選6Gに続く準決勝は0スタートとなった為、上位陣が大きく変動するなか、野仲美咲選手がAシフト9位から一挙トップシードに浮上。決勝シュートアウト・優勝決定戦でも勝ち上がって来た板倉奈智美を相手に30ピン以上の差を付けて撃破し、優勝を決めました。

 

2016/11/28

 

平野智美選手　優勝！

11月13日（日）に承認大会・2016なわてボウルプロアマトーナメントが開催され、アマチュアの平野智美選手が優勝されましたのでご報告致します。

予選6G・準決勝2Gを投げ、各シフト上位14名が決勝シュートアウトへ進出。平野選手はAシフトを3位で通過して2回戦から勝ち上がり、準決勝で大根谷 愛を撃破します。優勝決定戦では西村 了と対戦し、両者とも187ピンで終了。勝敗はワンショットプレーオフにもつれ込んだ末、3投目で西村が9ピン、平野選手がストライクを決めて競り勝ちました。

 

2016/11/27

 

O’Grady, Williams, Parkin Win PBA Challenge Titles to Kick Off GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VIII

Matt O’Grady of Matawan, N.J.; Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Fla., and Missy Parkin of Laguna Hills, Calif., kicked off the GEICO Professional Bowlers Association World Series of Bowling VIII, presented by Silver Legacy Resort and Casino, with victories in the special PBA50 Tour, PBA Regional and PBA-PWBA Women’s Regional Challenge events Sunday at the National Bowling Stadium.

O’Grady, representing the PBA East Region, threw a clutch strike on his first shot in the 10th frame to nip South Region represent Dick Allen of Columbia, S.C., 225-217, handing Allen his first loss in the nine-game PBA Regional Challenge special event.

“I know it doesn’t count as a title, but it sure feels like one to me,” O’Grady said. “Being here on bowling’s biggest stage, live on Xtra Frame, against a stellar field of players who all have a lot more experience than I do feels pretty good. Maybe, at age 30, I’m just hitting my prime a little late.”

Williams, at age 57, survived another in a series of battles with veteran Ron Mohr of Las Vegas, throwing the only double of the match and clinching the 192-187 win with a strike on his first ball in the 10th frame after a pair of costly 10 pins thwarted Mohr again. For the ninth time in 2016, Mohr made a championship round without winning the title.

“It’s a great opportunity for the PBA50 Tour guys to have an event like this at the end of the season,” Williams said. “I was fortunate Ron didn’t double in the 10th, but I thought I threw some good shots that didn’t carry, too. That’s the challenge of this game. You have to figure out what to do to carry those shots.

“It’s a great confidence-builder to start the World Series,” he added, noting the win doesn’t end his ongoing duel with fellow PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber to become the first PBA player to win a combined 100 PBA Tour, PBA50 Tour, PBA Regional and PBA50 Regional titles. Both have 99.

“No, this wasn’t the 100th title,” Williams said. “It’s a special event. Never had been a PBA title, so it doesn’t count.”

Parkin, bowling with medical approval by her doctor after undergoing surgery nearly six weeks, saved her best game for last, defeating top qualifying and PBA South Region representative Ashly Galante of Palm Harbor, Fla., 267-188, for the PBA-PWBA Women’s Regional Challenge title. After a first-frame spare, Parkin reeled off eight strikes in a row to run away with the $8,000 first prize.

“I changed strategy based on what I was doing in qualifying,” Parkin said. “I overheard the guys say they were playing farther right on the pair of lanes we used for the finals, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I tried it in practice and it was amazing, so I stayed out there.

“I’m really grateful I got cleared to bowl this event,” the PBA West Region representative said. “I’m bummed I can’t bowl the rest of the World Series, but I’m really glad I got to do this one.”

Each of the three Challenge events culminated season-long competition points qualifiers to reach the World Series, and entitled each of the competitors to paid entries into the World Series as well. The Challenge events were covered live, exclusively on PBA’s online video streaming service, Xtra Frame.

The eighth annual WSOB officially gets underway Tuesday with the first of four animal pattern qualifying stages leading into the PBA World Championship that will conclude with live ESPN television coverage on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT). All preliminary qualifying rounds of the Cheetah, Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark Championships also will be covered live on Xtra Frame between Tuesday and Thursday, Dec. 8.

 

2016/11/23

 

男子の部・大下耕平選手、女子の部・内藤真裕実が優勝！

福山市役所へ表敬訪問の際にお知らせ致しました承認大会・第24回中国新聞杯広島オープンボウリングトーナメントが終了致しました。

予選8G、準決勝6Gを投げ、上位8名が決勝シュートアウトに進出。男子の部ではトップシードの村上拓也と4位通過から勝ち上がった大下耕平選手との優勝決定戦となり、大下選手が1フレーム目から8連続ストライクを決めて追いすがる村上を撃破し、7年ぶりのアマチュア制覇を成し遂げました。

また女子の部・優勝決定戦では石本美来選手や谷川章子、1stマッチで279ピンのビッグゲームを打ったユン・ヒヨーらとの接戦を制した堂元美佐と、トップシードの内藤真裕実が対戦。7フレーム目からのオールウェーで追い上げる堂元をわずか6ピン差でかわし、内藤の優勝となりました。

 

2016/11/16

 

 

今回で50回を迎える「宮様チャリティーボウリング大会」が11月12日（土）・13日（日）に、品川プリンスホテルボウリングセンター（東京）で開催されました。

開会式および、障害者の部ボウリングクリニックの前に、10月17日にご薨去された友愛十字会初代総裁、三笠宮崇仁さまに全員で黙祷を捧げました。

大会では当協会の公益事業の一つでもあるクリニックに、プロボウラー26名が本年もお手伝いとして参加しました。

ハンディキャップを持つ選手の皆さんと一緒にスカッチトリオ戦を行い、プロボウラーも楽しい一日を過ごさせて頂きました。 　

 

川添奨太がプロの部連覇！！

今年も11月12日（土）・13日（日）の2日間にわたり、承認大会・第2回Hiromi Matsunaga invitational Pro-am Tournamentが小嶺シティボウル（福岡）にて開催されました。

昨年は松永裕美のV11を、今年はV12を記念しての開催となり、和気藹々としたなかにもトップレベルのプロが実力を見せる大会となりました。

競技内容は予選・準決勝を投げて上位5名が決勝シュートアウトに進出。ディフェンディングチャンピオンの川添奨太が3位決定戦で儀間義博を破り、トップシード・佐藤まさみとの優勝決定戦もきっちりワンマーク差で勝利して、大会連覇を果たしました。

またアマチュアの部では優勝決定戦で岡本美月選手と高倉未来選手が対戦。こちらはツーマーク差で岡本選手の勝利となりました。

 

2016/11/11

 

アマチュア・佐藤雄司選手が制覇！

10月30日（日）に大磯プリンスホテルボウリングセンター（神奈川）にて開催された、承認大会・第3回大磯オープントーナメントを佐藤雄司選手が制覇されました！

予選8Gを投げて上位24名が準決勝ブロックシュートアウトに進出。ここで予選1位の堂元美佐をはじめとしてプロが敗退する大番狂わせが連発します。さらに決勝トーナメントに進出した五十嵐久乃と小林哲也も1回戦で敗退、アマチュア選手同士による優勝決定戦となり、佐藤選手が250ピン以上のビッグゲームを打って優勝を決めました。

 

2016/11/09

 

Lavoie Rolls Histric 300 on Way to Win at 2016 U.S. Open

Canada’s Francois Lavoie put together a historic performance on his way to winning the 2016 U.S. Open at the South Point Bowling Plaza on Wednesday. 

The 23-year-old right-hander defeated top seed Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington, 228-194, in the title match to capture his first career Professional Bowlers Association Tour title and become the second foreign-born player to win the U.S. Open. Finland’s Mika Koivuniemi won the 2001 U.S. Open.

Lavoie earned $30,000 and the coveted green jacket for the win, while Kent took home $15,000 for the runner-up finish.

Lavoie also became the first bowler in U.S. Open history to roll a perfect game during the tournament’s stepladder finals, defeating Shawn Maldonado of Houston, 300-211, in the semifinal match. 

Prior to Lavoie’s performance Wednesday, there had been 25 previous televised perfect games during PBA competition.

The 2016 U.S. Open was broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.

In the championship match, Lavoie continued his pace from the semifinals, starting with five consecutive strikes to build a sizeable lead over Kent, who left back-to-back splits on the left lane in the third and fifth frames.

Lavoie lost the pocket during the seventh, eighth and ninth frames, but converted three multiple-pin combinations, including a 3-4-6-10 split in the eighth frame, to remain clean and stay ahead of a charging Kent, who rallied with three consecutive strikes through the eighth frame. 

Kent’s run came to a halt with a 10 pin in the ninth frame, and Lavoie struck on the first shot of his final frame to secure the win.

“This is something I’ve dreamed of for a long time,” said Lavoie, the No. 2 seed for Wednesday’s championship round. “I’ve made a lot of commitments and life choices for something like this. To see it happen is amazing.”

Lavoie played the lanes farther to the right than both Kent and Maldonado, and he was able to find a ball reaction that gave him a wider path to the pocket on the 42-foot oil pattern.

“Looking at the lane graph, it was definitely tricky, but there was some shape to the right,” Lavoie said. “When a pattern as hard as this gives you some kind of shape, you need to take advantage of it, so that’s where I tried to play until something developed. There was some friction built into the pattern, so I was able to miss right a little bit and get it to hook early, and we had urethane going down the lane to the left, which gave me some hold. It really was the best of both worlds.”

Kent, who also was looking for his first major victory and third PBA Tour title, earned the top seed after averaging more than 229 during the 56-game event.

“I felt I did everything I could,” said Kent, a five-time Team USA member. “The 7-10 hurt, and if that didn’t happen, I probably don’t make a move and leave the 2-8-10 in the fifth. I reset after the break and threw four really good shots, and the one I needed didn’t carry. Overall, I felt I bowled well but just didn’t give the lanes what they wanted. Francois bowled great all week, and I’m happy to see him win.”

Lavoie nearly made a ball change during his 300 game to make sure he was ready for the championship match but elected not to do so after talking to one of his ball representatives. He received a $10,000 bonus from Pepsi for the perfect game.

“I actually talked to Tim (Mack) after the eighth frame, because I knew I already had won and wanted to try something else,” said Lavoie, who also rolled a perfect game during qualifying. “I still had one more game to go, so I was thinking ahead to that. Tim asked me why I wouldn’t want to go for the bonus, which I didn’t know about it, so I decided to go for it and see what happened.”

Maldonado, the No. 4 seed, won his first two matches, defeating No. 3 Anthony Simonsen of Austin, Texas, 238-217, and No. 5 John Szczerbinski of North Tonawanda, New York, 190-188.

All competitors at the 2016 U.S. Open bowled 24 qualifying games over three days, before the field was cut to the top 57 for eight additional games. The 32-game pinfall totals determined the 24 players for round-robin match play. The top five, determined by total pinfall and bonus pins for 56 games, advanced to the stepladder finals.

Each round of the 2016 U.S. Open leading up to the stepladder finals was broadcast live on Xtra Frame, the exclusive online bowling channel for the Professional Bowlers Association.

The 2016 U.S. Open featured a prize fund of $214,000, which included $100,000 in added money.

 

2016/11/08

 

Kent Rolls Top Seed at 2016 U.S. Open

Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington, continued his dominance at the 2016 U.S. Open on Tuesday and earned the top seed for the stepladder finals.

The stepladder finals will air live on CBS Sports Network on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern. The champion will take home $30,000 and the coveted green jacket. The 2016 event features a prize fund of $214,000, which includes $100,000 in added money.

Kent, a 24-year-old right-hander, posted a 20-4 record in match play to lead the field by nearly 275 pins with a 56-game total of 13,467 , including bonus pins.

Canada’s Francois Lavoie earned the No. 2 seed with a 13,195 total, and 2016 United States Bowling Congress Masters champion Anthony Simonsen of Princeton, Texas, is No. 3 with 12,985.

The opening match in Wednesday’s championship round will feature No. 4 Shawn Maldonado of Houston taking on No. 5 John Szczerbinski of North Tonawanda, New York. Maldonado finished with 12,904, while Szczerbinski had 12,877.

Kent was in a tie for 92nd place after Friday’s opening round but rebounded by averaging more than 233 over the remaining 48 games.

“It’s been incredible,” said Kent, who will be looking for his third Professional Bowlers Association Tour title and first major victory. “After the way I started, I didn’t expect to even come close to making the show, so to be the No. 1 seed is an unbelievable feeling. With one game, anything can happen, but I’m just going with the same thought process that got me here – have fun, stay relaxed and just let the bowling take care of itself.”

The five-time Team USA member relied on his mental approach as much as his physical game to make it through the 56-game marathon.

“I took some really good notes on the pairs this week,” Kent said. “I feel like I saw the lanes, pair to pair, much better than most. Mentally, I was as clear as I’ve ever been, and I think that was a big advantage. A lot of players get frustrated when the ball didn’t do the right thing. I took the logical route and tried to figure out why, and that saved me a lot of games and frustration.”

Kent also made the television show at the 2013 U.S. Open as an amateur, finishing in fourth. He hopes to use that experience to his advantage against the fresh faces in the stepladder.

Maldonado is the oldest among the five competitors at 30 years old, and only Simonsen previously has won a major championship. Lavoie, Maldonado and Szczerbinski are looking for their first professional titles.

“I think my experience in 2013 is going to help a ton,” said Kent, who finished ninth at the 2015 U.S. Open. “It’s a different feeling bowling under the lights, especially at a major. To have that experience under your belt, especially with such a youthful show, will play to my favor. I’ll hope for the best and see what happens.”

All competitors at the 2016 U.S. Open bowled 24 qualifying games over three days, before the field was cut to the top 57 for eight additional games. The 32-game pinfall totals determined the 24 players for round-robin match play.

Each round of the 2016 U.S. Open leading up to the stepladder finals was broadcast live on Xtra Frame, the exclusive online bowling channel for the Professional Bowlers Association.

 

2016/11/07

 

Kent Dominates Opening Round of Match Play at 2016 U.S. Open

Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington, went undefeated in the opening round of match play Monday night at the 2016 U.S. Open to build a lead of more than 325 pins over the field at the South Point Bowling Plaza.

After posting the tournament’s highest eight-game block (1,930) earlier in the day during the cashers’ round, Kent rolled 1,960 on his way to an 8-0 match-play record to finish with a 40-game total of 9,493, including bonus pins.

“It doesn’t get much better than that,” said Kent, a five-time Team USA member. “I’ve been having a blast, trying to stay relaxed, and it’s been working. I’m going to try and keep the same thought process going into tomorrow and see what happens.”

Shawn Maldonado of Houston moved into second place with a 9,166 total, while Canada’s Francois Lavoie is third with 9,132. John Szczerbinski of North Tonawanda, New York, jumped four spots into fourth place with 9,039, and Sweden’s Martin Larsen rounds out the top five with 8,976. 

The final two rounds of match play will begin Tuesday at 1 p.m. Eastern. Each round of the 2016 U.S. Open leading up to the stepladder finals is being broadcast live on Xtra Frame, the exclusive online bowling channel for the Professional Bowlers Association.

All competitors at the 2016 U.S. Open completed 24 qualifying games over three days, before the field was cut to the top 57 for eight additional games. The 32-game pinfall totals determined the 24 players for round-robin match play. 

The top five, determined by total pinfall and bonus pins for 56 games, will advance to the stepladder finals, which will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday.

The 2016 U.S. Open features a prize fund of more than $210,000, which includes $100,000 in added money. The 2016 champion will earn $30,000 and the coveted green jacket.

 

Kent Leads Heading into Match Play at 2016 U.S. Open

Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington, rolled the highest eight-game block of the 2016 U.S. Open on Monday to lead the top 24 players into match play.

The 24-year-old right-hander averaged more than 241 on the way to a 1,930 total at the South Point Bowling Plaza, giving him a 32-game total of 7,293, a 227.91 average. 

Canada’s Francois Lavoie is in second place with 7,243. Shawn Maldonado of Houston is third with 7,179, Anthony Simonsen of Princeton, Texas, is fourth with 7,158 and Sweden’s Martin Larsen is fifth with 7,109.

Kent has rebounded after finding himself in a tie for 92nd place after the tournament’s opening round.

“It wasn’t so much of a change in game plan, but a different mental approach,” said Kent, who finished in ninth place at the 2015 U.S. Open in Garland, Texas, and fourth as an amateur in 2013. “I tried to win the tournament in the first six games Friday, so I had to take a step back and just bowl and see what happens. The last three days, I’ve relaxed a bit and just let the bowling take care of itself.”

Monday’s cashers’ round started with the 57 players who advanced after 24 qualifying games.

Brad Angelo of Lockport, New York, earned the final spot in match play, rolling 267 in his final game to finish with a 6,886 total, a 215.19 average.

Match play will begin Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern with the first of three eight-game rounds. Match play resumes Tuesday at 1 p.m. Eastern with the final two blocks, including a position round. 

The top five, determined by total pinfall and bonus pins for 56 games, will advance to the stepladder finals, which will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday.

Each round of the 2016 U.S. Open leading up to the stepladder finals will be broadcast live on Xtra Frame, the exclusive online bowling channel for the Professional Bowlers Association.

The 2016 U.S. Open features a prize fund of more than $210,000, which includes $100,000 in added money. The 2016 champion will earn $30,000 and the coveted green jacket.

 

2016/11/06

 

Larsen Takes Lead After Third Round at 2016 U.S. Open

Sweden’s Martin Larsen fired 279 in his final game of qualifying Sunday to edge his way into the lead at the 2016 U.S. Open.

The 37-year-old right-hander used an eight-game block of 1,826 to finish qualifying with a 5,417 total, a 225.71 average, to sneak past 2016 United States Bowling Congress Masters champion Anthony Simonsen of Princeton, Texas, who is in second place with 5,406.

Canada’s Francois Lavoie, who led after the second round, is third with 5,395, Marshall Kent of Yakima, Washington, is fourth with 5,363 and Shawn Maldonado of Houston is fifth with 5,362. 

All competitors at the 2016 U.S. Open now have completed 24 games of qualifying, and the field of 228 has been cut to the top 57 players. Those competitors will bowl an additional eight games starting Monday at 1 p.m. Eastern to determine the 24 players that advance to round-robin match play, based on 32-game pinfall totals.

Chris Via of Springfield, Ohio, earned the final spot in Monday’s cashers’ round, finishing with a 5,031 total, a 209.63 average.

Qualifying at the 2016 U.S. Open gave competitors the opportunity to navigate three different phases of the 42-foot oil pattern being used during the event – the fresh, burn and double-burn. The oil pattern only is applied before the day’s opening squad.

Larsen finished his final block on the burn squad. He started on the fresh during Friday’s opening round of qualifying.

“I think I made some good ball choices, since we’re used to only having six balls when we travel in Europe, and together with help from the ball reps I’ve been able to stay away from trouble,” said Larsen, who finished 41st at the 2015 U.S. Open in Garland, Texas. “That’s the main thing on this U.S. Open pattern. Keep your low games high and try to take advantage when the lanes give you something.

“It will be three days since I bowled on the fresh, and I started off well. Based off of what I’ve heard and seen since then, it seems like they haven’t been playing them the same way I was and are starting a little further to the left. I’m going to try and go in open minded and see what the lanes tell me to do and move on from there.”

Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, New York, will not defend his title in 2016. Ciminelli finished in 85th place with a 4,930 total.

Match play will begin Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern with the first of three eight-game rounds. Match play resumes Tuesday at 1 p.m. Eastern with the final two blocks, including a position round. 

The top five, determined by total pinfall and bonus pins for 56 games, will advance to the stepladder finals, which will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 9.

Each round of the 2016 U.S. Open leading up to the stepladder finals will be broadcast live on Xtra Frame, the exclusive online bowling channel for the Professional Bowlers Association.

The 2016 U.S. Open features a prize fund of more than $210,000, which includes $100,000 in added money. The 2016 champion will earn $30,000 and the coveted green jacket.

 

木村真理 選手、クイーンズ歴代4人目のアマチュア制覇！

熱い戦いで魅せてくれたのは、男子ばかりではありません。

仲良しの盟友と共に戦うチーム、ダブルス戦は華やかで、笑顔溢れるボウリングを楽しんでいた女子選手も、クイーンズ予選では一転して勝負師の顔を覗かせます。

誰もが頂点を目指して懸命に投球しましたが、なかでも新人プロや全日本ナショナルチームのトップアマが特に頑張りを見せ、上位の成績で準決勝へと進出します。

しかし先輩プロ達も新人に負けてばかりはいられません。予選上位8名中、決勝進出圏内を守れたのは寺下智香、宮城鈴菜、吉川朋絵らタイトルホルダーの3名のみ。続いて中谷優子、近藤文美、姫路 麗らが怒濤の追い上げで席を確保しますが、特筆すべきは予選9位からトップシードを奪取した木村真理選手と、15位から滑り込んで来た保木絵里選手でしょう。全日本ナショナルチームを牽引してきた木村選手、北海道を代表する強豪アマの保木選手。第35回大会の佐々木菜月選手、第37回大会の竹川ひかる選手、そしてディフェンディングチャンピオンの水谷若菜選手に続く4人目のアマチュア優勝者となるべく、決勝ダブルエリミネーションへ進出を果たしました。

男子と同じく勝者ゾーンからスタートし、一度負けると敗者ゾーンへ移動。勝者は勝者同士、敗者も敗者同士で復活戦を戦い不敗の勝者1名、敗者ゾーンから2名がＴＶファイナルへと進むダブルエリミネーション方式で、勝者ゾーンの生き残りは保木選手との1回戦をワンショットプレーオフまでもつれ込む熱戦を繰り広げ、場内を沸かせた木村選手。保木選手も敗者ゾーンで2回戦まで勝ち進みましたが、3回戦目で吉川に敗北してしまい、惜しくも4位が確定しました。

そして保木選手を破った吉川と、木村選手に1敗した姫路が3位決定戦へと進出、アマチュア選手によるクイーンズ連覇を阻止する資格を得る為に戦います。

ここで吉川がレーンの変化の早さを感じてラインを変えたりアジャストを試みましたが間に合わず、ロースコアを出してしまいます。一方姫路はあわやパーフェクトかと思われた9連続ストライクを決め、吉川に圧勝。昨年はアマチュア選手に連敗し、7位に終わってしまった口惜しさを胸に、優勝決定戦に臨みます。

アマチュア選手3連覇のストッパーとなるべく期待がかかる姫路は、ダブルで滑り出した木村選手に一旦はリードを取られたものの、中盤に5連続ストライクを決めて逆転。9フレーム目からのオールウェーで追いすがる木村選手を僅差でかわし、まずは一勝を挙げました。

泣いても笑っても残りは1ゲーム。このゲームを制した方がクイーンズを制覇するという、まさに負けられない戦い。

姫路はレーンの急激な変化にも落ち着いて対応し、静かにレーンを見つめます。しかし前半はなかなかダブル以上に繋がりません。対する木村選手はまるで3位決定戦の姫路を再現するかのように、1フレーム目からストライクを切らしません。

文字通り手に汗握るほど緊張したという木村選手でしたが、まるでそうは見えないほど落ち着いてストライクを重ねて行くのは、背後の観客席でコーチでもあるご主人がじっと見守ってくれているという支えがあったせいでしょうか。9フレーム目にストライクは途切れたものの、これもきちんとカバー。7フレーム目から立て直してストライクを連発する姫路が必死に追いますが、そのままオールウェーを決めてもMAX248ピンとなり、自力での優勝は難しい展開に。

さらに木村選手が10フレーム1投目にストライクを決め、この時点で勝敗が確定。姫路も善戦しましたが一歩及ばず、木村選手のクイーンズ優勝となりました。

家庭を持ち、銀行員としてお勤めする木村選手にとってこのジャパンオープンは、ご主人のお父上、つまりお舅さんがアマチュア優勝した思い入れのある大会。その大会で、しかもトッププロの姫路に勝利しての優勝は、大きな価値あるものとなりました！

 

永野すばる、プロ入り16年目に掴んだ悲願の初優勝！

北は北海道から南は沖縄まで、日本全国からボウラーが集うボウリングの大祭・ジャパンオープンボウリング選手権。仲間と励まし合って戦うチーム戦あり、一人一人の腕を競い合う個人戦あり、投げても観ても楽しいボウリングのお祭りが、4日間の熱戦に終止符を打ちました。

参加人数は男子プロアマ合計832名。日本最大にして最高の舞台に立ち、その頂点に立ったのは、プロ入り16年目の永野すばる、その人でした。

チーム、ダブルス、シングルスでは突出した成績を残せなかった永野でしたが、いよいよ本番となるマスターズ予選では0スタートだったこともあり、パーフェクトも達成して大爆発。一挙6位まで浮上します。準決勝では後半スコアを落としたものの、トップを走っていた上位が入れ替わって行くなか、ぎりぎり8位で決勝ダブルエリミネーションに進出を果たしました。

永野と同じくファイナルステージに立ったのは、昨年度のベストアマ・斎藤祐太選手を筆頭に、予選から進出圏内を守った平山陽一、川添奨太。そして圏外から追い上げてきた藤井信人、梶田朋寛、山下周作、高橋延明。優勝候補の常連組である藤井と川添が代表する若手7名に、プロ入り33年目のベテラン高橋と、見応えを期待できる顔ぶれが揃います。

まず8名全員が勝者ゾーンで対戦し、そこで敗れた者は敗者復活ゾーンにて敗者同士で対戦。2度負けたら順位が確定するダブルエリミネーション方式で行われ、永野はトップ通過の斎藤選手をはじめ川添、藤井らを次々と撃破し、無傷で優勝決定戦へと駒を進めました。

そして敗者ゾーンから勝ち上がってきた川添と藤井による3位決定戦。ともに永野に敗者ゾーンへ送り込まれた者同士の対戦は、川添がターキーで滑り出して藤井にリードを取るも、中盤は10番ピンに嫌われてしまいます。

対する藤井は川添にストライクが繋がらなくなったチャンスを逃すことなく、5フレーム目から6連続ストライクで逆転。川添もやられたままで引き下がるわけがなく、9フレーム目からのオールウェーで追いましたが一歩届かず、藤井が永野にリベンジする資格を手に入れました。

2013年にプロ入りし、ルーキーイヤーに全日本選手権で初優勝を果たしましたが、2年目、3年目と何度もファイナル進出するも優勝には一歩及ばず、3勝目はお預けが続いている藤井。華燭の典を挙げたばかりの愛妻が見守るなか、ジャパンオープンというビッグタイトルを手に入れたいと闘志を燃やします。

しかしながら対する永野も、直近の千葉オープンで悲願の初優勝を目前にしてお預けになってしまったばかり。勝ちたいと願いこそすれ、負けていい理由などありはしません。

ゲーム開始前の握手からすでに火花が散っていた両者は、序盤は互角のペースでしたが4フレーム目に永野がまさかのイージーミス。

1敗が許されるアドバンテージがあるとはいえ、やはり1ゲームで優勝を決めたかった永野ですが、ここから最後の一戦で勝利する為にアジャストを変えてラインを探ります。

一方藤井は7フレーム目をスプリットからオープンとしたものの、ストライクを繋いで調整中の永野を突き放し、まず1勝をもぎとりました。

長めのアプローチでルーティンを作り、自分のペースを作り上げる藤井。闘志を剥き出しにして「勝ちに行く」姿勢は見守る観客にもびりびりと伝わったことでしょう。

そんな藤井と対照的に、良くても悪くても表情を崩さず、大きなリアクションはあまり見られない永野はポーカーフェイスそのもの。藤井が投げかけてくるプレッシャーにも気圧されず、淡々と投げているかのように見えましたが、優勝決定戦を投げ打って掴んだアジャストが功を奏し、2・3フレーム目でダブルを決めた時、ついに声をあげました。

さらに5フレーム目からターキーに成功すると、これまでのポーカーフェイスをかなぐり捨てたかのように吠え、藤井にプレッシャーを返します。

藤井が7フレーム目をオープンにしたことから、流れが向いたかと思われた永野でしたが、勝利への欲が出て投球に力が入ってしまい、勝負どころの9フレーム目で痛恨のスプリット。しかしここで焦って一か八かのスペアを狙うより、カウントを重視したという永野はやはり冷静でした。ここで藤井に追いつかれ、10フレーム勝負、それもパンチアウト勝負にもつれ込むも、永野は1・2投目とストライクに成功。藤井も2投目までストライクは絶対必須という状況になりましたが、無情にも10番ピンが倒れてくれません。ここでほぼ永野の勝利が確定し、さらにとどめのパンチアウト。粘る藤井をかわして逃げ切りに成功します。

しかしながらすでに最後の全日本に向けて気持ちを切り替え、「次こそは俺が勝つ」と二人とも同じ決意を口にした藤井と川添。トップエース達の頼もしい姿は多くの選手達の手本となることでしょう。

そして16歳の若さでプロ入りし、期待の若手として常に注目されてきた永野。永野自身も16歳でトップ合格を果たし、数年で初優勝はできるだろうと思っていたと語ります。しかしプロはそこまで甘くはなく、優勝を果たせないまま未完の大器として人生の半分をプロの世界で生きてきました。

しかし16年目の今年、この日本最大の大舞台でとうとう大器は晩成しました。長いプロボウリングの歴史の中でも指折りの名勝負を制し、所属センターの社長である中里氏の目の前で悲願の初優勝、初タイトルを掴み取りました！

 

2年連続のベストアマ獲得、今年はさらにプロを追い詰めました！

斎藤祐太 選手

 

 

斎藤祐太 選手

 

 

木村真理 選手

 

2016/11/05

 

Lavoie Takes Lead After Second Round at 2016 U.S. Open

Canada’s Francois Lavoie rolled a perfect game on his way to taking the lead after the second round of qualifying at the 2016 U.S. Open on Saturday.

The 23-year-old right-hander connected on 12 consecutive strikes during his fourth game to post an eight-game block of 1,843 at the South Point Bowling Plaza, bringing his 16-game total to 3,631. Lavoie now has rolled the tournament’s first 300 game in each of the past two years.

Rhino Page of Orlando, Florida, is in second place with 3,607, and Sweden’s Pontus Andersson (3,604) and Martin Larsen (3,591) are third and fourth, respectively. Shawn Maldonado of Houston rounded out the top five with 3,583.

Colombia’s Andres Gomez, who also recorded a 300 game Saturday, is in ninth place with a 3,551 total.

Qualifying at the 2016 U.S. Open gives competitors the opportunity to navigate three different phases of the 42-foot oil pattern being used during the event – the fresh, burn and double-burn. The oil pattern only is applied before the day’s opening squad.

Lavoie bowled his first block on the burn squad Friday and competed on the fresh Saturday. He has averaged more than 226 on his way to the lead and will head back to the lanes Sunday at 9:30 p.m. Eastern for the double-burn.

“I think it’s going to be tricky to hit the double-burn the last day,” said Lavoie, who was in 11th place after Friday’s opening round. “The first day, people tend to stay right a little longer and are a little more careful. By the last day of qualifying, they’ve figured out that as they move left, it gets a little easier and tends to open up a bit, so they tend to move left quicker. My game plan is to keep the ball in play and focus on one shot at a time. This is what I’ve been doing, and I hope it works for the double-burn.”

Defending champion Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, New York, is in 75th place with a 3,330 total.

The third qualifying round will begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Eastern. Each round of the 2016 U.S. Open leading up to the stepladder finals will be broadcast live on Xtra Frame, the exclusive online bowling channel for the Professional Bowlers Association.

All competitors at the 2016 U.S. Open will bowl 24 qualifying games over three days, before the field is cut to the top 57 for eight additional games. The 32-game pinfall totals will determine the 24 players for round-robin match play. 

The top five, determined by total pinfall and bonus pins for 56 games, will advance to the stepladder finals, which will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 9.

The 2016 U.S. Open features a prize fund of more than $210,000, which includes $100,000 in added money. The 2016 champion will earn $30,000 and the coveted green jacket.



 

髙橋俊彦

 

 

寺下智香

 

 

堂元美佐

 

 

堀内　綾

 

2016/11/04

 

Canada's Wilkins Leads After First Round at 2016 U.S. OPEN

Canada’s Zach Wilkins averaged more than 238 on Friday to lead the first round of qualifying at the 2016 U.S. Open.

Wilkins rolled an eight-game total of 1,906 at the South Point Bowling Plaza and leads the field of 228 bowlers by 80 pins after the first of three days of qualifying. Ronnie Russell of Marion, Indiana, is second with 1,826 and Kristopher Prather of Milton, Florida, is third with 1,822.

Qualifying at the 2016 U.S. Open gives competitors the opportunity to navigate three different phases of the 42-foot oil pattern being used this week – the fresh, burn and double-burn. The oil pattern only is applied before the day’s opening squad.

Wilkins bowled on the burn squad, which yielded seven of the top 10 scores Friday.

“I really saw a lot of volume in the middle part of the lane, and I tried to use that to my advantage,” said Wilkins, who won gold medals in trios and all-events at the 2016 Pan American Bowling Confederation Adult Championships in Cali, Colombia, in September. “I kept my ball rolling a little more forward and used a ball with a slower response time, so if I missed right, I was able to bump off that friction, and if I missed in a little bit, the ball would give me a little bit of hold. I kind of had the best of both worlds today.

“I’m just going to try and do exactly what I did today – stay in the moment, stay in my routine and repeat shots. It’s 56 games, so one bad shot isn’t going to end your tournament. I hope to keep the momentum going.”

Defending champion Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, New York, is in 65th place with a 1,688 total.

The second qualifying round will begin Saturday at 11 a.m. Eastern. Each round of the 2016 U.S. Open leading up to the stepladder finals will be broadcast live on Xtra Frame, the exclusive online bowling channel for the Professional Bowlers Association.

All competitors at the 2016 U.S. Open will bowl 24 qualifying games over three days, before the field is cut to the top 57 for eight additional games. The 32-game pinfall totals will determine the 24 players for round-robin match play. 

The top five, determined by total pinfall and bonus pins for 56 games, will advance to the stepladder finals, which will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 9.

The 2016 U.S. Open features a prize fund of more than $210,000, which includes $100,000 in added money. The 2016 champion will earn $30,000 and the coveted green jacket.

 

 

髙淵常志

 

 

門川健一

 

 

 

 

2016/11/03

 

 

 

 

2016/11/01

 

‘Merica Rooster Illusion Uses Closing-Game Strike Barrage to Topple BFFs for PBA Team Challenge Title

After scratching its way into the championship round, the team calling itself ‘Merica Rooster Illusion threw nine strikes on 10 attempts to win the Professional Bowlers Association Team Challenge at the South Point Bowling Plaza Tuesday.

The team, named after a reference found in the movie “Tropical Thunder,” knocked off The BFFs, the top qualifying team composed of veteran international players Dom Barrett and Stuart Williams of England, Martin Larsen and Jesper Svensson of Sweden, and Finland’s Osku Palermaa, 498-452, in the two-game, total pinfall final game. ‘Merica locked it up with its strike barrage in a 264-232 clinching game.

“We’re a team of journeymen and young guys, all of whom can throw strikes when you need them,” team captain Ronnie Russell said.

Russell, who won his fourth career PBA Tour title along with a share of a $30,000 first prize, was joined by former PBA Rookies of the Year Marshall Kent (2014), E.J. Tackett (2013) Rhino Page (2008) and veteran Chris Loschetter, who bowled after being cleared by doctors in his battle with cancer.

”It really wasn’t about Losch and cancer,” Tackett said. “Losch is Losch. He doesn’t change, but when he got cleared to bowl, that’s what we wanted to do for him. To get a win after what he’s been through really makes it special.”

Loschetter, who earned his second PBA Tour title, also took it in stride. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer just before the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VII in Reno last December, had surgery, and thought he was cleared until the cancer resurfaced in his abdomen during the summer. After another bout of chemo, he was declared clear in early October.

“It definitely makes you appreciate life,” the Avon, Ohio resident said. “Getting another title? Yeah, that’s cool.”

The PBA Team Challenge is a one-of-a-kind five-player team competition for the sport’s most talented players. It was conduct as part of the South Point Bowling Plaza Fall Classic.

In the first match in the two-game, total pinfall Baker format stepladder finals, ‘Merica Rooster Illusion defeated Playin’ With House Money (Josh Blanchard, Dino Castillo, D.J. Archer, Shawn Maldonado and Tom Daugherty), 508-488. The difference proved to be Archer’s 10 pin in the eighth frame, ending a deadlock when Rooster Illusion closed the match with six consecutive strikes.

‘Merica Rooster Illusion then broke open a five-pin match with a string of six consecutive strikes to win the semifinal match, 482-452, eliminating the highly-regarded all-star team, One College POY and You Know the Rest (Chris Barnes, Bill O’Neill, Tommy Jones, Wes Malott and Jason Belmonte). The “POY” team represented a combined total of 64 PBA titles, by far the most in the entire 20-team tournament field.

PBA members will now join many of the sport’s top amateur players in the U.S. Open which begins Friday at the South Point Bowling Plaza. All qualifying and match play rounds of the U.S. Open will be covered live, exclusively on PBA’s online video-streaming service, Xtra Frame, leading up to the live CBS Sports Network stepladder finals on Tuesday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT).

In addition to its normal coverage, Xtra Frame’s coverage also will include bonus coverage of featured groups of players on its new XF2 channel. For details, visit xtraframe.tv.


遠藤 誠が優勝！

さる10月8日（土）・9日（日）の2日間にわたってPOPBOWL県央にて開催されました、承認大会・第3回ときめき新潟プロアマオープンを遠藤 誠がプロの部初制覇致しました。

予選6G、準決勝3Gを投球して上位8名が進出した決勝ステップラダーにて、2位通過の遠藤は2回戦より参戦。一人ぶっちぎりのスコアで勝ち抜け、トップシードの浅田梨奈との優勝決定戦でも75ピンの大差で圧勝。第3回王者の座を掴みました。