PBA champions Mike Scroggins (pictured left) and Scott Norton (right) were among the six players who advanced to the finals of The International Mini on the first two days of the qualifying currently underway at Strike Zone Bowling Center inside Sunset Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, who has won eight PBA titles including two majors (2005 USBC Masters and 2009 U.S. Open) toppled 1058 pins, an average of 264.50 over four games, to lead the tournament's Gold Division on Saturday. Norton of Costa Mesa, Calif., whose lone PBA title came in the 2010 Chameleon Championship, qualified in the same division on Sunday with 963.

Bryson Rogers of Durham, N.C., and Humberto Vazquez (left) of San Pedro, Mexico advanced to the finals of the Silver Division. Rogers chalked up 903 while Vazquez posted 883 to lead the division qualifying on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

In the Bronze Division which gives 90% handicap based on a 210 average, Donato Quitangon of Walnut, Calif. advanced on Saturday with 967 including handicap. U.S. American Ken Bland (right), who spent the last years in Germany, Belgium and Norway, bowled all four squads on Saturday and Sunday finishing with 933 to lead the Bronze Division qualifying on Sunday en route to advance to the finals on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5 starting at 8 a.m.

The International Mini megabuck event, immediately following the USBC Masters and running concurrently with the WTBA International Open, is a scratch and handicap competition that runs from January 28 through February 5. All three events take place at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center in suburban Las Vegas.

Guaranteed top prizes will pay $30,000 for first place, $15,000 for second place and $10,000 for third place. The International Mini will be contested on the WTBA Athens lane conditioning pattern, which is 40 feet in length.

The International Mini, presented by Brunswick, is a four-game qualifier by division. One in 8 bowlers each day, per division, will advance to the finals and cash for a minimum of $750. Bowlers can guarantee themselves larger payouts by earning byes which will offer guaranteed prizes of up to $2,000.

The finals of the International Mini will feature a one-game elimination format by division with the winners of each division guaranteed $10,000.

For more information on the International Mini and the entire tournament rules, please visit www.theinternationalmini.com.

Bowlingdigital will cover The International Mini and the WTBA International Open live from Las Vegas all the way through to the finals on Feb. 5, 2012.

 

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Saturday, Jan. 28 Results

Players with position, hometown and 4-game total

Gold Division - Scratch Qualifying
1, Scroggins, Mike - Amarillo, TX 1058 Advance to Finals
2, Pepe, Anthony - Queens, NY 943 Free Reentry
3, McNiel, Matt - Prior Lake, MN 938
4, Legnani, Lucas - Martinez, Argentina 927
5, Rash, Sean T - Montgomery, IL 911
6, Hess, Tom - Urbandale, IA 905
7, Pojas, Chad - Wajoaw, HI 885
8, Thompson, Anthony - Redding, CA 814
9, Vermilyea, Erik - Mansfield, TX 795

Silver Division - Scratch Qualifying
1, Rogers, Bryson - Durham, NC 903 Advance to Finals
2, Chew, David - Brentwood, CA 864 Free Reentry
3, Wilber, Hal - Las Vegas, NV 809 Free Reentry
4, Vazquez, Humberto - San Pedro, Mexico 783
5, Ippolito, Andrew - Forest Hills, NY 748

Bronze Division - Handicap Qualifying (90% of 210)
1, Quitangon, Donato - Walnut, CA 967 Advance to Finals
2, Bland Jr, Kenneth J. - APO, AE 804
3, Bland Jr, Kenneth J. - APO, AE 796 Free Reentry
4, Rash, Sara - Montgomery, IL 785
5, Hill, Harold Jr. - Lakeside, CA 771 Free Reentry
6, Reyes, Celestino 739

 

Sunday, Jan. 29 Results

Players with position, hometown and 4-game total

Gold Division - Scratch Qualifying
1, Norton, Scott - Costa Mesa, CA 963 Advance to Finals
2, Gohagan, George III - Roswell, GA 915 Free Reentry
3, Legnani, Lucas - Martinez, Argentina 867
4, Hamilton, Michael - Miami, FL 835
5, Daugherty, Tom - West Chapel, FL 770

Silver Division - Scratch Qualifying
1, Vazquez, Humberto - San Pedro, Mexico 883 Advance to Finals
2, Wilber, Hal - Las Vegas, NV 787
3, Chew, David - Brentwood, CA 768
4, Robertson, Brandon - Clinton, CT 748 Free Reentry
5, Robertson, Brandon - Clinton, CT 724

Bronze Division - Handicap Qualifying (90% of 210)
1, Bland Jr, Kenneth J. - APO, AE 933 Advance to Finals
2, Gerencser, Joe - Henderson, NV 883 Free Reentry
3, Clark, Artavius - Oxon Hill, MD 766
4, Sharp, Thomas - Ft. Worth, TX 763
5, Macaluso, Joe - Hudson, FL 762
6, Clark, Artavius - Oxon Hill, MD 737
7, Hill, Harold Jr. - Lakeside, CA 712
8, Bland Jr, Kenneth J. - APO, AE 711