PBA Spare Shots RONNIE RUSSELL S CHAMELEON 300 A HIT ON YOUTUBE If you missed Ronnie Russell s 300 game during the shootout round of the PBA Chameleon Championship on ESPN last Sunday, you can join the more than 325,000 who have already checked it out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02imewt-3oa. Russell, who made three television finals during the recent GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI at South Point in Las Vegas, will be among the five finalists who will compete for the PBA World Championship title live on ESPN on Sunday, Jan. 11, at 1 p.m. ET. The two-time PBA Tour champion from Marion, Ind., will be in the World Championship round field along with top qualifier Wes Malott, Mike Fagan, Todd Book and Stuart Williams. ARCHER WAS FIRST IN ROLLTECH STRIKE STATS, FOURTH IN CHAMELEON SPARES During the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI, the PBA worked with Rolltech to record unique frame-by-frame, ball-by-ball statistics for the 14 qualifying games. Here s a look at some of the stats for the four players in the Chameleon Championship: top qualifier DJ Archer, Ronnie Russell, Sean Rash and J.R. Raymond. Archer won the Viper title, defeating Russell in the title match, 241-215. The Chameleon finals aired Sunday on ESPN: Strike percentage: top qualifier Archer struck on 100 of 156 shots for a 64.10% success rate. Russell was second (60.13%, 95 strikes on 158 attempts), Rash was third (59.88%, 97 of 162) and Raymond was fourth (57.05%, 89 of 156). The 240-player field s strike percentage was 49.01% (9,923 strikes on 20,247 attempts). Spare percentage: Rash was the leading spare shooter (86.21% successful on 50 of 58 attempts) followed by Raymond (85.48% on 53 of 62 attempts), Russell (81.03% on 47 of 58) and Archer (70.59% on 36 of 51). The field s success rate was 73.48% (7,144 of 9,722 attempts). Single pin spare conversions: two players were perfect Raymond with 39 on 39 attempts and Rash with 38 of 38. Archer made 27 of 27 (92.59%) and Russell made 33 of 36 (91.67%). The field s success rate was 94.12% (4,468 spares made on 4,7,47 attempts). Multi-pin spare conversions: Archer made 9 of 10 (90%), Raymond made 14 of 16 (87.50%), Russell 12 of 14 (85.71%) and Rash 11 of 13 (84.62%). The field converted 73.68% (2,394 successful spares on 3,249 attempts). TOM HESS NIPS TEENAGER IN CHAMELEON SELFIE CHALLENGE In the Chameleon Championship edition of the special take a selfie promotion sponsored by High 5 Gear during the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI, Scorpion Championship finalist Tom Hess knocked down nine pins to nip 17-year-old Cameron Collins eight-count. The special promotion gave a lucky fan who tweeted a selfie an opportunity to participate in a one-ball showdown against a PBA star prior to each WSOB telecast. Despite losing the showdown, Collins received the autographed ball Hess used in the contest. ON TAP FOR SUNDAY: THE PBA SCORPION CHAMPIONSHIP ON ESPN GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI telecast No. 4, the Scorpion Championship finals, will air Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN. Top qualifier Michael Haugen Jr. of Phoenix, Ariz., bidding for his fourth PBA Tour title, will bowl the winner of a three-player shootout match involving No. 2 Scott Newell, Deland, Fla.; No. 3 Martin Larsen, Sweden, and No. 4 Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa. To view a preview of Sunday s telecast, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igwugazovzg NEW YEAR WILL BE JOHNNY PETRAGLIA S 50TH ANNIVERSARY AS PBA COMPETITOR The 2015 season will mark PBA Hall of Famer Johnny Petraglia s 50-year anniversary of competitive involvement with the PBA, including 14 titles won in 763 PBA Tour events, another nine titles in 85 PBA Regionals and eight titles won in 117 PBA50 Tour events. Petraglia also served his fellow players as PBA President, and earned induction into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1982. The only player in PBA history to win national PBA titles in six different decades is still active, and will celebrate his 67th birthday on March 3. USBC MASTERS PRO-AM ENTRIES, TICKETS AVAILABLE Pro-Am entries for the United States Bowling Congress Masters at Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wis., are now being accepted. Pro-am squads are scheduled for 4 and 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 2. Basic entry fees are $50 for adults and $25 for seniors or youth bowlers, or entry fees including a new Brunswick bowling ball are $150 for adults, and $125 for seniors or youth bowlers. To enter the USBC Masters Pro-Am, contact Dave LaBar at 920-336-0400 or dave@ashbowl.com.
Tickets for the Masters also are available from Ashwaubenon Bowl. For more information on daily and ESPN tickets, contact Matt Orvis at 920-336-0400 or matt@ashbowl.com. QUICK NOTES The starting time for the March 29 ESPN telecast of the PBA League Quarterfinals has been adjusted by 30 minutes. The new start time is 5 p.m. ET. Veteran PBA Regional competitor Sean Swanson received good news over the holidays about his on-going battle against a rare form of cancer. The 45-year-old Swanson s story was told in a feature written by Springfield, Mo., News Leader reporter Lyndal Scranton: http://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/2014/12/28/local-bowling-pro-swanson-strikes-back-cancer/20985163/ Reminder: Each month MOTIV is giving away a bowling ball to someone who signs up for a new Xtra Frame subscription, either monthly ($7.99) or 12-month XF Season Ticket ($64.99). The ball-a-month promotion is a continuation of the MOTIV promotion which ran during the 2014 GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI when MOTIV gave away one bowling ball a day for the six days of WSOB competition. Reminder: if you missed the ESPN telecast on Sunday, all GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI telecasts will be archived on Xtra Frame three days after they air on ESPN. Click on the 2014 WSOB archives tab on the left side of the Xtra Frame home page for a complete listing of archived shows. England s Stuart Williams Carries Banner for International Players in PBA World Championship Finals Williams makes dramatic surge to qualify for live ESPN Finals Sunday, Jan. 11 at 1 p.m. ET LAS VEGAS The road to the stepladder finals of the 55th PBA World Championship is a long one, but it took a dramatic win in the final position round match to vault England s Stuart Williams into the finals. In that match, Williams advanced from seventh place to fifth with a 258-194 victory over fellow Englishman and defending World Championship winner Dom Barrett at the South Point Bowling Center last October at the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI in Las Vegas. The stepladder finals for the PBA World Championship the third major and final tournament of the season will be televised live on ESPN Sunday, Jan. 11 at 1 p.m. ET from the brand new South Point Bowling Plaza. William s run to the finals came after four seven-game qualifying rounds and three eight-game match play rounds conducted on five different lane conditions that culminated with the dramatic position round match. It was pretty clear that both Dom and I needed to bowl a huge last game to have a chance, said the 33-year-old Williams. Because (the standings) were so tight, I think we were both confident we could get into the finals. We were actually pulling for each other knowing that the score was the most important thing. After I left a 10 pin in the ninth frame, the pressure began to get a little more intense, Williams added. After a bad first shot in the 10th I was able to make the spare and regain my composure to throw the strike in the fill frame (last shot in the 10th frame) to confirm my spot on the ladder. Williams, who became the first player from England to win a PBA Tour title when he captured the 2011 PBA Viper Championship during World Series of Bowling III, will be trying for his second PBA Tour title. He will also be trying to improve upon a previous best major finish of third which came in the 2013 United States Bowling Congress Masters. This season he s had a best Tour finish of third which came in the Kuwait International Open. As the No. 5 qualifier for the telecast, Williams will have his work cut out for him. He will meet No. 4 qualifier Todd Book of Russells Point, Ohio, in the opening stepladder match and if he wins that one, he will have to win three more matches for the title. Next in line in the stepladder format would be No. 3 qualifier Ronnie Russell, of Marion, Ind.; No. 2 qualifier Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, Texas, and top qualifier Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas. I have no idea whether the break (between the World Series match play finals and the ESPN telecast) will make it easier or harder for me, but coming in as the fifth seed I figure I have nothing to lose, Williams said. Since the World Series, I ve been traveling the
globe, but I feel like I m still in really good form. Since Wes has the choice for what condition we ll be bowling on as top qualifier, and it will be my first experience on the new lanes at the South Point Bowling Plaza, I ll have to wait to see what my strategy will be when I get there. The World Championship (formerly called the PBA National Championship from 1960-2001) has distinguished itself as one of the premier showcases for the world s best bowling talent. The Earl Anthony Trophy is awarded to the World Championship winner, named after the late PBA Hall of Famer who holds the record for most World Championship wins with six. To watch a highlight video of Williams in action click on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8zab2p3unc PBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS South Point Bowling Plaza, Las Vegas, Nev., Sunday, Jan. 11 (live on ESPN, 1 p.m. ET) Fast Facts about Stuart Williams 1. My all-time favorite movie? Pulp Fiction 2. Favorite food or meal? Filet Mignon 3. My all-time favorite TV show? The Wire 4. Favorite musical group? No real favorite 5. Most memorable bowling moment? Winning the World Ranking masters in 2007, closely followed by my lone PBA Tour title (Viper Open) in 2011 6. Most coveted bowling accomplishment? Winning my PBA title 7. What is your prized possession? My City of Barcelona Open trophy. My first international victory, in the first event I ever played in internationally 8. Hobbies other than bowling? Watching movies and sports, especially sports 9. Occupation I d love if I wasn t bowling? Professional fantasy football player 10. My all-time sports/bowling hero? Michael Jordan and bowler Choi Bok Eum 11. My most cherished accomplishment outside of bowling? Convincing my wife Tina (former Team USA member Tina Stickney) to marry me 12. Charities I work with that have special meaning to me? Make-A-Wish 13. The No. 1 item on my bowling bucket list? Win a second PBA title 14. The No. 1 item on my personal (non-bowling) bucket list? To never work a 9-5 job 15. Are you accomplished in any other sports? I was England s Crown Green Bowls (lawn bowling) national junior champion at 14 PBA Spare Shots JASON BELMONTE S BIG YEAR TOPS PBA STORIES FOR 2014 Jason Belmonte s back-to-back major victories in the USBC Masters and Barbasol PBA Tournament of Champions on the heels of winning 2012-13 Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year honors was the biggest story in another hallmark year for the PBA. For more detailed information about the PBA s top stories in 2014, visit the pba.com summary: http://news.pba.com/post/2014/12/30/pbae28099s-top-10-stories-of-2014.aspx. The year s top stories included: The PBA christened the new South Point Bowling Plaza with its series of GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI telecasts on ESPN; The launch of the PBA Women s Regional program and the introduction of its historic international regional program in Japan; The Hall of Fame season on the PBA50 Tour; Silver Lake Atom Splitters winning the PBA League Elias Cup behind the Mark Roth MVP performance of Chris Barnes; The launch of the far-reaching multi-media PBA Network; Perfect performances on television by Sean Rash and Ronnie Russell; The ushering in of a new era for the young guns on the PBA Tour; An electrifying Badger Open championship match between Bill O Neill and Brian Valenta; Jason Couch becomes the comeback kid in an impressive Delaware Regional victory. XTRA FRAME RETURNS WITH LIVE COVERAGE OF DHC PBA JAPAN INVITATIONAL Live Xtra Frame coverage returns Jan. 15-17 with the historic live coverage of the DHC PBA Japan Invitational from Tokyo, Japan the first-ever international tournament covered live by the PBA s online bowling channel. For a complete schedule of upcoming events on Xtra Frame, click here: http://www.pba.com/live/. To subscribe to Xtra Frame, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame link. Full year Xtra Frame Season Ticket subscriptions are available for $64.99; one-month subscriptions are only $7.99. Xtra Frame is a major component of the PBA s multi-media PBA Network. ROLLTECH STATS SAY HAUGEN WAS SCORPION STRIKES AND SPARES LEADER During the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI, the PBA worked with Rolltech to record unique frame-by-frame, ball-by-ball statistics for the 14 qualifying games. Here s a look at some of the stats for the four players in the Scorpion Championship: top qualifier Michael Haugen Jr., Scott Newell, Martin Larsen and Tom Hess. Haugen, who won the Scorpion title by defeating Larsen in the title match, 213-206, led the finalists in both strike and spare percentages during the qualifying stages of the Scorpion event. The Scorpion finals aired Sunday on ESPN:
Strike percentage: Haugen struck on 100 of 159 shots for a 66.89% success rate followed by Larsen (62.34%, 96 strikes on 154 attempts), Newell (62.03%, 98 of 158) and Hess (59.75%, 95 of 159). The 240-player field s strike percentage was 49.25% (9,892 strikes on 20,086 attempts). Spare percentage: Haugen was the leading spare shooter (90.74% successful on 49 of 54 attempts) followed by Hess (90.16% on 55 of 61 attempts), Newell (89.09%, 49 of 55) and Larsen (81.48%, 44 of 54). The field converted 74.99% (7,215 of 9,621 attempts). Single pin spare conversions: two players were perfect Hess converted on 36 of 36 attempts and Haugen made 30 of 30. Newell made 29 of 30 (96.67%) and Larsen made 34 of 36 (94.44%). The field converted 4,475 of 4,811 (93.02%). Multi-pin spare conversions: Newell made 10 of 10, Hess 18 of 20 (90%), Haugen 17 of 20 (85%) and Larsen 10 of 12 (83.33%). The field converted 76.14% (2,508 of 3,294 attempts). TWO-HANDER WARREN PACKER LOSES TO RONNIE RUSSELL S STRIKE In the Scorpion Championship edition of the special take a selfie promotion sponsored by High 5 Gear during the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI, Viper, Chameleon and PBA World Championship finalist Ronnie Russell rolled a strike to defeat 29-year-old two-handed Dallas, Texas bowler Warren Packer s eight-count. The special promotion gave a lucky fan who tweeted a selfie an opportunity to participate in a one-ball showdown against a PBA star prior to each WSOB telecast. Despite losing the showdown, Packer received the autographed ball Russell used in the contest. ON TAP FOR SUNDAY: THE PBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE ON ESPN GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI telecast No. 5, the PBA World Championship finals, will air live on ESPN Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Top qualifier Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, is bidding for his 10th PBA Tour title and second major. He will bowl the survivor of stepladder battles involving No. 2 Mike Fagan, Fort Worth, Texas; No. 3 Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind.; No. 4 Todd Book, Russells Point, Ohio, and No. 5 Stuart Williams, England. In addition to profile videos of each of the five finalists that will be posted on the PBA YouTube Channel a part of the PBA Network this week, you can watch the dramatic position round of match play that determined the final field: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4grvaur2nm ENTER THE HOTELPLANNER.COM MONTHLY SWEEPSTAKES HotelPlanner.com, the official travel partner of the PBA, has renewed its sweepstakes program for 2015 and will award a $200 lodging gift certificate to a lucky winner each month all year. To enter, book a hotel room through HotelPlanner.com using one of the links below before the last day of the month, and you will be automatically entered. You must enter through any link on pba.com, or by using this link: http://pba.hotelplanner.com/. Each additional reservation you make through HotelPlanner.com will earn you another free entry into the sweepstakes. The monthly drawing will take place on the last day of the month. The $200 gift certificate will be valid for hotel room and tax only. Any incidental charges will be the responsibility of the person using the certificate. To enter without making a purchase, send a letter to HotelPlanner, attn.: Carlos Diaz, 777 S. Flagler Drive, Suite 800 West Tower, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. Written entries must be received before the end-of-the-month drawing. QUICK NOTES Ronnie Russell s perfect game in the 2014 PBA Chameleon Championship shootout round has now exceeded 410,000 views on the PBA YouTube Channel. To watch the 24th nationally-televised 300 game in PBA history, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02imewt-3oa Every month, MOTIV is giving away a bowling ball to someone who signs up for a new Xtra Frame subscription, either monthly ($7.99) or 12-month XF Season Ticket ($64.99). The ball-a-month promotion is a continuation of the MOTIV promotion which ran during the 2014 GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI when MOTIV gave away one bowling ball a day for the six days of WSOB competition. December s winner of a new MOTIV ball was Richard Lasher of Altoona, Iowa. Reminder: if you missed the ESPN telecast on Sunday, all GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI telecasts will be archived on Xtra Frame three days after they air on ESPN. Click on the 2014 WSOB archives tab on the left side of the Xtra Frame home page for a complete listing of archived shows.
Mike Fagan Wins PBA World Championship for Fifth Tour Title and Second Major In battle of Texans, No. 2 qualifier Fagan defeated top qualifier Wes Malott 252-212 in championship match LAS VEGAS (Jan. 11, 2015) - In a championship match battle between two players from Texas, Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, prevailed to win the Professional Bowlers Association World Championship Sunday at the South Point Bowling Plaza for his fifth PBA Tour title. Fagan, who qualified second for the stepladder finals, defeated top qualifier Wes Malott from the Austin suburb of Pflugerville, 252-212, in the title match to also record his second major title after winning the United States Bowling Congress Masters in 2012. The majors are where you can separate yourself from everyone else, said Fagan, who is originally from Long Island, New York. These opportunities don t come around too often so you always have to consider yourself fortunate to be in a position to win and the take advantage of the opportunity you worked so hard for. Making it into the (PBA) Hall of Fame is one of my goals, he continued. I ve thought about my place in the sport and while winning my second major is another step in getting there, it s a big step for sure. In the title match, Fagan and Malott traded strikes in the first four frames but then a turning point came when Malott, trying for his 10th Tour title, left the 2-10 split in the fifth which he failed to convert. Fagan had a moment of his own when he left an 8-10 split in the eighth frame but was able to finish strong and hold off Malott for the win. As much as you try to relax it s still very stressful, Fagan said. I was concentrating so hard I didn t know what frame I was in or what the score was. I just wanted to make good shots. Malott, who was also trying for his second major after winning the U.S. Open in 2013, admitted to having problems figuring out the left lane in the second half of the game. The left lane transitioned a lot for me and I made a move that I was confident in making but I missed my break point, said Malott, who also finished second in the 2009 World Championship. Of all the things that could go wrong, that s something I didn t think I would do. In the semifinal match, Fagan defeated No. 5 qualifier Stuart Williams of England, 219-206, to advance to the championship match. Williams, who was trying to win his second Tour title and become the second consecutive player from England to win the World Championship (Dom Barrett was the first winning last year s World Championship), opened the stepladder by defeating No. 4 qualifier Todd Book of Russells Point, Ohio, who was trying for his first Tour title, 236-211. Williams then went on to defeat Ronnie Russell of Marion, Indiana, who was trying for his third title, in the second match, 259-248, to advance to the semifinal. As the third major and final tournament of the season, the World Championship (formerly called the PBA National Championship from 1960-2001), has distinguished itself as one of the premier showcases for the world s best bowling talent. In addition to the $50,000 first prize, Fagan took home the Earl Anthony Trophy named after the late PBA Hall of Famer who holds the record for most World Championship wins with six. Malott earned $25,000 for second, Williams, $15,000 for third, Russell, $12,000 for fourth and Book $10,000 for fifth. The five finalists advanced to the finals after preliminary qualifying and match play rounds conducted during the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling last October at the South Point. The finalists competed in a total of 52 games on five different lane conditions to reach the finals. PBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Sunday s Final Results At South Point Bowling Plaza Las Vegas Final Standings: 1, Mike Fagan, Fort Worth, Texas, $50,000. 2, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, $25,000. 3, Stuart Williams, England, $15,000. 4, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., $12,000. 5, Todd Book, Russells Point, Ohio, $10,000.
Playoff Results: Match One Williiams def. Book, 236-211. Match two Williams def. Russell, 259-248. Semifinal Fagan def. Williams, 219-206. Championship match Fagan def. Malott, 252-212. PBA Challenge Finals Puts Spotlight on Other PBA Divisions Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN PBA50 Tour, PBA Regional tours and youth players take center stage in unique championship telecast LAS VEGAS (Jan. 14, 2015) -- The spotlight shifts to the Professional Bowlers Association s other divisions when the PBA Challenge Finals presented by the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum airs on ESPN Sunday at 3 p.m. ET from the South Point Bowling Plaza. The PBA Challenge will include four one-game matches featuring the best of the PBA50 Tour, PBA Regional Tour, PBA Women s Regional Tour and top youth bowlers battling for the Teen Masters Grand Championship. Concluding the telecast, the four winners will compete in a unique one-ball knock-out round finale. In the PBA50 Tour finals, PBA Hall of Famer and defending champion Walter Ray Williams Jr. will face off against fellow Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli. Monacelli and Williams finished one-two in an eight-game match play qualifying event for the 2014 season s top eight PBA50 Tour players based on competition points. The match play event preceded the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI in October. The PBA s Regional programs will take center stage when Josh Blanchard of Gilbert, Arizona, representing the PBA s West Region, and EJ Tackett of Huntington, Indiana, representing the PBA Central Region, battle it out in the PBA Regional finals. Both players earned their spots in an eight-game qualifier made up of the top 2014 regional point-earners from the PBA s eight regions. Blanchard and Tackett, both former PBA Rookies of the Year (Blanchard 2011-12 and Tackett 2012-13), are examples of players who honed their skills in PBA regional competition. In the new PBA Women s Regional finals will be standouts Clara Guerrero, a Colombia native living in Pflugerville, Texas, representing the PBA Southwest Region, against Missy Parkin of Laguna Hills, California, who won the PBA West Region berth in the women s qualifying event. While not officially affiliated with the PBA, the Teen Masters Grand Championship match will put a focus on possible future PBA stars. The Teen Masters Grand Championship, presented by PBA, opens the show with 2014 Teen Masters boys division winner Michael Coffey, who bowls for Lindenwood University in St. Louis, bowling against Teen Masters girls division winner Kelly Skalacki of Corem, New York, who competes for Webber International University. GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI action concludes on ESPN2 on Sunday Jan. 25 at 1 p.m. ET with the World Bowling Tour Men s and Women s Finals presented by the PBA, 1 p.m. ET. Bowling fans can follow all the World Series of Bowling action through the PBA Network which includes wall-to-wall coverage of an expanded schedule of live events on Xtra Frame, player interactions through Facebook and Twitter, mobile gaming, original programming, archived events and immediate news updates 24/7 on varying communications devices anywhere in the world. For additional PBA Network information visit http://www.pba.com/pbanetwork PBA Spare Shots FIVE MORE CHINESE PIONEERS QUALIFY FOR PBA MEMBERSHIP Longmarch Bowling founder Frank Zhao has confirmed five more Chinese players have qualified for PBA membership during the fourth edition of his Longmarch Pioneers League program. The three-day league session this one at Longmarch Bowling Center in Shanghai over New Year s weekend included 36 bowlers from Philippine, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and several areas in the mainland China. All players bowled two six-game sessions each day for three days in an attempt to establish a minimum 200 average. The five who were successful will bring China s PBA membership rolls up to 27 members after applications are submitted and approved. A select few from that group plan to participate in PBA World Series of Bowling VII at South Point in Las Vegas in 2015. Zhao said six women bowled in the most recent pioneer league, bringing the total of women qualifiers to 10 over the past two years. None have achieved the 200 milestone yet, he said, but two averaged over 190. ROLLTECH STATS SAY PBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINALISTS OUT-STRUCK THE FIELD
According to Rolltech s frame-by-frame, ball-by-ball statistics for the combined 28 PBA World Championship qualifying games for all four animal pattern championships, the ultimate measure of success for finalists Wes Malott, Mike Fagan, Ronnie Russell, Todd Book and Stuart Williams was their significant advantage on strikes thrown across the gamut of lane conditions. The PBA World Championship aired live on ESPN Sunday. Stats recorded from the qualifying rounds held during the GEICO PBA WSOB VI at South Point Bowling Center in October showed the following: While the 240-player World Series field struck on only 51.20% of its strike attempts (37,846 strikes on 73,916 attempts), all five World Championship finalists out-performed the field by a significant margin. The strike leader was Williams, who struck on 205 of 319 attempts (64.26%), followed by Russell (62.85%, 198 of 315), Malott (62.26%, 198 of 318), Book (61.20%, 194 of 317) and Fagan (59.94%, 190 of 317). During the individual animal pattern qualifying rounds, the field struck at a 57.92% rate on the 35-foot Cheetah pattern, 49.93% on the 37-foot Viper pattern, 49.25% on the 41-foot Scorpion pattern and 49.01% on the 39-foot Chameleon pattern. Spare percentage: Malott was the best overall in spare conversion, making 105 of 119 attempts (88.24%), followed by Russell (84.96%, 96 of 113), Fagan (83.33%, 100 of 120), Book (78.07%, 89 of 114) and Williams (71.43%, 75 of 105). The field converted on 73.04% of its attempts (24,826 of 33,991). During qualifying, the field converted 74.99% of its spare attempts on the Scorpion, 73.48% on the Chameleon, 73.16% on the Cheetah and 71.84% on the Viper. Single pin spare conversions: Malott made 98.80% of his single-pin spare attempts (82 of 83), followed closely by Fagan (98.44%, 63 of 64). Book made 96.67% (58 of 60), Russell 94.44% (68 of 72) and Williams 93.65% (59 of 63). The field s success rate was 92.67% (15,818 of 17,070 attempts). The field fared the best with a 94.12% single-pin conversion rate on the Chameleon followed by 93.22% on the Viper, 93.02% on the Scorpion and 91.67% on the Cheetah. Multi-pin spare conversions: Russell led in multi-pin spares (92.59%, 25 of 27) followed by Malott (86.96%, 20 of 23), Fagan (84.62%, 33 of 39), Book (76.32%, 29 of 38), and Williams (69.57%, 16 of 23). The field made 74.08%, converting on 8,105 of 10,941 attempts. The field was most successful in multi-pin spare conversions on the Scorpion pattern (76.14%) followed by 75.33% on the Cheetah, 73.68% on the Chameleon and 73.23% on the Viper. Splits took their toll on the field, as expected. Overall, the field left 6,566 splits and converted only 993 times (a 15.12% success rate). The conversion rate was best in the Chameleon qualifying (16.34%) followed by 14.49% in the Viper round, 15.30% in the Scorpion round and 13.06% in the Cheetah round. PBA STARS AGAIN DOMINATE TEAM USA FOR 2015 Veteran PBA Tour stars will again dominate Team USA in 2015, following the Team USA trials and National Selection Committee announcements in early January. During the trials, 16-year-old amateur Kamron Doyle of Brentwood, Tenn., won the national championship, defeating PBA Rookie of the Year contender Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash., in the title match, 234-206. Wichita State collegiate bowler AJ Chapman of Oswego, Ill., finished third in the stepladder finals. The top three finishers automatically earn Team USA berths. The men's selections based on resumes and Trials performance were PBA Tour competitors Bill O'Neill of Langhorne, Pa., Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill.; John Szczerbinski of Tonawanda, N.Y.; Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, and Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, S.C. along with amateurs John Janawicz and Devin Bidwell. PBA Women s Series titlist Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, won the women s title with a 246-222 win over amateur Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, N.Y. PBA record-setting Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., finished third. Women's team selections included PBA champions Missy Parkin of Laguna Hills, Calif.; Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., and Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, along with amateurs Brittni Hamilton, Josie Earnest, Bryanna Caldwell and Erin McCarthy. 50TH ANNIVERSARY PBA TOC HISTORY/MEDIA KIT BY JOSH HYDE NOW AVAILABLE
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary Barbasol PBA Tournament of Champions, bowling writer Josh Hyde has assembled a comprehensive Tournament of Champions history and media guide which is now available on his website, www.joshhydebowling.com. The kit includes a wealth of historical information, facts and records. A printed version will be available on site for media. The Tournament of Champions returns to Indianapolis Feb. 10-15 at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis. PBA REGIONAL UPDATE: TOURNAMENT ACTIVITY BACK IN FULL SWING IN FEBRUARY PBA Regional activity returns to full swing in February, following the end-of-month Don Vay Memorial Regular/PBA50 Doubles Central Classic presented by Ebonite at Legend Lanes in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Jan. 23-25. The Feb. 6-8 weekend includes the Break Point Alley South Challenge presented by DV8, a tournament for non-title winners, in Tavares, Fla., and the PBA50 Tony Grigat Allstate Midwest/Central Open at River Rand Lanes in Des Plaines, Ill. The Feb. 20-22 weekend includes the PBA50 Dave Edwards Toyota South Open presented by Ebonite in Spartanburg, S.C.; the Lakewood Colorado Southwest Open at Holiday Bowling and Billiards; the Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort West Championship at Gold Country Lanes in Sutter Creek, Calif., and the Lynwood Midwest Challenge presented by Roto Grip, a non-titlists event, at Lynwood Bowl in Lynwood, Ill. For complete PBA Regional schedules, rules and entry information, visit pba.com, open the schedules tab and click on Regional Tours to find the event(s) in your area. QUICK NOTES Reminder: Live Xtra Frame coverage returns Jan. 15-17 with the historic live coverage of the DHC PBA Japan Invitational from Tokyo, Japan the first-ever international tournament covered live by the PBA s online bowling channel. For a complete schedule of upcoming events on Xtra Frame, click here: http://www.pba.com/live/. To subscribe to Xtra Frame, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame link. Full year Xtra Frame Season Ticket subscriptions are available for $64.99; one-month subscriptions are only $7.99. Xtra Frame is a major component of the PBA s multi-media PBA Network. Reminder: if you missed the ESPN telecast on Sunday, all GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI telecasts will be archived on Xtra Frame three days after they air on ESPN. Click on the 2014 WSOB archives tab on the left side of the Xtra Frame home page for a complete listing of archived shows. Reminder: HotelPlanner.com, the official travel partner of the PBA, has renewed its sweepstakes program for 2015 and will award a $200 lodging gift certificate to a lucky winner each month all year. To enter, book a hotel room through HotelPlanner.com using one of the links below before the last day of the month, and you will be automatically entered. The monthly drawing will take place on the last day of the month. The $200 gift certificate will be valid for hotel room and tax only. PBA Media Advisory: PBA World Champion Mike Fagan Leads DHC PBA Japan Invitational; Final Two Rounds of Match Play Set for 5:40 p.m. and 10:40 p.m. ET today (live on Xtra Frame) TOKYO, Japan Newly-crowned PBA World Champion Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, Texas, held the second round lead in the DHC PBA Japan Invitational Friday at Tokyo Port Bowl, posting an 11-5 record for a 16-game match play total of 3,930 pins. First round leader Stuart Williams of England, who had an 8-0 record for his first-round matches, was second with 3,860 total pins, 70 behind Fagan. Rounding out the top five in the race for Sunday s stepladder finals were Japan s Daisuke Yoshida at 3,778 pins followed by Ronnie Russell of Marion, Ind., at 3,773 and Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., at 3,731. Johnson is one of two women in the elite 32-player field. Fagan won the PBA World Championship on Sunday at South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas, defeating top qualifier Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, 252-212, in the title match. The tournament includes a field of 11 PBA players who qualified based on 2014 PBA World Championship qualifying scores, three PBA members invited by the sponsoring DHC Corporation, one Korean PBA member and 16 Japan bowlers. Johnson and Japan s Yuka Tsuchiya are the only women in the tournament.
The Japan Invitational is being video-streamed internationally, live on PBA s exclusive online bowling channel Xtra Frame. The final two rounds of match play, which will determine the stepladder finalists, will air on Xtra Frame today at 5:40 p.m. and 10:40 p.m. Eastern Time. For Xtra Frame Season Ticket or monthly subscription information, click on the Xtra Frame link on the pba.com home page. DHC PBA JAPAN INVITATIONAL Tokyo Port Bowl, Tokyo, Japan, Friday, Jan. 16 Second Round Standings (after 16 games of match play, includes 30 bonus pins for matches won): 1, Mike Fagan, Fort Worth, Texas, 11-5, 3,930. 2, Stuart Williams, England, 11-4-1, 3,860. 3, Daisuke Yoshida, Aichi, Japan, 13-3, 3,778. 4, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 10-5-1, 3,773. 5, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 11-5, 3,731. 6, Shusaku Asato, Gifu, Japan, 10-5-1, 3,707. 7, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 9-7, 3,699. 8, Dom Barrett, England, 10-6, 3,661. 9, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Chatsworth, Calif., 9-7, 3,653. 10, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 7-9, 3,617. 11, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 7-9, 3,583. 12, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 8-7-1, 3,580. 13, Manae Kameshima, Wakayama, Japan, 8-8, 3,552. 14, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 8-8, 3,541. 15, Shawn Maldonado, Houston, 7-9, 3,525. 16, Cho Young Seon, Korea, 8-8, 3,522. 17, Scott Norton, Mission Viejo, Calif., 7-9, 3,514. 18, Todd Book, Russells Point, Ohio, 9-7, 3,512. 19, Yuki Akiyoshi, Chiba, Japan, 8-8, 3,497. 20, Koichi Takahashi, Hokkaido, Japan, 9-7, 3,494. 21 (tie), Shogo Wada, Wakayama, Japan, 7-9, and Ryogo Tsurumi, Kanagawa, Japan, 8-8, 3,463. 23, Mayumi Naito, Aichi, Japan, 9-7, 3,436. 24, Patrick Girard, Canada, 8-8, 3,427. 25, Yuka Tsuchiya, Kanagawa, Japan, 5-10-1, 3,349. 26, Takashi Fujimura, Shizuoka, Japan, 6-10, 3,305. 27, Yang Hyeong Kyoo, Aichi, Japan, 8-8, 3,294. 28, Takashi Yamazaki, Aichi, Japan, 4-11-1, 3,275. 29, Hiroko Shimizu, Chiba, Japan, 4-12, 3,197. 30, Miku Urano, Chiba, Japan, 3-11-2, 3,166. 31, Yumi Nakajima, Chiba, Japan, 6-10, 3,124. 32, Naoshi Ishimine, Nagano, Japan, 4-12, 3,027. Bill Vint PBA Media Relations bill.vint@pba.com cell: 414.339.0404 office: 262.642.2870 Editor s Alert: a comprehensive release with complete DHC Japan Invitational results will be provided at the conclusion of the event TOKYO, Japan Fresh off his PBA World Championship victory last Sunday in Las Vegas, Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, Texas, will lead the five-player field into Sunday s stepladder finals of the DHC PBA Japan Invitational at Tokyo Port Bowl, starting at 9:55 p.m. Eastern Time tonight on PBA s online bowling channel, Xtra Frame. Xtra Frame s live coverage today will begin with the finals of a special alternate-ball Scotch Doubles and four-player Baker Team events at 6:45 p.m. Eastern. A last man standing special event will follow the Japan Invitational finals. Other Japan Invitational finalists will include No. 2 qualifier Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas; No. 3 Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y.; No. 4 Stuart Williams of England, and two-hander Shawn Maldonado of Houston, Texas.
Fagan, a 34-year-old five-time PBA Tour winner, is trying for back-to-back titles after posting a 23-9 match play record in the 32- game round-robin match play event and winning the top qualifying berth by 328 pins over Barnes. Barnes, a future PBA Hall of Famer, is trying for his 18th career PBA Tour title and first since winning the H.H. Emir Cup in Qatar early in 2014. Johnson, who finished fourth in the 2014 Cheetah Championship presented by PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game, is trying to join Kelly Kulick as the second woman in PBA history to win a PBA Tour title. Williams, who became the first English bowler to win a PBA Tour title in the 2011 PBA Viper Championship, is making his second straight championship round appearance. He finished third in the PBA World Championship last Sunday at South Point Bowling Plaza. Maldonado, who is beginning his third year of PBA Tour competition, is making his championship round debut. He finished eighth in the 2014 PBA World Championship. The preliminary Xtra Frame webcast today at 6:45 p.m. ET will feature special events conducted as part of the Japan Invitational, starting with the alternate-ball Scotch doubles finals (No. 1 Wes Malott/Yuka Tsuchiya vs. No. 4 Dom Barrett/Manae Kameshima and No. 2 Jason Belmonte/Yang Hyeong Kyoo vs. No. 3 Shawn Maldonado/Koichi Takahashi; winners bowl for title). The Baker team finale will pit International Team B (Fagan, Sean Rash, Barrett, Barnes) vs. International Team A (Malott, Williams, Eddie Van Daniker and Belmonte). The tournament includes a field of 11 PBA players who qualified based on 2014 PBA World Championship qualifying scores, three PBA members invited by the sponsoring DHC Corporation, one Korean PBA member and 16 Japan bowlers. Johnson is one of eight women seven from the PBA Japan Regional program who participated in the tournament. The DHC PBA Japan Invitational is the first international tournament to be video-streamed live, around the world, on Xtra Frame. To sign up for an Xtra Frame Season Ticket ($64.99) or monthly ($7.99) subscription, click on the Xtra Frame link on the pba.com home page. DHC PBA JAPAN INVITATIONAL FINALS Tokyo Port Bowl, Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, Jan. 17 Championship Round Pairings (live on Xtra Frame at 9:55 p.m. ET) Match One: No. 4 Stuart Williams, England, vs. No. 5 Shawn Maldonado, Houston, Texas. Match Two: Match One winner vs. No. 3, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y. Semifinal Match: Match Two winner vs. No. 2, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas. Championship: Semifinal Match winner vs. No. 1, Mike Fagan, Fort Worth, Texas. Alternate-Shot Scotch Doubles Pairings (live on Xtra Frame at 6:45 p.m. ET) Match One: No. 1 Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas/Yuka Tsuchiya, Japan vs. No. 4 Dom Barrett, England/Manae Kameshima, Japan. Match Two: No. 2 Jason Belmonte, Australia/Yang Hyeong Kyoo, Japan vs. No. 3 Shawn Maldonado, Houston, Texas/Koichi Takahashi, Japan. Championship: Winner Match One vs. Winner Match Two. Baker Team Pairings (live on Xtra Frame following Scotch Doubles finals) Championship: International Team B (Mike Fagan, Sean Rash, Dom Barrett, Chris Barnes) vs. International Team A (Wes Malott, Stuart Williams, Eddie Van Daniker and Jason Belmonte). CONTACT: Bill Vint, PBA Media Relations, Cell: 414.339.0404 Email: bill.vint@pba.com or Mike Jakubowski, PBA Media Specialist: Email: mike.jakubowski@pba.com PBA Spare Shots FIVE MORE CHINESE PIONEERS QUALIFY FOR PBA MEMBERSHIP Longmarch Bowling founder Frank Zhao has confirmed five more Chinese players have qualified for PBA membership during the fourth edition of his Longmarch Pioneers League program. The three-day league session this one at Longmarch Bowling Center in
Shanghai over New Year s weekend included 36 bowlers from Philippine, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and several areas in the mainland China. All players bowled two six-game sessions each day for three days in an attempt to establish a minimum 200 average. The five who were successful will bring China s PBA membership rolls up to 27 members after applications are submitted and approved. A select few from that group plan to participate in PBA World Series of Bowling VII at South Point in Las Vegas in 2015. Zhao said six women bowled in the most recent pioneer league, bringing the total of women qualifiers to 10 over the past two years. None have achieved the 200 milestone yet, he said, but two averaged over 190. ROLLTECH STATS SAY PBA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINALISTS OUT-STRUCK THE FIELD According to Rolltech s frame-by-frame, ball-by-ball statistics for the combined 28 PBA World Championship qualifying games for all four animal pattern championships, the ultimate measure of success for finalists Wes Malott, Mike Fagan, Ronnie Russell, Todd Book and Stuart Williams was their significant advantage on strikes thrown across the gamut of lane conditions. The PBA World Championship aired live on ESPN Sunday. Stats recorded from the qualifying rounds held during the GEICO PBA WSOB VI at South Point Bowling Center in October showed the following: While the 240-player World Series field struck on only 51.20% of its strike attempts (37,846 strikes on 73,916 attempts), all five World Championship finalists out-performed the field by a significant margin. The strike leader was Williams, who struck on 205 of 319 attempts (64.26%), followed by Russell (62.85%, 198 of 315), Malott (62.26%, 198 of 318), Book (61.20%, 194 of 317) and Fagan (59.94%, 190 of 317). During the individual animal pattern qualifying rounds, the field struck at a 57.92% rate on the 35-foot Cheetah pattern, 49.93% on the 37-foot Viper pattern, 49.25% on the 41-foot Scorpion pattern and 49.01% on the 39-foot Chameleon pattern. Spare percentage: Malott was the best overall in spare conversion, making 105 of 119 attempts (88.24%), followed by Russell (84.96%, 96 of 113), Fagan (83.33%, 100 of 120), Book (78.07%, 89 of 114) and Williams (71.43%, 75 of 105). The field converted on 73.04% of its attempts (24,826 of 33,991). During qualifying, the field converted 74.99% of its spare attempts on the Scorpion, 73.48% on the Chameleon, 73.16% on the Cheetah and 71.84% on the Viper. Single pin spare conversions: Malott made 98.80% of his single-pin spare attempts (82 of 83), followed closely by Fagan (98.44%, 63 of 64). Book made 96.67% (58 of 60), Russell 94.44% (68 of 72) and Williams 93.65% (59 of 63). The field s success rate was 92.67% (15,818 of 17,070 attempts). The field fared the best with a 94.12% single-pin conversion rate on the Chameleon followed by 93.22% on the Viper, 93.02% on the Scorpion and 91.67% on the Cheetah. Multi-pin spare conversions: Russell led in multi-pin spares (92.59%, 25 of 27) followed by Malott (86.96%, 20 of 23), Fagan (84.62%, 33 of 39), Book (76.32%, 29 of 38), and Williams (69.57%, 16 of 23). The field made 74.08%, converting on 8,105 of 10,941 attempts. The field was most successful in multi-pin spare conversions on the Scorpion pattern (76.14%) followed by 75.33% on the Cheetah, 73.68% on the Chameleon and 73.23% on the Viper. Splits took their toll on the field, as expected. Overall, the field left 6,566 splits and converted only 993 times (a 15.12% success rate). The conversion rate was best in the Chameleon qualifying (16.34%) followed by 14.49% in the Viper round, 15.30% in the Scorpion round and 13.06% in the Cheetah round. PBA STARS AGAIN DOMINATE TEAM USA FOR 2015 Veteran PBA Tour stars will again dominate Team USA in 2015, following the Team USA trials and National Selection Committee announcements in early January. During the trials, 16-year-old amateur Kamron Doyle of Brentwood, Tenn., won the national championship, defeating PBA Rookie of the Year contender Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash., in the title match, 234-206. Wichita State collegiate bowler AJ Chapman of Oswego, Ill., finished third in the stepladder finals. The top three finishers automatically earn Team USA berths.
The men's selections based on resumes and Trials performance were PBA Tour competitors Bill O'Neill of Langhorne, Pa., Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill.; John Szczerbinski of Tonawanda, N.Y.; Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, and Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, S.C. along with amateurs John Janawicz and Devin Bidwell. PBA Women s Series titlist Shannon Pluhowsky of Kettering, Ohio, won the women s title with a 246-222 win over amateur Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, N.Y. PBA record-setting Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., finished third. Women's team selections included PBA champions Missy Parkin of Laguna Hills, Calif.; Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., and Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, along with amateurs Brittni Hamilton, Josie Earnest, Bryanna Caldwell and Erin McCarthy. 50TH ANNIVERSARY PBA TOC HISTORY/MEDIA KIT BY JOSH HYDE NOW AVAILABLE In commemoration of the 50th anniversary Barbasol PBA Tournament of Champions, bowling writer Josh Hyde has assembled a comprehensive Tournament of Champions history and media guide which is now available on his website, www.joshhydebowling.com. The kit includes a wealth of historical information, facts and records. A printed version will be available on site for media. The Tournament of Champions returns to Indianapolis Feb. 10-15 at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis. PBA REGIONAL UPDATE: TOURNAMENT ACTIVITY BACK IN FULL SWING IN FEBRUARY PBA Regional activity returns to full swing in February, following the end-of-month Don Vay Memorial Regular/PBA50 Doubles Central Classic presented by Ebonite at Legend Lanes in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Jan. 23-25. The Feb. 6-8 weekend includes the Break Point Alley South Challenge presented by DV8, a tournament for non-title winners, in Tavares, Fla., and the PBA50 Tony Grigat Allstate Midwest/Central Open at River Rand Lanes in Des Plaines, Ill. The Feb. 20-22 weekend includes the PBA50 Dave Edwards Toyota South Open presented by Ebonite in Spartanburg, S.C.; the Lakewood Colorado Southwest Open at Holiday Bowling and Billiards; the Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort West Championship at Gold Country Lanes in Sutter Creek, Calif., and the Lynwood Midwest Challenge presented by Roto Grip, a non-titlists event, at Lynwood Bowl in Lynwood, Ill. For complete PBA Regional schedules, rules and entry information, visit pba.com, open the schedules tab and click on Regional Tours to find the event(s) in your area. QUICK NOTES Reminder: Live Xtra Frame coverage returns Jan. 15-17 with the historic live coverage of the DHC PBA Japan Invitational from Tokyo, Japan the first-ever international tournament covered live by the PBA s online bowling channel. For a complete schedule of upcoming events on Xtra Frame, click here: http://www.pba.com/live/. To subscribe to Xtra Frame, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame link. Full year Xtra Frame Season Ticket subscriptions are available for $64.99; one-month subscriptions are only $7.99. Xtra Frame is a major component of the PBA s multi-media PBA Network. Reminder: if you missed the ESPN telecast on Sunday, all GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VI telecasts will be archived on Xtra Frame three days after they air on ESPN. Click on the 2014 WSOB archives tab on the left side of the Xtra Frame home page for a complete listing of archived shows. Reminder: HotelPlanner.com, the official travel partner of the PBA, has renewed its sweepstakes program for 2015 and will award a $200 lodging gift certificate to a lucky winner each month all year. To enter, book a hotel room through HotelPlanner.com using one of the links below before the last day of the month, and you will be automatically entered. The monthly drawing will take place on the last day of the month. The $200 gift certificate will be valid for hotel room and tax only. PBA Media Advisory: PBA World Champion Mike Fagan Leads DHC PBA Japan Invitational; Final Two Rounds of Match Play Set for 5:40 p.m. and 10:40 p.m. ET today (live on Xtra Frame) TOKYO, Japan Newly-crowned PBA World Champion Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, Texas, held the second round lead in the DHC PBA Japan Invitational Friday at Tokyo Port Bowl, posting an 11-5 record for a 16-game match play total of 3,930 pins. First round leader Stuart Williams of England, who had an 8-0 record for his first-round matches, was second with 3,860 total pins, 70 behind Fagan. Rounding out the top five in the race for Sunday s stepladder finals were Japan s Daisuke Yoshida at 3,778 pins followed by Ronnie Russell of Marion, Ind., at 3,773 and Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., at 3,731. Johnson is one of two women in the elite 32-player field.