Ronnie Russell dominates Squad 14 at WTBA International Open

    02/03/12

    2012 World Bowling Tour #3

    Ties Walter Ray Williams Jr. for 22nd place with 1384; Mike Fagan still in control with 1503; cut for 44th place remains 1332 (222 avg.)

    201112PBARonnieRussell.jpgPBA exempt player Ronnie Russell (pictured left) of Marion, Ind., bowled in his own class in the 14th qualifying squad of the WTBA International Open Thursday evening at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center in Las Vegas.

    201112PBAWalterRayWilliams.jpgThe squad originally scheduled for 9 p.m. local time started already at 6 p.m. with only 24 spots available as the players were placed between two huge house leagues in the 72-lane center. All but one spot was filled.

    Russell, a three-time PBA Regional champion, rolled games of 223, 234, 235, 209, 268 and 215 on the WTBA Atlanta pattern for 1384 total, an average of 230.67 for six games, to jump into a tie for 22nd place with PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. (right) of Ocala, Fla. Russell was the sole player of Squad 14 who surpassed the cut line.

    2010USBCQMissyBellinder3.jpgAdam Barta of Girard, Ohio, and PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke (left) of Clermont, Fla., are tied for the 44th and last place to advance with 1332 or an average of 222.

    Only two other players reached the 1300-mark. Joseph L. Guerrero of Henderson, Nev., chalked up 1319 pins while USBC Queens winner Missy Parkin (left) of Lake Forest, Calif., had 1300, good for 50th and 61st place only.

    201112PBAMikeFagan.jpgMike Fagan (right) of Grapevine, Texas, who won the USBC Masters last Sunday here at Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center, leads the field of 109 players since Squad 10 with 1503 total and an average of 250.50.

    Former PBA exempt player D.J. Archer of Port Arthur, Texas, is second with 1485 and is followed by PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber of St Ann, Mo., with 1450. Reigning PBA Player of the Year, Mika Koivuniemi of Finland is fourth with 1448. Rounding out the top 5 is Lee Vanderhoef of Greenville, S.C. with 1443.

    Qualifying continues on Friday, Feb. 3, with Squad 15-17 scheduled for 9 a.m., 1.30 and 6 p.m. Pacific.

    2012LVInternationalOpenLogo2_small.jpg The WTBA International Open, the first World Tenpin Bowling Association owned and operated event, is the third stop of the 2012 World Bowling Tour and runs concurrently with The International Mini from Jan. 28 through Feb. 5.

    BowlingdigitalBanner.gif Bowlingdigital will cover the WTBA International Open and The International Mini live from Sunset Station's Strike Zone Bowling Center in Las Vegas all the way through to the finals on Feb. 5, 2012.

    The third event, the USBC Masters, concluded on Sunday morning. Jan. 29. All three events, which offer a total combined prize fund of approximately $500,000, have a special additional prize fund of $30,000 available to those who compete in all three events.

    The WTBA International Open features a European-style re-entry format. There will be 19 qualifying squads and bowlers may compete on any squad to try to post their best six-game total. The 20th and last squad to qualify for the finals is the ultimate one-game Desperado Squad on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 4. Women receive six pins handicap per game.

    Remaining Squad Times
    Friday, February 3 at 9 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 6 p.m.
    Saturday, February 4 at 9 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. (Desperado Squad)
    New: Sunday, February 5 - Finals starting at Noon.

    After the conclusion of the qualifying, total 48 players will qualify for the finals - the top 44 qualifiers including the squad leaders from all Monday and Tuesday squads (two each; earn automatic berths into the finals) along with four bowlers from the one-game Desperado Squad at the end of qualifying.

    Qualifiers in positions 1-8 get two byes, while qualifiers 9-16 will bypass the first round of the finals. All qualifying pinfall will be dropped.

    The remaining 32 players (qualifiers 17-48) bowl 6 games scratch across 12 lanes with the top 16 based on total pinfall advancing to Round 2. The top 16 high qualifiers from Round 1 plus qualifiers 9-16 bowl another six-game block. The top 8 meet the top 8 qualifiers in Round 3.

    Those 16 bowl a final six-game block to cut to the top 3, who will advance to the stepladder finals to be held in St. Maximin near Paris, France, on March 25, 2012.

    The three finalists earn an expenses-paid trip to suburban Paris for the stepladder finals, which will be held in conjunction with the Brunswick Euro Challenge, the seventh stop of the 2012 World Bowling Tour, which takes place at Plaza Saint Maximin from March 16-25. Bowlingdigital will cover the BEC live from Plaza Bowl.

    The WTBA International Open features a guaranteed prize fund of $100,000 with $20,000 going to the winner and $10,000 and $8,000 to the second and third place finishers, resp.

    For more information on the WTBA 2012 International Open please click here
    WBTLogo.jpg The 2012 World Bowling Tour consists of 14 tournaments in America, Asia, Europe and Australia - five in the United States and one each in Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Finland, France, Japan, Korea, Kuwait and Thailand.

    Players earn ranking points based on how they finish in each event. The current points system is based on a continuous two-year cycle, so points earned in 2011 are added to points earned in 2012 to determine the points list.

    World Bowling Tour Rankings - Complete Standings as of January 29, 2012
    WBT Women's Ranking
    WBT Men's Ranking

    The top three men and top three women will be invited to compete in the World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association at the end of 2012 featuring total prize fund of $70,000.

    The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of 115 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, visit WorldTenpinBowling.com.

     


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    Standings after Qualifying Squad 14/19

    300 Games (2) - Johnathan Bower, Jason Sterner

    * indicates leaders of squads 5-8, who earn automatic berths into the finals.

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