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13 countries among early PBA World Series of Bowling entries

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09/25/11

2011 PBA Spare Shots #32

South Point Casino, Hotel and Bowling Center in Las Vegas (Nov. 4-20, 2011)

With just over six weeks remaining until the third annual PBA World Series of Bowling convenes at South Point Casino, Hotel and Bowling Center in Las Vegas, the international component of the annual event already features players from 13 different countries.

The WSOB entry list as of Sept. 22 included players from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Sweden, Venezuela and the United States.

Last year’s World Series included 46 players from 14 countries. This year, the PBA expects to exceed both totals and will provide the international bowling community with more than 100 hours of live online coverage of WSOB competition via pba.com’s Xtra Frame video streaming service.

When the World Series gets underway on Nov. 4, a capacity field of 240 players is expected. By the time it ends on Nov. 20, the multi-event WSOB will award eight PBA Tour titles – each including an automatic berth in the 32-player round-robin match play finals of the PBA Tournament of Champions – and roughly $1 million in prize money.

The base entry fee of $800 covers all PBA Tour events, not counting special competitions. For complete details and entry information, click here. For special low-cost lodging rates at South Point Hotel, World Series participants should click here.

New PBA Regional Doubles Championship, High Roller offer regional players unique opportunities

The PBA and High Roller Inc. are joining hands to encourage PBA members who have not won national titles to participate in the February High Roller megabucks event at The Orleans Bowling Center in Las Vegas Feb. 5-10, an event that immediately precedes the new PBA Regional Players Doubles Championship at The Orleans, Feb. 11-12.

“The PBA and High Roller have mutually developed what we believe are fair and competitive eligibility rules that will allow certain PBA members to be eligible for the February High Roller,” said High Roller President Brad Edelman.

The new High Roller rules, which also apply to former LPBT, PWBA and PBA members, will allow PBA members who have never won a PBA Tour or Senior Tour event; have never been classified as an exempt player; have never had Tour 1 status, and have not appeared on a nationally-televised final in 2009, 2010 or 2011 to bowl in the 2012 February High Roller in their proper age division. Any player 70 or older who won a PBA/LPBT/PWBA title prior to 1990 also will be eligible.

"The PBA is pleased to partner with the High Roller on these new eligibility standards,” said PBA COO and Deputy Commissioner Tom Clark. “Most tournament bowlers can now join the PBA and benefit from the competition and membership without becoming ineligible to participate in the High Roller.

“We want our players to have more opportunities to compete and this new understanding will create more chances for the PBA and High Roller to schedule events around each other for the convenience of the bowler. The more tournaments for competitive bowlers, the healthier our sport will be."

Wayne Garber wins 10th PBA West/Northwest Regional title in Red Bluff

Wayne Garber (pictured) of Modesto, Calif., won eight of 12 matches and posted a 20-game total of 4,556 pins to win his 10th PBA Regional title in the PBA West/Northwest Red Bluff Open at Lariat Bowl in Red Bluff, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 18.

Garber, who regained his PBA Tour exemption for the 2011-12 season during the 2010 Regional Players Invitational in Reno, topped Kevin Foley of Reno by 109 pins to pick up the $2,000 first prize. The Red Bluff victory was also Garber’s third regional win of the current season.

Over the Sept. 23-25 weekend, the PBA East Region returns to action with a visit to Parkway Lanes in Elmwood Park, N.J.; the PBA Central and Midwest Region senior players will converge on Delphos Recreation Center in Delphos, Ohio, for the Mel Westrich Senior Open, and the PBA Southwest Region visits Bowling World in Fort Smith, Ark., for the Fort Smith Super Regional Open where a $5,000 first prize will be at stake.

Competition in all PBA Regional tournaments will intensify through Feb. 26, the points cutoff date for the 2012 Dick Weber PBA Playoffs. The top 16 points leaders in the PBA’s East, South, Central, Midwest, Southwest and West/Northwest Regions will earn berths in the new Xtra Frame Tour event which will be held March 30-April 1 at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis.

For complete Regional tournament schedules and entry information, click here.

XTRA Frame allows fans to re-visit 2010-11 PBA Tour campaign

For television viewers, the start of the new fall season is, in many cases, a continuation of last season’s cliff-hangers. For PBA fans awaiting the start of the 2011-12 season, the dramas which began last season also are awaiting answers:

Will Walter Ray Williams Jr. (left) rebound from his worst season ever?
Can Rhino Page (right) rediscover his winning touch?
Will there be a Jason Belmonte-Sean Rash “bottlegate” showdown?
Can Mika Koivuniemi repeat his career-year?

To re-visit what transpired last season, visit Xtra Frame. PBA.com’s exclusive online video streaming service includes a complete library of 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour events, along with a whole lot more.

Signing up for Xtra Frame, which is available by subscription only, will give you plenty of time to review last season and get ready for the most extensive online coverage of PBA competition ever.

During the 2011-12 season, Xtra Frame will provide subscribers with more than 250 hours of live coverage, plus additional interviews, new product introductions, coaching tips and more.

Quick Notes

Mike Dias of Lafayette, Colo., who won his first PBA Senior Tour title in the 2011 Don Carter Senior Open in Winter Garden, Fla., was inducted into the Colorado Bowling Hall of Fame on Aug. 20.