Jason Belmonte Leads Opening Round of PBA Scorpion Championship
The winningest player in PBA World Series of Bowling history is off to yet another strong start in the PBA Scorpion Championship, the first title event of the PBA World Series of Bowling XVI.
Jason Belmonte led the 201-player field with a 1,511 (+311) total pinfall for his six games on the 44-foot Scorpion oil pattern.
Tim Foy Jr., two-time defending PBA World Championship winner EJ Tackett, BJ Moore and Chris Via round out the top five at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev.
Belmonte averaged more than 251 to pace the WSOB field, which includes players from 19 countries.
The Australian star first blossomed on the PBA stage in the WSOB III, winning three titles during the event. Belmonte said he loves to see the incredible talent from across the globe come together in the WSOB.
“Being able to see those bowlers from Asia and Europe take the step and come here, that's the part that's cool,” Belmonte said. “They started there, and now they're making their way here (to the PBA). That's what I did. We aren't asking them to come over for one event or one PTQ. This tournament really does give bowlers an opportunity to get a crack at four tournaments and the World Championship.”
The PBA World Championship includes qualifying games from the PBA Scorpion Championship and upcoming PBA Viper, Chameleon and Shark Championships.
The top 50 players after those 48 combined games will move on to 16 games of advancer rounds. Then the top 16 players will bowl an additional 16 games of round-robin match play.
“I almost have tunnel vision,” Tim Foy Jr., who celebrated his 38th birthday on the opening day of qualifying, said. “If you bowl well for the big number, those sprints are going to take care of themselves. I felt confident on all four patterns. I’ve been bowling well all year, so my confidence is already high.”
Add it all up: 80 games of excellence are required to make the stepladder finals for the major championship.
“This is when I’m at my best,” Belmonte said. “When I've got (80) games to get there, I'm going to back myself against anyone in history. Since the very first World Series, I've loved the format, I've loved the grind, I've loved the challenge of the multiple patterns."
“The only thing that was going through my head today was ‘you have to make the shot,'" Belmonte continued. "Whether it's a sprint or a long fight, you have to take advantage of those moments when the pairs are nice for you. When you’re feeling good and the ball is doing the right thing, you cannot give away those shots. Doing that today, making really great shots for the whole day, that’s what I expect out of myself.”
After the second round of qualifying on Wednesday, the top 24 players in the PBA Scorpion Championship will advance to elimination match play. The Round of 24 will begin at 7 p.m. Pacific/local time (10 p.m. Eastern) Wednesday.
Ethan Fiore (+137) ranks 24th after six games.
The Rounds of 16 and 8 will take place on Sunday, March 16, leading to the championship round that day at 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET) on FS1.
All rounds of PBA WSOB XVI qualifying and match play will be livestreamed on BowlTV.
Round 1 Leaders | PBA Scorpion Championship
- Jason Belmonte, 1,511 (+311)
- Tim Foy Jr., 1,474 (+274)
- EJ Tackett, 1,436 (+236)
- BJ Moore, 1,407 (+207)
- Chris Via, 1,388 (+188)
- Kyle Troup, 1,385 (+185)
- Teodor Samuelsson, 1,382 (+182)
- Jordan Jung, 1,377 (+177)
- Michael Loera, 1,371 (+171)
- Trevor Roberts, 1,368 (+168)
Full standings are available here.
Tournament Schedule
National Bowling Stadium | Reno, NV
All times Pacific/local
Wednesday, March 5
9 a.m. — PBA Scorpion Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
2:30 p.m. — PBA Scorpion Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
Top 24 players advance to elimination match play
7 p.m. — PBA Scorpion Championship - Match Play Round of 24 (best-of-five games)
Thursday, March 6
9 a.m. — PBA Viper Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
2:30 p.m. — PBA Viper Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
Friday, March 7
9 a.m. — PBA Viper Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
2:30 p.m. — PBA Viper Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
Top 24 players advance to elimination match play
7 p.m. — PBA Viper Championship - Match Play Round of 24 (best-of-five games)
Saturday, March 8
9 a.m. — PBA Chameleon Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
2:30 p.m. — PBA Chameleon Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
Sunday, March 9
9 a.m. — PBA Chameleon Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
2:30 p.m. — PBA Chameleon Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
Top 24 players advance to elimination match play
7 p.m. — PBA Chameleon Championship - Match Play Round of 24 (best-of-five games)
Monday, March 10
9 a.m. — PBA Shark Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
2:30 p.m. — PBA Shark Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
Tuesday, March 11
9 a.m. — PBA Shark Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
2:30 p.m. — PBA Shark Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
Top 24 players advance to elimination match play
Top 1:4 of field advance to PBA World Championship advancer rounds
7 p.m. — PBA Shark Championship - Match Play Round of 24 (best-of-five games)
Wednesday, March 12
12 p.m. — PBA World Championship - Practice
Thursday, March 13
10 a.m. — PBA World Championship - Advancer Round 1 (eight games)
Friday, March 14
10 a.m. — PBA World Championship - Advancer Round 2 (eight games)
Top 16 players advance to PBA World Championship round-robin match play
3 p.m. — PBA Jr. National Championships - Meet and Greet
4 p.m. — PBA Jr. National Championships - Practice
6 p.m. — PBA Jr. National Championships - Match Play
Saturday, March 15
9 a.m. — PBA Jr. National Championships - Match Play
12:30 p.m. — PBA Jr. National Championships - Stepladder Finals (MIXED, U18 Boys and U18 Girls)
3 p.m. on FS1 — PBA Mike Aulby Nevada Classic pres. by Pilgrim’s - Finals
7 p.m. — PBA Jr. National Championship - Finals taping
Free Tickets
Sunday, March 16
9 a.m. — PBA Scorpion Championship - Match Play Round of 16 (best-of-five games)
11:30 a.m. — PBA Scorpion Championship - Match Play Round of 8 (best-of-five games)
Four winners and highest-seeded loser in Round of 8 advance to PBA Scorpion Championship Finals
5 p.m. on FS1 — PBA Scorpion Championship - Finals
Free Tickets
Monday, March 17
9 a.m. — PBA Viper Championship - Match Play Round of 16 (best-of-five games)
11:30 a.m. — PBA Viper Championship - Match Play Round of 8 (best-of-five games)
Four winners and highest-seeded loser in Round of 8 advance to PBA Viper Championship Finals
4 p.m. on FS1 — PBA Viper Championship - Finals
Free Tickets
Tuesday, March 18
9 a.m. — PBA Chameleon Championship - Match Play Round of 16 (best-of-five games)
11:30 a.m. — PBA Chameleon Championship - Match Play Round of 8 (best-of-five games)
Four winners and highest-seeded loser in Round of 8 advance to PBA Chameleon Championship stepladder finals
4 p.m. on FS1 — PBA Chameleon Championship - Finals
Free Tickets
Wednesday, March 19
9 a.m. — PBA Shark Championship - Match Play Round of 16 (best-of-five games)
11:30 a.m. — PBA Shark Championship - Match Play Round of 8 (best-of-five games)
Four winners and highest-seeded loser in Round of 8 advance to PBA Shark Championship stepladder finals
4 p.m. on FS1 — PBA Shark Championship - Finals
Free Tickets
Thursday, March 20
10 a.m. — PBA World Championship - Round-Robin Match Play Round 1 (eight games)
5 p.m. — PBA World Championship - Round-Robin Match Play Round 2 (eight games)
Top five players advance to PBA World Championship stepladder finals
Saturday, March 22
12 p.m. on FOX — PBA World Championship Finals
Free Tickets
More information on the PBA World Series of Bowling XVI is available here.