Among the early entries for PBA World Series of Bowling IV, set for Nov. 2-11 at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas, is Iceland's Hafthor Hardarson (pictured), the first player from his country to enter the annual multi-event international bowling showcase that will kick off the PBA Tour's 2012-13 season. Entries received to date by the PBA office include players from nine countries - Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, the U.S. and Venezuela in addition to Iceland. World Series III drew players from a record 15 countries.
The fifth annual Chris Paul PBA League All-Stars at Lucky Strike L.A. Live on Monday, Jan. 7, is sold out, and those who attend the annual fundraiser for the Chris Paul Foundation will have a chance to watch five PBA League owners (Paul, actor/comedian Kevin Hart, former NFL star Terrell Owens, Pittsburgh Steelers star LaMarr Woodley and comedian/podcast star Chris Hardwick) bowl, along with women's boxing champion Laila Ali, daughter of former heavyweight and Olympic champion Muhammad Ali, and other celebrities.
After becoming the first Malaysian bowler to win the Qubica AMF World Cup, Syafiq Ridhwan (l.) professed his dream is to continue to improve and one day bowl on the PBA Tour. The 26-year-old Ridhwan, who defeated Team USA member Marshall Kent in the title match in Wroclaw, Poland, told New Straits Time reporter Ajitpal Singh, "I actually want to turn pro, but I am not sure when I can achieve it. It takes a lot of dedication but I believe, if I do turn pro, I can make it as I've beaten many top bowlers before."
The countdown to the start of the PBA's 2012-13 debut on ESPN has begun. The finals of the WTBA's Bayer Advanced Aspirin World Bowling Tour men's and women's finals, presented by the PBA, will be the first in a series of 16 telecasts extending through April 7. The two-hour combined men's and women's show will air on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 1 p.m. ET. The next five Sundays in a row will feature GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling IV finals, all 90-minute programs airing at 1 p.m. ET.
Fresh off his PBA International Tour victory in the Columbia 300 Vienna Open in Austria on Oct. 7, Chris Barnes (pictured) of Double Oak, Texas, dominated the field to win his 22nd PBA Regional title in the PBA Southwest Region Dallas Open. Barnes led the 12-game qualifying round by 199 pins over Sean Lavery-Spahr of Denton, Texas, and won nine of his 16 matches to build his lead to 266 pins over runner-up Dino Castillo of Carrollton, Texas.
Colombian native Clara Juliana Guerrero (pictured) of Pflugerville, Texas, became the fifth woman to win a PBA Regional title Sunday when she posted a 7-4-1 match play record and a 25-game total of 5,869 pins to top Tyler Jensen of Fort Worth, Texas, by 26 pins in the PBA Southwest Region's Young and Pratt Austin Open at Dart Bowl in Austin, Texas. Guerrero, a two-time world champion and long-time member of the Colombian national team, pocketed $2,500 for the win.
In front of the biggest crowd ever at Plus Bowling in Vienna, Austria, PBA Tour star Chris Barnes (l.) of Double Oak, Texas, captured his 14th PBA Tour title and his second Columbia 300 Vienna Open win Sunday when he defeated fellow American star Sean Rash (r.), 257-214, in the title match. By winning the event, Barnes has officially locked Rash out of the Bayer Advanced Aspirin World Bowling Tour men's finals, presented by the PBA.
As a tribute to fallen friend and fellow competitor Tony Reyes (pictured), PBA Tour players will wear a special black-and-silver "TR" emblem during competition in the months ahead. The special TR logo reflects the colors of Reyes' favorite sports team, the Oakland Raiders. While supplies last, the "TR" patches will be available through the PBA office (and on-site at all PBA tournaments) for $5 each, with all proceeds benefitting Reyes' family. 
The race for the final three berths in the WTBA's 2012 World Bowling Tour Men's and Women's Finals presented by the PBA heads into its final three events, starting next week in Thailand. The final three WBT qualifying events leading into the PBA World Series of Bowling are the WBT Thailand, Sept. 24-30, in Bangkok; the Columbia 300 Vienna Open, Oct. 2-7, in Vienna, Austria, and the AMF Australian Masters, Oct. 8-27, at Sydney.
Team USA members Chris Barnes (l.), Tommy Jones (r.) and Kelly Kulick, along with Shannon O'Keefe, are representing the United States in the inaugural World Tenpin Bowling Association World Singles Championships in Cyprus. International PBA Tour competitors who are bowling for their home countries in the event include: Canada's Dan MacLelland, Colombia's Andres Gomez, England's Stuart Williams and Finland's Osku Palermaa.
PBA Senior Player of the Year Walter Ray Williams Jr. (l.) of Ocala, Fla., won Sunday's PBA South Region Scorpion Open at Cherokee Lanes in Canton, Ga., but it was 14-year-old amateur Kamron Doyle (r.) of Brentwood, Tenn., who continued to dazzle the bowling world with another eye-opening performance. It was Williams' 31st standard PBA Regional title and 85th overall PBA title. He eliminated Doyle in the semifinal, 226-214.
Entries are now open for PBA World Series of Bowling IV, which is set for Nov. 2-11 at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas. The fourth annual multi-event program is open to PBA "full" members and PBA International members. The $750 entry fee includes entry into the PBA Cheetah, Viper, Scorpion and Chameleon Championships along with the PBA World Championship. The field is limited to the first 240 entrants. 