Chris Via tops PBA Tournament of Champions PTQ

06 February, 2018

PBA National Tour

2696

Ads

Two-time PBA regional titlist Chris Via, a two-handed player from Springfield, Ohio, led a field of 27 players earning spots in the PBA Tournament of Champions after Monday’s pre-tournament qualifier at AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn, Ohio, completing the field of 80 competitors who will battle for the 2018 Go Bowling! PBA Tour season’s first major title.

The TOC field will include 53 Tour winners in addition to those players advancing through the PTQ. Those competing in the PTQ did not have a PBA Tour title but were eligible for the qualifier by virtue of being PBA regional winners.

Via (pictured right), a current member of Team USA and a three-time Collegiate All-American, topped the qualifier with a 1,809 eight-game pinfall total (226 average), 56 pins ahead of Cristian Azcona (left) of Puerto Rico, a three-time regional titlist, in second with 1,753.

Via adds his name to the list of two-handers who will be competing in the TOC that also includes Jason Belmonte, Jesper Svensson, Kyle Troup, Anthony Simonsen, Osku Palermaa and Shawn Maldonado, who finished seventh in the qualifier.

After Tuesday’s practice session, scheduled for 2-4 p.m. ET, TOC week continues with the King of Bowling Challenge in a ground-breaking live streaming event on Facebook Live featuring reigning title holder 10-time Tour winner Wes Malott taking on challenger four-time PBA Player of the Year Jason Belmonte at 6:30 p.m. The best-of-three-game match will be available by visiting the PBA’s Facebook page.

All preliminary TOC rounds will be streamed live on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame beginning with first round qualifying Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET. For subscription and schedule information click here.

Historic AMF Riviera Lanes to host 53rd PBA Tournament of Champions
PBA Tournament of Champions kicks off 2018 Go Bowling! PBA National Tour
PBA returns to AMF Riviera Lanes for 2018 Tournament of Champions

53rd PBA Tournament of Champions Pre-Tournament Qualifier

Players with position, hometown and 8-game total. Top 27 bowlers advance to the main field to complete the 80 player roster.

1, Chris Via, Springfield, Ohio, 1,809
2, Cristian Azcona, Puerto Rico, 1,753
3, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 1,735
4, Sean Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas, 1,727
5, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo., 1,719
6, Darren Tang, San Francisco, 1,704
7, Shawn Maldonado, Houston, 1,686
8, BJ Moore III, Greensburg, Pa., 1,679
9, Brandon Novak, Chillicothe, Ohio, 1,651
10, Greg Ostrander, Freehold, N.J., 1,643
11, Matthew O’Grady, Rahway, N.J., 1,630
12, Brian Robinson, Morgantown, W.Va., 1,629
13, Kyle Bigelow, Troy, Ohio, 1,617
14, Michael Clark Jr, Cleveland, Ohio, 1,611
15, Joe Bailey, Wooster, Ohio, 1,607
16, Brad Miller, Maryland Heights, Mo., 1,605
17, Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 1,599
18, Kristopher Prather, Plainfield, Ill., 1,597
19, Kyle Mayberry, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, 1,595
20, Anthony Lavery-Spahr, Pasadena, Texas, 1,593
21, Andrew Klingler, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1,562
22, JT Jackson, Sherman Oaks, Calif., 1,537
23, Chris Arcaro, Carolina Beach, N.C., 1,527
24, Tim Foy Jr., Seaford, Del., 1,522
25, Ed Carter, Austintown, Ohio, 1,513
26, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 1,502
27, Aaron Lorincz, Center Line, Mich., 1,491