THE STORM CUP: PBA Lubbock Sports Open Begins Tomorrow
The PBA Tour returns to South Plains Lanes in Lubbock, Texas with THE STORM CUP: PBA Lubbock Sports Open. The third of four THE STORM CUP events begins with full-field qualifying tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET and a champion will be decided in the stepladder finals beginning Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Belmonte Leads THE STORM CUP Points Race
Jason Belmonte’s victory in THE STORM CUP: David Small’s Kokomo Championship put him into the lead as players chase THE STORM CUP and the $10,000 bonus for the player with the most competition points earned in all four events. The top five players after all four events will receive a bonus check. Second place gets $5,000, third place $4,000 and fourth and fifth place $3,000 each.
Each THE STORM CUP event begins with 12 games of full-field qualifying, after which the top 24 players bowl four more games to determine the top 16, who bowl two more games to cut to eight. After two more games, the top four players advance to the stepladder finals.
Major Champions Having Success
While THE STORM CUP has led to multiple first-time PBA Tour champions in the past, only major champions have come away with trophies in two events thus far in 2022. Jesper Svensson won in Jackson, Michigan, then Belmonte triumphed in Kokomo, Indiana.
Nick Pate, who is attempting to win his first PBA Tour title, is the only player to qualify for both THE STORM CUP stepladders so far, finishing third in Jackson and second in Kokomo. Pate currently sits second on THE STORM CUP points list.
THE STORM CUP Points Leaders Through Two Events
- Jason Belmonte, 5,410
- Nick Pate, 5,300
- Jesper Svensson, 5,240
- EJ Tackett, 3,610
- Dom Barrett, 3,330
- Packy Hanrahan, 3,260
- Bill O’Neill, 2,560
- Chris Via, 2,440
- Anthony Simonsen, 2,390
- Tom Smallwood, 2,140
THE STORM CUP: PBA Lubbock Sports Open Schedule
South Plains Lanes – Lubbock, Texas
All rounds streamed live on FloBowling
Saturday, March 19
10 a.m. ET – Qualifying Round 1 (6 games)
4 p.m. ET – Qualifying Round 2 (6 games)
Sunday, March 20
10 a.m. ET – Round of 24 (4 games)
12:30 p.m. ET – Round of 16 (2 games)
2:15 p.m. ET – Round of 8 (2 games)
4:30 p.m. ET – Stepladder Finals
About the PBA
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is the world’s preeminent organization dedicated to the sport of bowling and its professional competition, with thousands of members and millions of fans throughout the world. The PBA plays host to bowling’s biggest tournaments from the PBA Tour, PBA Regional Tour, and PBA50 Tour. In 2020, the PBA launched PBA Jr., a club for elite youth bowlers under the age of 17 and the PBA Pinsiders, a membership for fans of the sport. For more information, please visit PBA.com.