In his fourth season competing on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, Ryan Ciminelli (l.) of Cheektowaga, N.Y., broke through to win his first title Sunday in the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl. In a battle of lefthanders in the championship match, the 24-year-old Ciminelli defeated Tour veteran and 13-time Tour titlist Patrick Allen (r.) of Wesley Chapel, Fla., 237-215, to win the $20,000 first prize.
Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl in Dublin, Calif. (Jan. 26-30, 2011)
As the No. 2 seed for Sunday's stepladder finals in the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl, Hall of Famer Pete Weber (pictured) of St. Ann, Mo., likes his chances of winning his 36th career Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title. With 35 titles, the 48-year-old Weber who is the son of another bowling legend, the late Dick Weber, currently ranks third on the all-time win list. The stepladder final will be televised Sunday on ESPN2 at 2 p.m. Eastern (11 a.m. Pacific).
Hopes for first PBA Tour title in Sunday’s ESPN2-televised stepladder finals
Looking for his first Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title, Ryan Ciminelli (pictured) of Cheektowaga, N.Y., earned the top seed for Sunday’s stepladder finals of the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl. The 24-year-old Ciminelli earned the top seed with an 11-6-1 overall match play record and 32-game 7,688 overall pinfall total Friday. Joining Ciminelli in the finals are Pete Weber of St. Ann, Mo., Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, Fla. and Tommy Jones of Greenville, S.C.
T of C winner Koivuniemi moves from 31st to third as the field is cut to top 16
Tommy Jones of Greenville, S.C., posted a 6-3 match play record and averaged 224.6 to retain his lead after Friday's first match play round in the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl. In second was Ronnie Russell of Marion, Ind., and coming all the way from 31st was last week's PBA Tournament of Champions winner Mika Koivuniemi of Finland in third. The field has been cut to 16 for another nine-game match play round . The stepladder finals will air live on ESPN2 Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern.
Defending champion Anthony LaCaze fails to advance
Tommy Jones (l.) of Greenville, S.C., averaged 235 to take the lead after two rounds in the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial Thursday at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl. Jones had a 3,290 14-game pinfall to hold a 49-pin lead over PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber (r.) in second with 3,241. The field has been cut to 32 players for match play on Friday. The
stepladder finals which will air live on ESPN2 Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific.
Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl in Dublin, Calif., Jan. 26-30, 2011
Eight-time Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour titlist Mike Scroggins (l.) of Amarillo, Texas, led the 64-player field in the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl after the first Round of 64 block Thursday with a 1,677 seven-game pinfall (239.57 average). He had games of 290, 259, 200, 213, 209, 269 and 237. The entire field will bowl another seven-game round after which the field will be cut to the top 32 players.
Former PBA Tour player repeats as top qualifier for second consecutive year
Dave Wodka (pictured) of Chatsworth, Calif., repeated as top qualifier in the Tour Qualifying Round of the One A Day PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Wednesday at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl, averaging 225.14 for seven games to pace the 13 players who will advance to the tournament's Round of 64 on Thursday. Wodka, a former Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exempt player who won his only PBA Tour title in the 1999 Greater Detroit Open, finished the seven-game TQR with a 1,576 total, 41 pins ahead of Jon Brandon of Santa Clarita, Calif.
Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl in Dublin, Calif., Jan. 26-30, 2011
The Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour moves to ESPN2 Sunday for the finals of the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at 2 p.m. Eastern from Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl in Dublin, Calif. Heading the list of the world's greatest bowlers competing in the Earl Anthony Memorial are 2011 PBA Tournament of Champions winner Mika Koivuniemi and runnerup Tom Smallwood. Koivuniemi defeated top qualifier Smallwood, 269-207, last Saturday to win the record $250,000 first prize in the $1 million Tournament of Champions.
"Major Mika" nearly perfect in becoming first international Tournament of Champions winner
Finnish native Mika Koivuniemi (l.) of Hartland, Mich., defeated top qualifier Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, Mich., 269-207, to win the $250,000 first prize in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes. After defeating Colombia's Andres Gomez in the opening match and rolling a 299 game against Tom Daugherty of Wesley Chapel, Fla., in the semifinal match, Koivuniemi threw another 10 strikes against Smallwood to become the first international player ever to win the PBA's signature tournament.
Finland's two-handed star, Osku Palermaa, 27, won the Shark tournament, the last stop of the PBA World Series to qualify for this year's 1 million PBA Tournament of Champions. He also found out that morning that he is going to be a father, so the victory was twice as sweet. For this week's Tournament of Champions, he was taking it day by day. He
led the first three days but slipped out of the top 4 in the second block
of match play and finished the richest tournament in the history of the PBA in
seventh place, worth $26,000.
Eight players in striking distance of the top four spots for Saturday's ABC stepladder finals
Former collegiate bowling star Dan MacLelland (pictured), a Canadian native who lives in Saginaw, Mich., finished Friday night's match play round at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas with an 8-8 match play record and a 50-pin total of 11,620 pins to hold on to the lead in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions. Tom Daugherty of Wesley Chapel, Fla., was in second place with 11,526 pins followed by Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland, Mich., at 11,511 and Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, at 11,499.
24 head-to-head matches to determine top four for Saturday's ABC stepladder finals
Canada's Dan MacLelland (l.), of Saginaw, Mich., averaged 253.2 for his final seven qualifying games Thursday afternoon to lead the top 24 qualifiers into the match play finals of the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions. The leaders after 34 qualifying games will bowl 24 additional head-to-head matches in three eight-game rounds Thursday night and Friday to determine the four players who will compete for the PBA-record $250,000 first prize in Saturday's live stepladder finals on ABC at 2:30 p.m. EST.
International players Palermaa, MacLelland, Gomez, Belmonte among the top 10
Tom Daugherty (l.) of Wesley Chapel, Fla., charged into a 21-pin lead over Finland's Osku Palermaa (r.) after five rounds of the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas, Nev., Wednesday. The field of 53 survivors is closing in on four berths in the Saturday's stepladder finals which will air live on ABC at 2:30 p.m. Eastern (11:30 a.m. Pacific). First prize is a PBA-record $250,000.
Doug Kent hits the cutoff number for 53rd place with 4,260
Tom Daugherty (l.) of Tampa, Fla., rolled a 269 final game Wednesday afternoon to take a one-pin lead over Finland's Osku Palermaa (r.) as the field in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions was trimmed to 53 survivors at Red Rock Lanes. The field of 53 will now pursue four spots in the live stepladder finals
Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern (11:30 a.m. Pacific) on ABC. First prize
is a PBA-record $250,000.
European star averages 234.6 to lead Duke by 65 pins after Round Three Qualifying
Finland's Osku Palermaa (l.) maintained a 234.6 average and expanded his lead after the third of four qualifying rounds in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Tuesday. Palermaa, Europe's premier two-handed bowler, led PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke (r.) of Clermont, Fla., by 65 pins after 15 games with a total of 3,519 pins. Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, was the player on the cut line in 53rd place with 3,200.
Finland's two-handed star averages 235.5 to lead Hong Kong resident Robert Smith
Finland's Osku Palermaa (l.) maintained a 235.5 average and retained the lead after the second qualifying round in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Tuesday. Palermaa, Europe's premier two-handed bowler, expanded his lead to 18 pins over California native Robert Smith (r.), who now lives in Hong Kong. Palermaa finished the second round with a 10-game total of 2,355 pins while Smith had a 2,337 total.
European two-handed star averages 235.8 to lead Norm Duke by one pin
Finland's Osku Palermaa (l.) averaged 235.8 to take the first round lead in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Monday by one pin over 33-time PBA Tour titlist Norm Duke (r.) of Clermont, Fla. Palermaa is one of three international bowlers in the top 10 after the first qualifying round. The 53-player cashers' round will be determined after 15 additional qualifying games Tuesday and Wednesday.
After the completion of the Champions Field elimination round Monday afternoon, 50 players advanced to the start of Elite Field qualifying in the 46th PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes. Former Touring player Tim Mack (pictured), of Indianapolis, topped the 100-player Champions Field with a 3,178 pinfall total, a 227 average. Among the notable players advancing was two-hander Osku Palermaa of Finland, who finished the round tied for 12th with a 3,016.
Three women, amateur titlist among Champions Round contenders
The 46th PBA Tournament of Champions got underway Sunday afternoon at Red Rock Lanes with the first round of Champions Field qualifying. The Champions Field will bowl a second seven-game round Monday morning to determine the 50 players who will join the tournament’s Elite Field for the duration of the $1 million event. Tom Daugherty of Wesley Chapel, Fla., led the field of 100 players with 1,658 total and an average of 236.86.
No. 4 qualifier upsets Bill O’Neill for 13th career title and $50,000 first prize
Chris Barnes (l.) exorcised his television demons Sunday, upsetting top qualifier Bill O’Neill (r.), 267-237, to win the PBA World Championship at South Point Bowling Center and become the sixth player in PBA history to complete the sport’s Triple Crown. Along with his 13th career title, the 40-year-old Barnes won a $50,000 first prize. Barnes eliminated Finland’s Osku Palermaa and Sean Rash for the chance to meet O’Neill for the title.
In his fourth season competing on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour, Ryan Ciminelli (l.) of Cheektowaga, N.Y., broke through to win his first title Sunday in the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl. In a battle of lefthanders in the championship match, the 24-year-old Ciminelli defeated Tour veteran and 13-time Tour titlist Patrick Allen (r.) of Wesley Chapel, Fla., 237-215, to win the $20,000 first prize.
As the No. 2 seed for Sunday's stepladder finals in the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl, Hall of Famer Pete Weber (pictured) of St. Ann, Mo., likes his chances of winning his 36th career Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title. With 35 titles, the 48-year-old Weber who is the son of another bowling legend, the late Dick Weber, currently ranks third on the all-time win list. The stepladder final will be televised Sunday on ESPN2 at 2 p.m. Eastern (11 a.m. Pacific).
Looking for his first Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour title, Ryan Ciminelli (pictured) of Cheektowaga, N.Y., earned the top seed for Sunday’s stepladder finals of the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl. The 24-year-old Ciminelli earned the top seed with an 11-6-1 overall match play record and 32-game 7,688 overall pinfall total Friday. Joining Ciminelli in the finals are Pete Weber of St. Ann, Mo., Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, Fla. and Tommy Jones of Greenville, S.C.
Tommy Jones of Greenville, S.C., posted a 6-3 match play record and averaged 224.6 to retain his lead after Friday's first match play round in the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl. In second was Ronnie Russell of Marion, Ind., and coming all the way from 31st was last week's PBA Tournament of Champions winner Mika Koivuniemi of Finland in third. The field has been cut to 16 for another nine-game match play round . The stepladder finals will air live on ESPN2 Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern.
Eight-time Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour titlist Mike Scroggins (l.) of Amarillo, Texas, led the 64-player field in the PBA One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl after the first Round of 64 block Thursday with a 1,677 seven-game pinfall (239.57 average). He had games of 290, 259, 200, 213, 209, 269 and 237. The entire field will bowl another seven-game round after which the field will be cut to the top 32 players. 
Dave Wodka (pictured) of Chatsworth, Calif., repeated as top qualifier in the Tour Qualifying Round of the One A Day PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Wednesday at Earl Anthony's Dublin Bowl, averaging 225.14 for seven games to pace the 13 players who will advance to the tournament's Round of 64 on Thursday. Wodka, a former Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exempt player who won his only PBA Tour title in the 1999 Greater Detroit Open, finished the seven-game TQR with a 1,576 total, 41 pins ahead of Jon Brandon of Santa Clarita, Calif.
Finnish native Mika Koivuniemi (l.) of Hartland, Mich., defeated top qualifier Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, Mich., 269-207, to win the $250,000 first prize in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes. After defeating Colombia's Andres Gomez in the opening match and rolling a 299 game against Tom Daugherty of Wesley Chapel, Fla., in the semifinal match, Koivuniemi threw another 10 strikes against Smallwood to become the first international player ever to win the PBA's signature tournament.
Finland's two-handed star, Osku Palermaa, 27, won the Shark tournament, the last stop of the PBA World Series to qualify for this year's 1 million PBA Tournament of Champions. He also found out that morning that he is going to be a father, so the victory was twice as sweet. For this week's Tournament of Champions, he was taking it day by day. He
led the first three days but slipped out of the top 4 in the second block
of match play and finished the richest tournament in the history of the PBA in
seventh place, worth $26,000. 
Former collegiate bowling star Dan MacLelland (pictured), a Canadian native who lives in Saginaw, Mich., finished Friday night's match play round at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas with an 8-8 match play record and a 50-pin total of 11,620 pins to hold on to the lead in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions. Tom Daugherty of Wesley Chapel, Fla., was in second place with 11,526 pins followed by Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland, Mich., at 11,511 and Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, at 11,499.
Canada's Dan MacLelland (l.), of Saginaw, Mich., averaged 253.2 for his final seven qualifying games Thursday afternoon to lead the top 24 qualifiers into the match play finals of the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions. The leaders after 34 qualifying games will bowl 24 additional head-to-head matches in three eight-game rounds Thursday night and Friday to determine the four players who will compete for the PBA-record $250,000 first prize in Saturday's live stepladder finals on ABC at 2:30 p.m. EST.
Tom Daugherty (l.) of Wesley Chapel, Fla., charged into a 21-pin lead over Finland's Osku Palermaa (r.) after five rounds of the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas, Nev., Wednesday. The field of 53 survivors is closing in on four berths in the Saturday's stepladder finals which will air live on ABC at 2:30 p.m. Eastern (11:30 a.m. Pacific). First prize is a PBA-record $250,000.
Tom Daugherty (l.) of Tampa, Fla., rolled a 269 final game Wednesday afternoon to take a one-pin lead over Finland's Osku Palermaa (r.) as the field in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions was trimmed to 53 survivors at Red Rock Lanes. The field of 53 will now pursue four spots in the live stepladder finals
Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Eastern (11:30 a.m. Pacific) on ABC. First prize
is a PBA-record $250,000.
Finland's Osku Palermaa (l.) maintained a 234.6 average and expanded his lead after the third of four qualifying rounds in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Tuesday. Palermaa, Europe's premier two-handed bowler, led PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke (r.) of Clermont, Fla., by 65 pins after 15 games with a total of 3,519 pins. Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, was the player on the cut line in 53rd place with 3,200.
Finland's Osku Palermaa (l.) maintained a 235.5 average and retained the lead after the second qualifying round in the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Tuesday. Palermaa, Europe's premier two-handed bowler, expanded his lead to 18 pins over California native Robert Smith (r.), who now lives in Hong Kong. Palermaa finished the second round with a 10-game total of 2,355 pins while Smith had a 2,337 total.
After the completion of the Champions Field elimination round Monday afternoon, 50 players advanced to the start of Elite Field qualifying in the 46th PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes. Former Touring player Tim Mack (pictured), of Indianapolis, topped the 100-player Champions Field with a 3,178 pinfall total, a 227 average. Among the notable players advancing was two-hander Osku Palermaa of Finland, who finished the round tied for 12th with a 3,016.
The 46th PBA Tournament of Champions got underway Sunday afternoon at Red Rock Lanes with the first round of Champions Field qualifying. The Champions Field will bowl a second seven-game round Monday morning to determine the 50 players who will join the tournament’s Elite Field for the duration of the $1 million event. Tom Daugherty of Wesley Chapel, Fla., led the field of 100 players with 1,658 total and an average of 236.86.
Chris Barnes (l.) exorcised his television demons Sunday, upsetting top qualifier Bill O’Neill (r.), 267-237, to win the PBA World Championship at South Point Bowling Center and become the sixth player in PBA history to complete the sport’s Triple Crown. Along with his 13th career title, the 40-year-old Barnes won a $50,000 first prize. Barnes eliminated Finland’s Osku Palermaa and Sean Rash for the chance to meet O’Neill for the title. 