Wes Malott (left) wasn't even sure he'd be able to compete in this week's H&R Block Tournament of Champions, but now he's looking like a good bet to make Sunday's championship round and win his first career Major title.

Malott overcame a severe blister on his right thumb to shoot 300 and lead the 54-bowler field with a 3,350 14-game pinfall at Red Rock Lanes, taking the top seed into match play in the second of four Majors on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour.

The three-time titlist who won his third title just two weeks ago, tore open a blister on his bowling hand early in the week during the PBA Exempt Doubles Classic and nearly withdrew from the event. Instead, he continued to bowl because he was paired with fellow Columbia staffer Chris Barnes, and the two advanced to Sunday's championship round. He'll look to make it two championship rounds on Sunday if he can stay in the top four during the 18 games of round robin.

"I didn't think I would even be able to finish the doubles event but when I found out I was paired with Chris I did everything I could do to bowl," Malott (Argyle, Texas) said. "I patched it up and we made it to the show and then I took Wednesday off and didn't even touch a ball. I got here this morning and bowled really well tonight. The thumb is pretty much healed now but it's still patched up because I don't want it to crack again and become a problem."

Malott averaged 226.29 over the first seven games but came out of the gates in the second block with a perfect game. He finished the round with games of 278 and 258 to take over the lead.

"I hit the pocket a lot this morning and didn't get rewarded very much so I drilled a Columbia Momentum and was able to get momentum and carry it through the rest of the day," Malott said. "If I can win a Major here that puts me in good position for Player of the Year. I didn't think anyone could catch (Walter Ray Williams Jr.) but he's having a little trouble right now. He'll figure it out and finish the season strong but I'm definitely going to have to bowl well to even have a chance at that."

Malott has had close calls in Majors before, finishing third in the 2004 PBA World Championship and second in last season's 64th U.S. Open. He currently sits fourth in the PBA World Point Rankings and third in the PBA Player of the Year race.

Barnes (right; Double Oak, Texas), Malott's teammate for Sunday's doubles finals, made a late run in the second block to move into second with 3,307. He averaged 239.86 over the final seven games and will look to win his second Tournament of Champions in the last three years.

Eugene McCune (Munster, Ind.) is third with 3,278, PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III (Jackson, N.J.) is fourth with 3,270 and 13-time titlist Randy Pedersen (Clermont, Fla.), the color commentator for the PBA on ESPN, is fifth with 3,261.

Sean Rash (Wichita, Kan.), who won the 2007 United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Masters in October and is looking to become just the fifth bowler to win back-to-back Majors, is sixth with 3,253.

In a field of 54 bowlers with a combined 511 titles and with bowlers ranging in ages from their 60s to their 20s, 24 of the 32 bowlers who advanced to match play are exempt on the Denny's PBA Tour.

Among the non-exempt bowlers advancing were PBA Hall of Famers and PBA Senior Tour bowlers David Ozio, Steve Cook and Johnny Petraglia. Ozio finished 13th and Cook 24th, while Petraglia finished 32nd and earned the final spot in match play by just one pin over 2006-07 PBA Player of the Year Doug Kent despite a 171 in the final game.

The top 32 advanced to round robin match play Friday which features two nine-game blocks. The field will be cut to the top 16 after the first nine games, with the top four advancing to Sunday's live ESPN-televised championship round.

The event features the 39 most recent champions on the Denny's PBA Tour, two winners from major events on both the PBA Senior Tour and PBA Regional Tour and is filled up to 54 by past Tournament of Champions winners and PBA Hall of Famers, based on most recent Denny's PBA Tour win.

The final four will compete for the $50,000 top prize and a two-year Denny's PBA Tour exemption on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 12:30 p.m. EST live on ESPN.

Standings after Qualifying

Players with hometown and 14-game pinfall. Top 32 advance. Positions 33-54 cash.

1, Wes Malott, Argyle, Texas, 3,350
2, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3,307
3, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 3,278
4, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3,270
5, Randy Pedersen, Clermont, Fla., 3,261
6, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan, 3,253
7, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 3,240
8, Michael Haugen Jr., Cave Creek, Ariz., 3,212
9, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 3,204
10, Robert Smith, Captain Cook, Hawaii, 3,203
11, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 3,201
12, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 3,179
13, David Ozio, Beaumont, Texas, 3,177
14, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 3,171
15, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 3,163
16, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3,161
17, Tommy Delutz Jr., Flushing, N.Y., 3,144
18, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 3,137
19, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 3,132
20, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3,122
21, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 3,118
22, Mike DeVaney, Temecula, Calif., 3,114
23, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 3,112
24, Steve Cook, Granite Bay, Calif., 3,097
25, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 3,087
26, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 3,079
27, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,058
28, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 3,050
29, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 3,041
30, Jason Hurd, Titusville, Fla., 3,037
31, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 3,033
32, John Petraglia, Manalapan, N.J., 3,029

Missed Cut:
33, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 3,028, $1,790
33, Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 3,028, $1,790
35, Chris Hayden, Odessa, Texas, 3,027, $1,760
36, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 3,026, $1,740
37, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 3,025, $1,720
38, Mike Mineman, Belleville, Ill., 3,023, $1,700
39, Dave Arnold, Dublin, Calif., 3,001, $1,680
40, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 2,994, $1,660
41, Rick Lawrence, Celina, Texas, 2,993, $1,640
42, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 2,990, $1,620
43, Hugh Miller, Seattle, 2,972, $1,600
44, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 2,954, $1,580
45, Mark Roth, Fulton, N.Y., 2,946, $1,570
46, Wayne Webb, Sacramento, Calif., 2,937, $1,560
47, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 2,922, $1,550
48, Roy Buckley, Westerville, Ohio, 2,920, $1,540
49, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 2,900, $1,530
50, Del Ballard Jr., N. Richland Hills, Texas, 2,895, $1,520
51, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 2,888, $1,510
52, Scott Santos, Ledyard, Conn., 2,877, $1,500
53, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 2,815, $1,500
54, Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., 2,787, $1,500
300 games (5) – Randy Pedersen, Wes Malott, Parker Bohn III, Brian Voss, Pete Weber

Couch holds the lead after the first round of Qualifying

Bowling in his first event of the 2007-08 Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour season, Jason Couch (left) holds the lead after the first Round of qualifying in the 2008 H&R Block Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes, one of four Majors on the Denny's PBA Tour.

Couch (Clermont, Fla.) never fully recovered from off-season knee surgery and has deferred his exemption until the 2008-09 season. He came into this week not sure if he would be able to bowl the entire tournament, but so far his knee has held up just fine.

The 15-time titlist jumped out of the gates fast with a 278 and rebounded from a block-low of 194 in game four to finish with games of 255, 236 and 239 to finish with a 1,685 seven-game pinfall. Couch has always risen to another level in the Tournament of Champions, winning the event an unprecedented three consecutive times from 1999-2002.

Just behind Couch is PBA Hall of Famer Tom Baker (King, N.C.), the three-time reigning PBA Senior Player of the Year who is the only PBA Senior Tour player exempt on the Denny's PBA Tour. Baker used a 279 in game six and a 248 in game seven to finish second with 1,680.

Like his fellow Clermont Fla., resident Couch, 13-time titlist Randy Pedersen has excelled in his first event of the season. Pedersen, eligible for the event due to his 2002 Pepsi Open title, fired the only 300 game of the morning in game three and held the overall lead through much of the morning. He finished third with 1,678.

Eugene McCune (Munster, Ind.) and Ryan Shafer (Horseheads, N.Y.) round out the top five in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Defending champion Tommy Jones (Simpsonville, S.C.) is 11th with 1,618.

54 bowlers return for another seven-game block this afternoon at 3 p.m. PST. The top 32 will advance to Friday's round robin match play.

The event features the 39 most recent champions on the Denny's PBA Tour, two winners from major events on both the PBA Senior Tour and PBA Regional Tour and is filled up to 54 by past Tournament of Champions winners and PBA Hall of Famers, based on most recent Denny's PBA Tour win.

The final four will compete for the $50,000 top prize and a two-year Denny's PBA Tour exemption on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 12:30 p.m. EST live on ESPN.

Players with position, hometown and seven-game pinfall.

1, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 1,685
2, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 1,680
3, Randy Pedersen, Clermont, Fla., 1,678
4, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1,673
5, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,659
5, Robert Smith, Captain Cook, Hawaii, 1,659
7, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan, 1,652
8, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 1,640
9, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 1,629
10, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1,628
11, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 1,618
12, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 1,600
12, Mike DeVaney, Temecula, Calif., 1,600
12, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 1,600
15, David Ozio, Beaumont, Texas, 1,595
16, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 1,594
17, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 1,592
18, Michael Haugen Jr., Cave Creek, Ariz., 1,586
19, Wes Malott, Argyle, Texas, 1,584
19, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,584
21, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 1,572
22, Steve Cook, Granite Bay, Calif., 1,543
23, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 1,540
24, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 1,531
25, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1,525
26, Hugh Miller, Seattle, 1,520
27, Mike Mineman, Belleville, Ill., 1,511
28, Wayne Webb, Sacramento, Calif., 1,510
29, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 1,507
30, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,504
30, Jason Hurd, Titusville, Fla., 1,504
32, Mark Roth, Fulton, N.Y., 1,498
33, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 1,497
34, Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 1,495
35, Tommy Delutz Jr., Flushing, N.Y., 1,481
36, Chris Hayden, Odessa, Texas, 1,480
37, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 1,479
38, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 1,477
38, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 1,477
40, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 1,472
41, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 1,469
42, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 1,467
43, Rick Lawrence, Celina, Texas, 1,466
44, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 1,458
45, Scott Santos, Ledyard, Conn., 1,456
46, John Petraglia, Manalapan, N.J., 1,446
47, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 1,445
48, Del Ballard Jr., N. Richland Hills, Texas, 1,443
49, Roy Buckley, Westerville, Ohio, 1,436
50, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 1,428
51, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 1,417
52, Dave Arnold, Dublin, Calif., 1,405
53, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 1,400
54, Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., 1,387

300 games (1) – Randy Pedersen