Powered by two 300 games and averaging 240.4, Australian two-hander Jason Belmonte (pictured left) led after two qualifying rounds Thursday in the Professional Bowlers Association GEICO Mark Roth Plastic Ball Championship at AMF Babylon Lanes.

Belmonte, the 2008-09 PBA Rookie of the Year, had a 3,366 14-game pinfall total to hold a 27-pin lead over the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour's all-time career titlist Walter Ray Williams Jr., in second with 3,339.

The field of 64 was cut to the top 32 players who will advance to match play beginning Friday morning. For this tournament all players are required to use two specially-made Mark Roth plastic bowling balls incorporating 1970s-era technology.

Belmonte became the first two-handed bowler to win a Tour event when he won The Bowling Foundation Long Island Classic at AMF Babylon Lanes last season. Belmonte's 300 games were the first he's bowled with plastic equipment and each came in the sixth game of both seven-game blocks Thursday.

"This is a different tournament but matching up well with the center means a lot regardless," said the 26-year-old Belmonte. In both blocks (Thursday) I started out slow and was feeling more comfortable towards the end but I would never have expected to throw two 300 games, especially with plastic equipment."

The 50-year-old Williams (right), who owns 47 Tour titles, is looking for his third title of the season having won the season-opening Motor City Open and his second United States Bowling Congress Masters title in February. He is currently second in the Player of the Year Race four points behind Bill O'Neill.

"I had a nice reaction all day and really didn't change much of anything," Williams said. "For me it played like a track shot from the old lacquer days."

PBA Hall of Famer and 14-time Tour titlist Johnny Petraglia Sr. (left) and his son Johnny Petraglia Jr. qualified seventh and 26th respectively, the first time the pair have made a cut together.

"I wish they were all plastic ball tournaments," said the 63-year-old Petraglia Sr. "Bowling in a tournament with my son and named after Mark Roth – it doesn't get much better than that."

After a tie for the 32nd and final cut position, Chris Loschetter (left) defeated Steve Harman (right) in a one-game roll-off 223-213 to advance.

In addition to using equipment that emphasizes a player's ability to make adjustments without being able to rely on the technology built into today's more advanced balls, requiring all players to use the same type of equipment also equalizes the playing field.

After Friday morning's match play round the field will be cut to 16 for another match play round Friday evening which will determine the top five who will advance to Sunday's finals to be telecast live on ESPN at 2 p.m. Eastern.

 

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GEICO Mark Roth Plastic Ball Championship - Standings after 14 games

The top 32 players advance to match play.

1, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 3,366
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,339
3, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 3,320
4, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 3,293
5, Brian Ziesig, Levittown, N.Y., 3,241
6, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 3,228
7, John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 3,218
8, Alex Cavagnaro, Lindenhurst, N.Y., 3,215
9, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 3,213
10, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 3,208
11, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3,206
12, Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 3,204
13, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3,197
14, (tie) Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., and Brian Waliczek, Birch Run, Mich., 3,152
16, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 3,151
17, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 3,144
18, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 3,139
19, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 3,125
20, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 3,120
21, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 3,119
22, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 3,112
23, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 3,111
24, Ronnie Russell, Camby, Ind., 3,108
25, Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa, 3,100
26, Johnny Petraglia Jr., Youngstown, Ohio, 3,093
27, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 3,077
28, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 3,059
29, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3,058
30, Cassidy Schaub, Ashland, Ohio, 3,043
31, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 3,040
32, (tie) Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 3,035
Loschetter def. Harman, 223-213, in one-game roll-off to advance to match play.

33, Steve Harman, Indianapolis, 3,035
34, (tie) Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, and Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 3,027
36, Stuart Williams, England, 3,022
37, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 3,005
38, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 3,000
39, Troy Wollenbecker, Miami, 2,999
40, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 2,997
41, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 2,969
42, (tie) Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., and Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 2,963
44, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 2,950
45, George Lambert IV, Canada, 2,936
46, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 2,934
47, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 2,929
48, PJ Haggerty, Clovis, Calif., 2,922
49, Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., 2,914
50, Brad Kemp, Allentown, Pa., 2,909
51, John May, Lincolnton, N.C., 2,905
52, Tim Mack, Indianapolis, 2,876
53, John Nolen, Grand Blanc, Mich., 2,868
54, Joseph Costanzo, Plainview, N.Y., 2,853
55, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 2,852
56, Bobby Hall II, Landover, Md., 2,845
57, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 2,844
58, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 2,841
59, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 2,840
60, (tie) Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., and Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 2,827
62, Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., 2,825
63, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 2,681
64, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., WD

300 games – Jason Belmonte (2)