England's Dom Barrett used memories of a disappointing performance a year earlier to propel himself into the top qualifying position for the Professional Bowlers Association World Championship stepladder finals field Thursday at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.

Barrett, 28, who won his only PBA Tour title in the 2011 Scorpion Championship, put lessons learned in last year's World Championship to work Thursday.

L-R Dom Barrett, Sean Rash, Mike Fagan, Tom Smallwood and Pete Weber.

After momentarily surrendering the lead to reigning PBA Player of the Year Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., he won five of his final eight matches to clinch the No. 1 berth in the finals by 169 pins over Rash.

Barrett averaged 236.40 over 52 games - 28 games of World Series qualifying and 24 games match play on the PBA World Championship oil pattern - to finish with a 12,713 pinfall total. Rash posted a 12,544 total.

Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, Texas, qualified third with 12,304 pins; 2010 World Champion Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, Mich., earned the fourth spot with a thrilling final game, and 37-time PBA Tour champion Pete Weber of St. Ann, Mo., locked up the fifth spot by 27 pins over fellow PBA50 Tour competitor, 59-year-old Tom Baker of King, N.C.

The battle for the final two spots in the finals was settled when Smallwood threw 11 consecutive strikes after an open in the first frame to defeat Mika Koiviuniemi of Hartland, Mich., 279-189, while Weber defeated Fagan, 268-238, to hold onto his place in the top five.

Weber (pictured right) also is in the hunt for the first PBA Player of the Year award in his 33-year career.

"I just tried to stay focused and not get too excited," the 51-year-old Weber said. "People don't think this is hard work? Please come out and try it."

Regarding his chances for Player of the Year, he said, "You've got to be in the top five to have a shot at winning. I came into the (PBA World Series of Bowling V) thinking if I could win two tournaments, I would have a legitimate shot at Player of the Year. I know Belmo (Australia's Jason Belmonte) is out front right now, but if I can win a second major, I'll have a chance."

Weber won the PBA Tournament of Champions in April for his 10th career major championship, tying the legendary Earl Anthony for the most PBA major titles. He will have to win four matches, including a victory over Barrett, to win an 11th major.

"The last round happened the way I hoped it would," Barrett (pictured left) said. "I had a good round today. I knew Sean (Rash) was going to have a good day, so to come in today with all of the experience I got last year helped a lot.

"Last year I was leading going into the last eight games and dropped from first to 10th. To come in this year in the same position, I don't think I could have bowled any better. Like any great athlete, I think you learn more from failures than success. I know what that felt like and today I controlled my emotions, how I was feeling and I got myself into the best position I could to execute shots."

But Barrett wasn't about to predict victory in Sunday's finals.

"I won the Scorpion title on the same lanes, in the same arena, two years ago so I know what to expect," he said. "I've got 10 more frames. I'll bowl the best I can and hope it's enough."

The World Championship was the fifth and final event in the PBA World Series of Bowling V. The ESPN stepladder finals will take place Sunday at 12:30 p.m. PT on a special two-lane installation in South Point Exhibition Hall B.

ESPN will air the finals on Sunday, Dec. 29, at 1 p.m. ET. First prize in the 2012-13 season's final major championship is $50,000.

 

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PBA World Championship - Match Play Round Three (Seventh round overall)

Players with position, hometown, match-play record and 52-game total, including match play bonus pins; places 6-24 show earnings; the top five advance to the Nov. 3 ESPN stepladder finals; telecast is Sunday, Dec. 29, 1 p.m. ET.

1, Dom Barrett, England, 14-10, 12,713
2, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 18-6, 12,544
3, Mike Fagan, Ft. Worth, Texas, 13-11, 12,304
4, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 15-9, 12,247
5, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 14-10, 12,243

Missed Cut:
6, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 14-10, 12,216, $8,100
7, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 14-10, 12,140, $7,000
8, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 12-12, 12,129, $6,500
9, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 13-10-1, 12,119, $6,000
10, E.J. Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 11-13, 12,105, $5,500
11, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 11-13, 12,103, $5,000
12, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 14-10, 12,079, $4,900
13, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 14-10, 12,069, $4,700
14, Shawn Maldonado, Houston, 13-11, 12,058, $4,400
15, Todd Book, Russells Point, Ohio, 13-10-1, 12,042, $4,200
16, Paul Moor, England, 11-13, 11,952, $4,000
17, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 10-14, 11,908, $3,800
18, Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 10-14, 11,816, $3,600
19, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 12-12, 11,713, $3,500
20, Thomas Larsen, Denmark, 10-14, 11,665, $3,400
21, Jake Peters, Decatur, Ill., 12-12, 11,641, $3,300
22, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 10-14, 11,564, $3,300
23, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 4-20, 11,465, $3,100
24, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3-13, 11,200, $3,000

300 Games: None.