Venezuela's Amleto Monacelli (pictured left) took the lead after the first round of qualifying Tuesday at the 2012 Alka Seltzer Plus Liquid Gels United States Bowling Congress Masters by averaging 247.8 over the opening five games.

Monacelli, a 19-time Professional Bowlers Association champion and PBA Hall of Famer, fired 1,239 in the opening round to lead a field of 305 players vying for a piece of the $235,000 total prize fund at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center. The finals of the event will be broadcast live on ESPN on Jan. 29 at 12:30 p.m. Eastern.

The USBC Masters is the tenth event of the 2011-12 PBA season and one of four majors on the PBA Tour. The tournament also is the second stop of the 2012 World Bowling Tour and one of three tournaments which take place at Sunset Station in Las Vegas in a span of two weeks.

Fueled by a 298 finish, Monacelli, 50, surged into the lead in the final game of the day. He began the opening round with games of 255, 226, 215 and 245. Chris Barnes (right) of Double Oak, Texas, sits in second with 1,225.

"This morning when I was working out something came to my mind that I wanted to change in my game today," said Monacelli, who will be inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame this April. "I wanted to accelerate a little more toward the release. That's something I thought had been hurting me a little bit."

Another key to Monacelli's success Tuesday was his ability to maintain a strong mental game, which is another area he has spent time working on lately.

"I've been working really hard to get my mental game back," said Monacelli, whose last PBA title came nearly seven years ago when he won the PBA Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Open in 2005. "I have to keep my mind clean without thoughts of the past or future. I also am trying to keep my wishes and desires out of my body, and that has helped keep my anxiety down a lot."

Rick Steelsmith of Wichita, Kan., rounded out the top three with 1,206, while Alex Aguiar of North Dartmouth, Mass., was the high non-professional in the field in fourth place with 1,179.

After struggling in the Masters in the past, Aguiar was pleased to get off to a stellar start at the event. He's never made the cut at the Masters and put himself in good position to do so with Tuesday's opening round total.

"This tournament has been a disaster for me in the past," said Aguiar, who won a Professional Bowlers Association member/non-member doubles event in January with USBC Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III. "This is one of those tournaments where things haven't gone very well for me. It's very satisfying to come out and not have to press to knock down pins in the second round that you didn't get in the first round."

The international contingent is well represented among the top 77, who will survive the first cut. Joining Monacelli in the top 10 are PBA Bayer Viper Open champion Stuart Williams (left) of England, and three-time PBA World Series of Bowling finalist Ildemaro Ruiz (right) of Venezuela, in sixth and seventh place with 1,149 and 1,146, respectively.

Three-time WTBA World Champion, Martin Larsen (left) of Sweden, was 31st with 1,104. Multiple Asian ranking champion Wu Siu Hong (right) of Hong Kong was 42nd with 1,095 and was followed by PBA champions Jason Belmonte of Australia and Andres Gomez of Colombia in 47th and 50th place with 1,089 and 1,088, resp.

59th place belonged to Shigeo Saito of Japan with 1,072. World Games winner Manuel Otalora of Colombia was 69th with 1,057 with Russia's Nikita Koshelev in 72nd with 1,051.

Rounding out the top 77 is reigning PBA Player of the Year and current World Bowling Tour men's ranking leader Mika Koivuniemi of Finland with 1,048.

Only two women are above the cut line with USBC Queens champion Missy Parkin (left) of Lake Forest, Calif., in 34th place with 1,102 and PBA Tournament of Champions winner Kelly Kulick (right) of Union, N.J., in 60th place with 1,071.

All 305 players will return Wednesday for five additional games of qualifying before the field is cut to the top 77 for five final games of qualifying Thursday morning. The top 63 players plus defending champion Tom Hess (264th, 897) of Urbandale, Iowa, will move on to the double-elimination match-play bracket Thursday afternoon.

The final four players who survive bracket play will advance to the nationally televised championship round. The USBC Masters champion will earn $50,000 with $25,000 going to second place, $15,000 to third place and $10,000 to fourth place.

 

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2012 USBC Masters - Qualifying Round 1

Players with position, hometown and 5-game total

1, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 1,239
2, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1,225
3, Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., 1,206
4, Alex Aguiar, N. Dartmouth, Mass., 1,179
5, Kyle Bigelow, Troy, Ohio, 1,150
6, Stuart Williams, England, 1,149
7, Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, 1,146
8, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 1,145
9, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 1,140
10, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 1,136
10, John Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y., 1,136
12, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 1,133
13, Kris Koeltzow, Wheat Ridge, Colo., 1,132
14, Keith Odette, Waipahu, Hawaii, 1,130
14, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 1,130
16, Christian Jensen, Wichita, Kan., 1,128
17, Jason Duran, Arvada, Colo., 1,127
17, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 1,127
19, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 1,125
20, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 1,120
20, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 1,120
22, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 1,119
23, Josh Blanchard, Gilbert, Ariz., 1,113
23, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 1,113
25, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,111
26, Jon Van Hees, Charlestown, R.I., 1,110
27, PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 1,109
27, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 1,109
29, Vernon Peterson, Lake Wales, Fla., 1,108
30, Jason Barnhouse, Maple Grove, Minn., 1,105
31, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 1,104
31, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 1,104
33, Steven Badovinac, Parker, Colo., 1,103
34, Missy Parkin, Lake Forest, Calif., 1,102
35, Lee Vanderhoef, Greenville, S.C., 1,101
35, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 1,101
37, George Brooks, Loveland, Colo., 1,099
37, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 1,099
39, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 1,098
40, Kyle Barnes, Smyrna, Tenn., 1,096
40, D.J. Archer, Port Arthur, Texas, 1,096
42, Daniel Verdecchia, Lawrenceville, Ga., 1,095
42, Wu Siu Hong, Hong Kong, 1,095
44, Jessica Baker, Wichita, Kan., 1,092
44, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1,092
46, Jeff Piroozshad, Coral Springs, Fla., 1,091
47, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,089
47, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 1,089
47, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 1,089
50, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 1,088
51, Mathew Jones, Phoenix, 1,085
52, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,084
53, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,082
53, Joe Salvemini, Oroville, Calif., 1,082
55, Raul Rosales, El Monte, Calif., 1,080
56, John Slavich IV, Schaumburg, Ill., 1,079
57, Jason Wojnar, Chicago, 1,078
58, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 1,074
59, Shigeo Saito, Japan, 1,072
60, James Edwards, Columbus, Miss., 1,071
60, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 1,071
60, Chris Hayden, Las Vegas, 1,071
63, Erik Vermilyea, Mansfield, Texas, 1,069
64, Jarrett Mizo, Honolulu, 1,067
65, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 1,066
65, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 1,066
65, Matt McNiel, Chanhassen, Minn., 1,066
68, Jason Poli, West Des Moines, Iowa, 1,063
69, Manuel Otalora, Colombia, 1,057
69, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 1,057
71, Michael Herring, Altamonte Springs, Fla., 1,055
72, Chad Pojas, Wahiawa, Hawaii, 1,051
72, Nikita Koshelev, Russia, 1,051
74, Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa., 1,050
74, Gary Faulkner, Memphis, Tenn., 1,050
74, Joseph Yockman, Kapolei, Hawaii, 1,050
77, Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, 1,048
78, Steven McCracken, Parker, Colo., 1,046
79, Cameron Smith, Glendale, Ariz., 1,045
79, Stephen Pavlinko, Sewell, N.J., 1,045
81, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 1,044
81, Michael Biederman, Post Falls, Idaho, 1,044
83, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1,043
83, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 1,043
85, Kerry Painter, Henderson, Nev., 1,042
86, Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 1,040
87, Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, Nev., 1,037
88, Mitch Beasley, Clarksville, Tenn., 1,036
89, Tim Penner, Wichita, Kan., 1,035
89, Adam Ishman, Las Vegas, 1,035
91, Lucas Legnani, Argentina, 1,034
92, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 1,033
92, Stevie Weber, Chalmette, La., 1,033
92, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,033
95, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,032
96, Paul Ashby, Middleburg Hts., Ohio, 1,031
96, Eric Forkel, Henderson, Nev., 1,031
98, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 1,028
98, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 1,028
100, Dan MacLelland, Canada, 1,027
100, Warren Crawford, McKinleyville, Calif., 1,027
100, Ken Duffield, Madison, Wis., 1,027
103, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1,026
104, Richard Mitchell, East Berlin, Pa., 1,024
104, Tom Anderson, Bonney Lake, Wash., 1,024
104, Kevin Mikalouski, Hebron, Ind., 1,024
107, Marc Clyburn, Pittsburg, Calif., 1,023
107, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 1,023
109, Justin Ledwig, Floresville, Texas, 1,022
109, Robert Gotchall, Lincoln, Neb., 1,022
111, Alan Frederick, Las Vegas, 1,021
112, Neil Makison, Boiling Springs, S.C., 1,020
113, Jeremy Sonnenfeld, Sioux Falls, S.D., 1,019
114, Frank Guccione, Castle Rock, Colo., 1,018
114, Mike Fagan, Dallas, 1,018
116, Tyler Wilds, Three Rivers, Mich., 1,017
116, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 1,017
118, Anthony Pepe, Elmhurst, N.Y., 1,016
118, Robert Klann, San Antonio, Texas, 1,016
118, Rob Rice, Sunnyside, Wash., 1,016
118, Dennis Horan Jr., Oakley, Calif., 1,016
118, Matthew O'Grady, South Amboy, N.J., 1,016
123, Caleb Nakata, Loomis, Calif., 1,015
123, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 1,015
123, Scott Shiira, Honolulu, 1,015
123, Jerry Pruitt, Omaha, Neb., 1,015
123, J.T. Jackson, Sherman Oaks, Calif., 1,015
128, J,R, Martino, McMurray, Pa., 1,014
128, David Haynes, Las Vegas, 1,014
130, George Gohagan III, Roswell, Ga., 1,013
131, Mike Danielson, Portland, Ore., 1,012
131, Ricky Schissler, Henderson, Colo., 1,012
131, Paul Moor, England, 1,012
131, Peter Spreadbury, Oak Forest, Ill., 1,012
131, Aaron Ramsden, Pleasant Valley, Mo., 1,012
136, Humberto Vazquez, Mexico, 1,011
136, Dom Barrett, England, 1,011
136, Lloyd Burleson, San Diego, 1,011
139, Thomas Parker, Columbus, Ohio, 1,010
140, Kevin Duncan, Mexico, Mo., 1,009
141, Carl Labayan, Long Beach, Calif., 1,008
141, Bill Crane III, Mishawaka, Ind., 1,008
143, Eric Schacht, North St. Paul, Minn., 1,007
143, Jeremy Wood, Bountiful, Utah, 1,007
145, Eric Martinez, San Antonio, Texas, 1,006
146, Gerald Marrs, Huntley, Ill., 1,005
146, Tetsuya Kobayashi, Japan, 1,005
148, Tony Biondi, Orlando, Fla., 1,004
148, James Grago III, Rome, N.Y., 1,004
150, Darwin Wimer, Mesquite, Nev., 1,002
150, Michael Vasquez, Longmont, Colo., 1,002
152, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 1,001
152, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 1,001
154, Mike Albert, Florence, S.C., 1,000
154, Kyle King, Glendale, Ariz., 1,000
156, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 999
157, Brett Cunningham, Clay, N.Y., 998
158, Adam Barta, Girard, Ohio, 997
159, Evan Nash, Kennewick, Wash., 995
160, Chad Newman, Richardson, Texas, 994
160, Brian Skidmore, Albuquerque, NM, 994
162, Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash., 992
162, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 992
164, L. Carnate, Glendale, Ariz, 991
164, Andrew Graff, Las Vegas, 991
166, Shannon Buchan, Waterloo, Iowa, 989
166, Bryson Rogers, Durham, N.C., 989
166, Jacqui Reese, Roseto, Pa., 989
169, Chad Vendeville, Euless, Texas, 988
169, Brian Ziesig, Levittown, N.Y., 988
171, Victor Torres, Elephant Butte, N.M., 987
171, Robert Piroozshad, Brooklyn, N.Y., 987
171, Anthony Thompson, Redding, Calif., 987
174, Mike Bailey, Frisco, Texas, 986
174, Gabriel Yanes, Corpus Christi, Texas, 986
174, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 986
177, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 982
177, J.R. Raymond, Bay City, Mich., 982
177, Mark Clark, Naperville, Ill., 982
180, Takashi Kudoh, Japan, 981
181, Daniel Hannagan, Mt. Juliet, Tenn., 980
182, George Burruss, Gurley, Ala., 979
182, Tish Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 979
184, Artavius Clark, Oxen Hill, Md., 978
184, Fred Mattson, University Place, Wash., 978
184, Chad Kloss, Greenfield, Wis., 978
187, Joseph Ramsdell III, Skowhegan, Maine, 975
188, John DeBenedetta Jr., Las Vegas, 974
189, Jason Lee Hummell, Hermiston, Ore., 970
190, Justin Pisarski, Pittsburgh, 969
190, Tom Sorce, Blasdell, N.Y., 969
192, Rob Edwards, Vancouver, Wash., 967
192, Dustin Ochoa, San Antonio, Texas, 967
194, George Branham III, Indianapolis, 966
195, Mike DeVaney, Murrieta, Calif., 964
196, Kelvin Wiggins, Rocky Mt., N.C., 963
196, Sam Maccarone, Glassboro, N.J., 963
196, Eric Espinda, Albuquerque, N.M., 963
199, Billy Bundza, Tucson, Ariz, 962
200, Robert McBride, Plano, Texas, 961
200, Cassandra Leuthold, Black Hawk, S.D., 961
202, Brandon Kraye, LaHabra, Calif., 960
202, Jake Peters, Decatur, Ill., 960
202, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 960
205, Stephen Haas, Enola, Pa., 959
205, George Koufakis, Orlando, Fla., 959
205, Tim Ursillo, Spring Valley, Calif., 959
208, David Oulman, Medford, Minn., 958
209, Aric Nagel, Scottsdale, Ariz., 957
210, Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, Calif., 956
211, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 954
212, Curt Schmidt, Algonquin, Ill., 952
212, Rob Shepherd, Sierra Vista, Ariz., 952
214, John West, Milwaukie, Ore., 951
214, Christopher Ziesig, Hicksville, N.Y., 951
216, Jeffrey Alan Darden, Helena, Ala., 950
216, Mark Tarkington, Elizabeth City, N.C., 950
218, Mitch Sacks, Jersey City, N.J., 948
218, Billy Langford, Lone Grove, Okla., 948
220, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 946
221, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 944
222, Miguel Rosales, Anaheim, Calif., 942
222, Mike Kanada, Camarillo, Calif., 942
222, Shinichiro Tamai, Japan, 942
222, Elysia Current, Ephrata, Pa., 942
226, Michael Hamilton, Miami, 941
227, Naoyuki Iguchi, Japan, 940
227, Rick Kouri, Castle Rock, Colo., 940
227, Donald Barry Jr., Omaha, Neb., 940
230, John Conroy, Mahopac, N.Y., 939
231, Travis Celmer, Wernersville, Pa., 938
232, Rob Herman, Las Vegas, 937
232, Kyle Taylor, Loveland, Colo., 937
234, Chris Viale, Westfield, Mass., 935
234, Adam Miller, Charlotte, N.C., 935
234, Riand Poblete, Lynnwood, Wash., 935
237, Warren Blankenship, Ardmore, Okla., 933
238, John Janawicz, Winter Haven, Fla., 932
239, Joseph Nereu, New Bedford, Mass., 929
240, Dee Dee Jeffery, Newport, Ark., 927
241, Joe Paluszek, Bensalem, Pa., 925
242, Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 923
242, Corey Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., 923
244, Lowell Huber, Westminster, Calif., 921
245, Eric Tseng, Hong Kong, 920
246, Martin Haberstich, Henderson, Nev., 919
246, Robert Miller, Bishop, Calif., 919
248, Don Allen III, 918
249, Justin Stevens, Aiea, Hawaii, 917
249, Michael Monyak, Las Vegas, 917
251, Ryan Losli, Portland, Ore., 914
252, Don Wright, Casper, Wy., 913
253, Jack Zuniga, Tulsa, Okla., 911
254, Larry Lanehart, Eagle River, Alaska, 909
255, Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 908
256, Tracy Teeters, Beaverton, Ore., 905
257, Ralph Solan, Harvest, Ala., 904
258, Kenneth Bland Jr., Germany, 903
259, James Delacerda, Natchitoches, La., 902
260, James Peryea, Mooers, N.Y., 900
261, Rick Rucker, Rock Falls, Ill., 899
261, Scott Peterson, Oceanside, Calif., 899
263, Robert Lee, Japan, 898
264, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 897
264, Nicholas Amrein, Hillsboro, Ore., 897
266, David Taylor, Largo, Fla., 896
266, Michael Teahl, Las Vegas, 896
268, Daniel Du, Tinley Park, Ill, 895
269, Scott Brown, Lehi, Utah, 894
270, Stoney Burke Jr., Rio Rancho, N.M., 893
271, Michael Mullin, Congers, N.Y., 891
272, Adam Allen, Spokane, Wash., 889
273, Philip Layral, Fairbanks, Alaska, 886
274, John Reed, Pueblo, Colo., 884
275, Kevin Cook, Casper, Wyo., 882
276, Derek Swanson, Las Vegas, 881
277, Harold Hill Jr., San Diego, 878
277, David Labinski, Milwaukee, 878
279, Thomas Wolf, Bismarck, N.D., 876
280, Daniel Struzynski, Dunkirk, N.Y., 875
281, Devin Bidwell, Simi Valley, Calif., 872
281, Steven Smith, San Diego, 872
283, Toshiyuki Kaneko, Japan, 868
284, Riley Dempsey, Avondale, Ariz., 864
285, Camerson Potts, Hicksville, N.Y., 862
286, Brandi Wolfe, Tempe, Ariz., 861
287, Chris Helton, Fountain, Colo., 855
288, Daniel Miyamoto, Mililani, Hawaii, 848
289, William Bell, Roy, Utah, 847
290, John Schriner, Middletown, Md., 846
291, Cody Reichenberger, Sarasota, Fla., 840
292, Chris Hook, Mira Loma, Calif., 837
293, Chad Lusche, Arvada, Colo., 833
294, Justin Lynn, St. Charles, Mo., 827
295, Shane Gillmore, Mayflower, Ark., 825
296, Dale Lee Lookabaugh, New Kensington, Pa., 822
297, Robert Danevich, Gilbert, Ariz., 818
297, Richard Lista, Colorado Springs, Colo., 818
299, Sean Terry, Chino, Calif., 788
300, Nicole Ellison, Chatsworth, Calif., 787
301, Gary Smalling, Johnson City, Tenn., 785
302, Raymond Gaunt, LaPuente, Calif., 775
303, Dave Terwilliger, Gilbert, Ariz., 774
304, Dru Schott, Grants, N.M., 684
305, William Williams, Stafford, Va., 676