The World Tenpin Bowling Association has announced that two additional events have been added to the World Bowling Tour schedule for 2011. The U.S. Open, a major on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour, and the AMF Australian Masters bring the total of events on the World Bowling Tour to seven.

"We are very pleased to welcome these prestigious events to the World Bowling Tour schedule," WTBA President Kevin Dornberger (pictured right) said. "Having seven events on board for the inaugural year of the tour is very encouraging, and it is my hope that we will add more events before the year is over."

The U.S. Open will take place Feb. 21-27 at Brunswick Zone Carolier in North Brunswick, N.J. The event will feature an estimated prize fund of $400,000 with a first-place prize of $80,000.

"The U.S. Open is the most prestigious open field bowling event in the world, and we are happy to see it as part of the new World Bowling Tour," said Tom Clark (pictured left), PBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer.

"We support the efforts of the WTBA in creating this new world ranking system and welcome the international bowling community to compete in New Jersey, close to New York City, to test their skill with the best players from the PBA."

The AMF Australian Masters will be contested in Sydney, Australia, from Oct. 10-22 at AMF Rooty Hill RSL. The event is part of the Tenpin Bowling Australia Adult National Championships.

"It has been many years since Australia hosted a significant international tournament to attract the sports finest athletes from around the world," Tenpin Bowling Australia CEO Cara Honeychurch (pictured right) said.

"The foundations were laid with the 2010 AMF Australian Masters, and now, with its inclusion into the 2011 World Bowling Tour, we look forward to taking the tournament to the next level."

The special, made-for-television World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA will wrap up the Tour's first year. The top three men and top three women in the season-ending points list will be invited to the event to compete for a total prize fund of $40,000.

The World Bowling Tour is made up of various events around the world throughout the course of 2011. Players earn points based on how they finish in the event and those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the players eligible for the World Bowling Tour Finals.

The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of more than 100 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world.

 

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2011 WTBA World Bowling Tour Schedule of Events

2011 World Bowling Tour #1
2011 Brunswick Ballmaster Open
Tali Bowling in Helsinki, Finland (Jan. 1-9, 2011)

2011 World Bowling Tour #2
2011 USBC Masters
National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada, USA (Feb. 7-13, 2011)

2011 World Bowling Tour #3
68th Lumber Liquidator's U. S. Open
Brunswick Zone Carolier in North Brunswick, NJ, USA (Feb. 21-27, 2011)

2011 World Bowling Tour #4
Brunswick Euro Challenge
Plaza Saint Maximin in Saint Maximin, France (March 4-13, 2011

2011 World Bowling Tour #5
Kuwait Open
Cozmo Bowling Center in Kuwait City, Kuwait (March 18-22, 2011)

2011 World Bowling Tour #6
World Bowling Tour Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand (Sept. 24-30, 2011

2011 World Bowling Tour #7
2011 Australian Masters
AMF Bowling Rooty Hill RSL in Sydney, Australia (Oct. 10-22, 2011)