2015

Ronnie Russell (l.) arguably the hottest player on the PBA Tour, caught fire after an opening 212 game and rolled into the first round lead in the PBA Players Championship Tuesday at AMF Bowlero in Wauwatosa, Wis. Russell, who is trying for his third PBA Tour title, finished the eight-game opening round with games of 268, 289, 259, 234, 247, 238 and 269 for a 2,016 pinfall total, a 252 average, and a 135-pin lead over DJ Archer (r.).

The Professional Bowlers Association will return to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jan. 26-30 for the preliminary rounds of two championship tournaments – the PBA Players Championship and the Mark Roth/Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship – leading into a mega-television weekend in Indianapolis in February as part of the 50th anniversary Barbasol PBA Tournament of Champions. Bowling fans will be able to catch all the action on PBA's online bowling channel Xtra Frame.

Future PBA Hall of Famer Chris Barnes (pictured) of Double Oak, Texas, enjoyed one of the most rewarding days in his career Sunday, winning the DHC PBA Japan Invitational at Tokyo Port Bowl for his 18th career PBA Tour title. Barnes, 44, won the $43,032 (5 million yen) first prize with a 206-196 victory over top qualifier Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, Texas, and also won a $43,032 bonus for rolling a championship round perfect game in eliminating England's Stuart Williams, 300-225, in the semifinal match.

Mike Fagan (pictured) of Fort Worth, Texas, will lead the five-player field into Sunday's stepladder finals of the DHC PBA Japan Invitational at Tokyo Port Bowl, starting at 9:55 p.m. Eastern Time tonight. Other Japan Invitational finalists will include No. 2 qualifier Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas; No. 3 Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y.; No. 4 Stuart Williams of England, and two-hander Shawn Maldonado of Houston, Texas. Xtra Frame's live coverage today will begin at 6:45 p.m. Eastern.

Newly-crowned PBA World Champion Mike Fagan (l.) of Fort Worth, Texas, held the second round lead in the DHC PBA Japan Invitational Friday at Tokyo Port Bowl, posting an 11-5 record for a 16-game match play total of 3,930 pins. First round leader Stuart Williams (r.) of England, who had an 8-0 record for his first-round matches, was second with 3,860 total pins. The final two rounds of match play will determine the stepladder finalists.

Newly-crowned PBA World Champion Mike Fagan of Fort Worth, Texas, and his fellow PBA World Championship finalists have arrived in Tokyo to compete in the new DHC PBA Japan Invitational. The DHC PBA Japan Invitationa will feature an elite field of 16 international players and 16 Japanese players competing for shares of a $215,000 prize fund, which includes a $41,460 first prize, and a PBA Tour title. In addition, all 32 players will participate in special events for an additional $40,000 in prize money.

Sean Rash (pictured) of Montgomery, Ill., was the first of 40 players selected in the 2015 PBA League Draft, held Friday at South Point Bowling Plaza. Eight PBA League teams will compete for the Elias Cup in two days of competition at Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine, March 28-29. Draft order was determined by a random drawing. The BROOKLYN STyLES are managed by PBA Hall of Famer Johnny Petraglia.

An all-star list of bowling stars has set confirmed for Friday's 2015 PBA League Draft, which will be conducted Friday at 3 p.m. ET from the new South Point Bowling Plaza. A live international audience will be able to watch the third annual PBA League draft on PBA's online bowling channel, Xtra Frame. The eight-team PBA League will compete for the Elias Cup March 28-30 at Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine. The Elias Cup will be decided by points earned in singles, doubles, trio and Baker team matches.

Who will be the first player selected when the Professional Bowlers Association conducts its 2015 PBA League Draft on Friday, Oct. 31, during the PBA World Series of Bowling VI? Reigning Player of the Year Jason Belmonte? Hall of Famer Pete Weber? A left-hander, right-hander, budding future star? A live international audience watching the draft on PBA's Xtra Frame will be the first to know as eight team managers select all-new team rosters in preparation for the PBA Tour's first-ever visit to the state of Maine.