Norm Duke has had one of the most interesting seasons of his 26-year career. He's now put himself in position to make it one of the most memorable.

Duke, who just a month ago was in danger of losing his Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour exemption, is now looking poised to capture his second Major of the season, going 8-0 Friday evening to move into the lead in the 65th Denny's U.S. Open at Brunswick Zone Carolier.

The 27-time titlist has battled injuries throughout the season and had fallen as low as 51st in the PBA World Point Rankings heading into the Denny's World Championship just four events ago. Despite battling the flu that week, Duke made an incredible run to the finals where he beat Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Ryan Shafer to capture his third career Major and secure his place on Tour for two seasons.

"This has been a lot like the last two years where I've been extremely opportunistic when I'm on the floor but I just can't make my way to the approach enough," Duke (Clermont, Fla.) said of the injuries that have kept him off the lanes.

"But I'm really enjoying bowling now because of the fact that I'm healthy again. It hurt so badly before that it took the fun out of it. Now, I feel like I'm in the heat of battle and capable again."

Duke was more than capable on Friday. After quietly hovering in the top 20 all week, he swept through his matches Friday night to jump into the lead heading into the final 16 games of round robin on Saturday. After finishing fifth in last season's U.S. Open to miss the finals by one spot, Duke will get another shot at the coveted U.S. Open crown, the only one of the Triple Crown events he is missing.

"The U.S. Open is everything to me," Duke said. "At the beginning of every season I look at the four Majors but I look at this one first. It just bugs me. It's difficult to get this tournament and how important it is to me out of my mind when I'm bowling. I can't think about winning, I just have to get it done."

Duke's first two matches Friday came against two of the top players on the Denny's PBA Tour as he dispatched of Wes Malott and Tommy Jones by scores of 215-196 and 243-214, respectively. He then faced just two other exempt bowlers over his final six wins, capping the perfect night with a 213-200 win over amateur Mark Clark.

With 16 games left, Duke is nowhere near feeling like he's in the driver's seat.

"I cannot even count the times I've missed the show by one spot in this event. It's at least three. And I've finished second once by one pin. I still throw that shot a thousand times and I still miss," Duke said. "You can't win this tournament on Friday though. I'd love it if they'd just start the show tomorrow but I can still finish 24th. The task at hand is to come in here and play my very best. That's the only thing that's acceptable. And I know I have it in me."

Mika Koivuniemi (left; Hartland, Mich.), who is looking to get back his "Major Mika" moniker after winning the Masters and U.S. Open for the first two of his eight titles, also made a big run Friday going 7-1 to move up to second.

Shannon Buchan (Waterloo, Iowa) went 5-3 and sits third while Eugene McCune (right; Munster, Ind.) went 4-3-1 and is fourth. Qualifying leader Brad Angelo (Lockport, N.Y.) went 5-3 to drop to fifth.

Jason Belmonte (left; Orange, NSW, Australia), the sole international bowler who made the cut to the top 24 went 4-4 to sit in 16th place with 7,363, 223 pins off the top four.

Englishmen Dominic Barrett and Stuart Williams missed the cut by 16 and 43 pins to finish in 27th and 33rd place, respectively.

Mike Scroggins (right; Amarillo, Texas), who is still in the race for the PBA Player of the year award, hit the cutoff number for 24th place and leaped one spot after going 1-7 in the first match play round to sit in 23rd with 7,224, 362 pins off the top four. Scroggins must win the U.S. Open to win the award by one point.

All pinfall from the four rounds of qualifying carried over into match play where bowlers earn 30 bonus pins for each win and 15 for each tie.

The top four after Saturday's match play will advance to Sunday's championship round live on ESPN at 2 p.m. ET. The winner will take home $100,000 and a three-year Denny's PBA Tour exemption.

Angelo leads top 122 players into Round Four
Angelo, Belmonte 1,2 after Day Two Qualifying
Intercollegiate champion Valenta leads 65th U.S. Open after Day One

1, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 8-0-0, 7,749
2, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 7-1-0, 7,687
3, Shannon Buchan, Waterloo, Iowa, 5-3-0, 7,600
4, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 4-3-1, 7,586
5, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 5-3-0, 7,577
6, Wes Malott, Argyle, Texas, 4-4-0, 7,548
7, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 5-3-0, 7,526
8, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 5-3-0, 7,524
9, Bill O'Neill, Levittown, Pa., 5-3-0, 7,504
10, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 5-3-0, 7,466
11, Mike Rose Jr., Rochester, N.Y., 5-3-0, 7,445
12, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3-5-0, 7,419
13, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 4-4-0, 7,418
14, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 5-3-0, 7,381
15, David O'Sullivan, Orlando, Fla., 1-7-0, 7,379
16, Jason Belmonte, Orange, NSW, Australia, 4-4-0, 7,363
17, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 3-5-0, 7,337
18, Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, 4-4-0, 7,327
19, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 2-5-1, 7,312
20, Todd Book, Cantonment, Fla., 2-6-0, 7,307
21, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3-5-0, 7,302
22, Mark Clark *, Naperville, Ill., 3-5-0, 7,290
23, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 1-7-0, 7,224
24, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 2-6-0, 7,201

300 games – None.

Players with position, hometown and 27-game pinfall. Top 24 advance to match play. Positions 25-122 cash.

1, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 5,869
2, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 5,850
3, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 5,798
4, David O'Sullivan, Orlando, Fla., 5,794
5, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 5,793
6, Wes Malott, Argyle, Texas, 5,778
7, Shannon Buchan, Waterloo, Iowa, 5,758
8, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 5,752
9, Todd Book, Cantonment, Fla., 5,732
10, Bill O'Neill, Levittown, Pa., 5,729
11, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 5,722
12, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 5,715
13, Mark Clark, Naperville, Ill., 5,710
14, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 5,709
15, Jason Belmonte, Orange, NSW, Australia, 5,674
16, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 5,670
16, Mike Rose Jr., Rochester, N.Y., 5,670
18, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 5,657
19, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 5,644
20, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 5,642
21, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 5,632
22, Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, 5,623
23, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 5,622
24, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 5,608

Missed Cut:
25, Andrew Koff, Miami, 5,607, $1,900
26, Jim Wolcott, Hendersonville, Tenn., 5,594, $1,850
27, Dominic Barrett, Walton On The Naze, England, 5,592, $1,800
28, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 5,583, $1,750
29, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan, 5,582, $1,700
30, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 5,581, $1,650
31, Ron Nelson Jr., Bridgeview, Ill., 5,572, $1,600
32, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 5,570, $1,560
33, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 5,565, $1,520
33, Stuart Williams, Cheshire, England, 5,565, $1,520
33, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 5,565, $1,520
36, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 5,564, $1,480
37, Robert Smith, Captain Cook, Hawaii, 5,555, $1,460
38, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 5,551, $1,440
39, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 5,535, $1,420
40, Dale Aivaz Jr., Yonkers, N.Y., 5,529, $1,410
41, Isao Yamamoto, Kanagawa, Japan, 5,528, $1,395
41, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, N. Richland Hills, Texas, 5,528, $1,395
43, Peter Spreadbury, Oak Forest, Ill., 5,518, $1,380
44, Craig Tuholski, Washougal, Wash., 5,513, $1,365
44, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 5,513, $1,365
46, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 5,509, $1,350
47, Jeff Roche, Dearborn, Mich., 5,508, $1,340
48, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 5,505, $1,330
49, Chris Klerk, Chandler, Ariz., 5,495, $1,320
50, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 5,494, $1,310
51, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 5,493, $1,295
51, John Furey, Freehold, N.J., 5,493, $1,295
53, Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 5,488, $1,280
54, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 5,487, $1,270
55, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore, 5,480, $1,255
55, Ron Dixon, Boynton Beach, Fla., 5,480, $1,255
57, Clint Dacy, Keller, Texas, 5,463, $1,245
58, Shawn Slocum, Ewing, N.J., 5,460, $1,235
58, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 5,460, $1,235
58, Rhino Page, Topeka, Kan, 5,460, $1,235
61, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 5,458, $1,225
62, PJ Haggerty, Clovis, Calif., 5,450, $1,220
63, Edward VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 5,445, $1,215
64, Matthew O'Grady, South Amboy, N.J., 5,443, $1,210
65, Thomas Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 5,438, $1,205
66, Alex Aguiar, North Dartmouth, Mass., 5,424, $1,200
67, Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La, 5,420, $1,195
68, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 5,415, $1,190
69, Rusty Thomsen, Morgan, N.J., 5,412, $1,185
70, Mike Mineman, Belleville, Ill., 5,403, $1,180
71, Frank Calca, Elmont, NY, 5,401, $1,175
72, Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 5,400, $1,170
73, Riga Kalfas, Florence, Ky., 5,386, $1,165
74, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 5,383, $1,160
75, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 5,376, $1,155
76, Christopher Blackmore, Alexandria, Va., 5,372, $1,150
77, Jimmy Cook, Indianapolis, 5,371, $1,145
78, Patrick Girard, Jonquiere, Quebec, 5,367, $1,140
79, Mark Taylor, Schenectady, N.Y., 5,365, $1,135
80, George Gohagan III, Dayton, Ohio, 5,363, $1,130
81, Ken Simard, Greenville, S.C., 5,359, $1,125
82, Kenneth Jessee, Huber Heights, Ohio, 5,358, $1,120
83, Aaron Buss, Freeport, Ill, 5,356, $1,115
84, James Wallace, Hicksville, N.Y., 5,355, $1,110
85, Tom Daugherty, Tampa, Fla., 5,349, $1,103
85, Kevin Cartier, Beverly, N.J., 5,349, $1,103
87, Wade Gayhart, Lockport, Ill., 5,346, $1,095
88, John Santalucia, North Brunswick, N.J., 5,342, $1,090
89, Jacqui Reese, Nazareth, Pa., 5,335, $1,085
90, Mitch Beasley, Arlington, Texas, 5,334, $1,078
90, Steve Harman, Indianapolis, 5,334, $1,078
92, Sean Riccardi, Piscataway, N.J., 5,332, $1,070
93, Shawn McKee, Concord, N.C., 5,328, $1,063
93, Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 5,328, $1,063
95, Tom Sorce, Blasdell, N.Y., 5,326, $1,055
96, Scott Santos, Ledyard, Conn., 5,319, $1,050
97, Del Ballard Jr., N. Richland Hills, Texas, 5,318, $1,045
98, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 5,308, $1,040
99, Tim Mack, Indianapolis, Ind., 5,301, $1,035
100, Jason Lundquist, Hawley, Pa, 5,300, $1,030
101, Vinny D'Ambrosio III, Staten Island, N.Y., 5,298, $1,025
102, Jonathan Van Hees, Newport, R.I., 5,297, $1,020
103, Walter Schaub II, Schaumburg, Ill., 5,285, $1,015
104, Troy Wollenbecker, Miami, 5,281, $1,010
105, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 5,277, $1,003
105, Michael Marsico, Chesapeake Beach, Md., 5,277, $1,003
107, Jason Sterner, Roswell, Ga., 5,274, $1,000
108, Thomas Brown, Winston-Salem, N.C., 5,270, $1,000
109, Steve Rogers, Bourbonnais, Ill., 5,264, $1,000
110, Charles Anderson, Sloatsburg, N.Y., 5,256, $1,000
111, Timothy Banks, Spartanburg, S.C., 5,255, $1,000
112, Jack Kurent, Luzerne, Pa., 5,253, $1,000
113, Mark Decman, Canada, 5,252, $1,000
114, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 5,251, $1,000
115, Tyrel Rose, Canada, 5,225, $1,000
116, Andrew Horodecki, Jackson, Mich., 5,221, $1,000
116, Fero Williams, West Carrollton, Ohio, 5,221, $1,000
118, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 5,194, $1,000
119, Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 5,188, $1,000
120, Hernan Ramirez, Venezuela, 5,178, $1,000
121, Christopher Wood, North Haven, Conn., 4,540, $1,000, WD
122, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 4,182, $1,000, WD

300 games (1) – Nathan Bohr