Mario Quintero Wins First Title at 2024 PBA50 World Championship
Jackson, Michigan – Bowling fans are familiar with the fiery and charismatic personality of PBA Tour player Arturo Quintero, but for the past two weeks, it has been his older brother, Mario, with his quiet personality that has caught the attention of those watching the 2024 PBA50 World Series of Bowling II.
The 10-time member of Team Mexico and men’s all-events gold medalist at the International Bowling Federation 2023 World Senior Championships is now a major champion on the PBA50 Tour.
Quintero was one of just three bowlers to make every cut at the PBA50 Ballard, Monacelli and Petraglia Championships. Over the final two days of round-robin match play at the World Championships, the tall right-hander posted a 11-6-1 record. He averaged 227.28 for 43 games. He earned the No. 1 in the stepladder finals on Monday inside JAX 60 for the chance to face Brad Angelo, who also made every cut.
In the championship match, Quintero elected to have Angelo start. Angelo, who decided to stay way to the right and throw the ball up first arrow, began the match with a strike followed by two single-pin spares. Quintero converted a 10-pin followed by a double, before an errant shot in the fourth frame resulted in the 1-2-4-6-10. He got just the 1-2 for an open frame. Angelo responded with a strike and another single-pin spare.
Quintero shook off the washout as he showed his striking power the other players had been seeing all week long. He threw four strikes in a row.
After Angelo missed the head-pin in the sixth, he picked up the spare and watched a filthy head-pin messenger take out the 9-pin. After leaving a stone-9 in the eighth frame, Angelo heard a child cry out and he joked, “That’s how I feel.” He got the spare followed by another spare in the foundation frame.
Quintero stepped up in the ninth frame needing just a mark over the final two frames for the win and he delivered with a strike. That is when he showed a little emotion as he clenched his fists together. He picked up a spare and struck for 228, while Angelo had 180.
“I am so happy,” Quintero said through an interpreter. “I was so nervous bowling with the best in the world. I focused on my game, didn’t think about the player I was against; just make shots.”
Coming into the PBA50 WSOB II, Quintero cashed in the 2024 Bud Moore Players Championship in 30th place at his first PBA50 tournament. He said he learned so much from that first experience heading into the WSOB. He went on to finish ninth in the Ballard, 13th in the Monacelli and seventh in the Petraglia Championships.
With his $25,000 check at the World Championship, tied for the highest cash prize in PBA50 Tour history, Quintero has earned $29,500 in five events. With the win, he qualifies for the PBA50 Tournament of Champions starting Aug. 12 at the historic AMF Riviera Lanes.
“I think I will go,” he said, smiling.
In the opening match of the World Championship, No. 5 seed Brian Dennis faced defending champion Chris Barnes. Both players eased into the match as Dennis had three spares in his first four shots and Barnes started off with three spares. Barnes put together three straight strikes to take the lead. Dennis doubled in the fifth and sixth and converted splits in the seventh and ninth frames. After a spare, Barnes rolled four straight strikes to take command and win the match 245-206.
Barnes would then face Mika Koivuniemi, who also made all three cuts at the WSOB II and his fifth straight stepladder finals. Barnes started strike, spare, strike to Koivuniemi’s spare, strike, then a 7-10 split for an open followed by a spare. Both responded with doubles. After back-to-back spares for Barnes in the sixth and seventh, Koivuniemi went spare, strike, while Barnes went strike, spare.
In the ninth frame, Koivuniemi struck followed by a strike on his first shot in the 10th. His next ball failed to make the left turn leaving the 4-8, which he picked up for 215.
Barnes struck on his first shot. Needing just nine pins for the win, he left a 9-pin. He picked it up for 217.
In the semifinal match, Barnes took on Angelo. Angelo’s strategy to play the lanes completely different than the other bowlers ultimately earned him a good pay day. After Angelo started the match with a spare, Barnes picked up the 4-9 split. From there, Angelo posted three straight strikes as Barnes rolled four straight to take an 11-pin lead in the fifth frame. After picking up an 8-pin, Angelo took the lead back in the seventh as he put together three strikes to set himself up for the 10th frame.
Barnes, standing to the far left and hooking the lane, watched his look disappear posting five straight spares and a nine-count to end his run with a 223. Angelo doubled in the final frame and hugged Barnes. Angelo, who was making his fifth stepladder finals appearance of the year, finished with 257 to earn the $13,000 prize for second place.
As for the new champion, Quintero looks forward to celebrating his major win with his wife, Mariana, who is home in Mexico City, but that has to wait. He will be competing in the inaugural 2024 PBA/PBA50/PWBA Jonesboro Trios that begins Thursday in Jonesboro, Ark. and the PBA50 South Shore Classic Aug. 6 in Indiana.
When asked about his little brother, Arturo, about who is a better bowler, he was quick to respond.
“My brother is crazy. I think he is better,” Quintero said. “I have to respect Arturo because he is the favorite of my mother, so I have to let him beat me sometimes.”
Arturo was watching and he was so excited for Mario. “We are very proud and very happy,” Arturo said. "This will encourage a lot of people to follow their dreams.”
PBA50 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS:
- Mario Quintero, $25,000
- Brad Angelo, $13,000
- Chris Barnes, $7,000
- Mika Koivuniemi, $6,000
- Brian Dennis, $5,000
MATCH SCORES
Match 1: Barnes def. Dennis 245-206
Match 2: Barnes def. Koivuniemi 217-215
Match 3: Angelo def. Barnes 257-223
Championship match: Quintero def. Angelo 228-180