Wes Malott (pictured left) continued his torrid streak, charging into the lead in the Professional Bowlers Association's H&R Block Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Thursday afternoon.

The Pflugerville, Texas, right-hander finished 24 games of qualifying with 5,822 pins for a three-pin lead over the second-hottest player on the 2008-09 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, Patrick Allen (pictured right) of Wesley Chapel, Fla. Malott is seeking his third title and fifth TV appearance in the past six events. Allen is in the hunt for his fifth consecutive TV final.

"I'm throwing the ball pretty good," Malott said. "I'm trying to stay humble and keep on doing what I'm doing."

Malott, who said he fulfilled one of his goals last week in Medford, Ore., by winning a second title this season, is now eyeing a couple of new goals. "I'd like to get a major title under my belt and I'm going to keep chasing the PBA Player of the Year points title," he said.

Missing from the field of 24 advancing to match play Thursday evening is Norm Duke (pictured left) of Clermont, Fla., who came into the Tournament of Champions hoping to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive major title. Duke's bid ended when he finished qualifying in 39th place with 5,267 pins.

"You think you know what you're doing, but sometimes you don't," Duke said. "I came off the lanes after 24 games and I still didn't know what I should have been doing."

"I gave it everything I had, but it wasn't enough this week. I'm still proud of myself," he said. "Maybe it was everything else that's going on. I'm not sure, but I'm glad they don't put you in the hall of fame based upon one week's performance. The way I bowled this week was hard to watch."

In addition to his quest for another major title, Duke came into the week knowing he will be inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame during Saturday's PBA 50th Anniversary Gala as well as being recognized as the No. 7 player on the list of the 50 Greatest Players in PBA History.

After Thursday evening's first eight-match match play round, the top 24 will bowl two more match play rounds Friday afternoon and Friday evening. The top four after 48 games will advance to Sunday's stepladder finals which will air at 12:30 p.m. (Eastern, 9:30 a.m. Pacific) on ESPN.

First prize in the tournament is $50,000 plus a two-year Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exemption.