Singapore’s Darren Ong Shoots Two 300 Games to Lead PBA Viper Championship
In the first PBA Viper Championship in a decade, Singapore’s Darren Ong tallied a pair of 300 games to celebrate the occasion.
Ong leads the PBA Viper Championship, the second title event of the PBA World Series of Bowling (WSOB) XVI, through the first six-game qualifying round. He averaged more than 248 to tally a total pinfall of 1,489 (+289) on the 38-foot Viper oil pattern.
The 29-year-old said this year is his second WSOB and he wants to enjoy the experience more this year.
“I'm soaking (the experience) in and learning each day,” Ong said. “It's a privilege and honor to bowl against the best bowlers in the world, right? For us to come all the way across the world, to come and bowl here I'm just enjoying the experience and making the most of every opportunity I have. I know that it's not an opportunity that everyone gets, so I'm going to cherish it and make the most out of it.”
Boog Krol, EJ Tackett, Tom Daugherty and Alec Keplinger round out the top five.
Krol won his first two career titles last season. He has not replicated that success yet this season, but said he is finding ways to enjoy himself more.
“Last year I didn't really enjoy the moment, and I kind of regret that,” Krol said. “I was living too much in the past, thinking I only won in Delaware because I went Brooklyn seven times. I doubted myself a lot. This year, I’m going to enjoy everything and do whatever I can to really make it worthwhile. This is my job now, so time to enjoy it.”
PWBA Tour star Verity Crawley (+182) ranks 12th after the first round, while Nick Borgaro (+163) occupies 24th place.
After the second round of qualifying on Friday, the top 24 players in the PBA Viper Championship will advance to elimination match play.
A-squad begins the day at 9 a.m. Pacific/local time, followed by B-squad at 2:30 p.m. PT (5:30 p.m. ET). The Round of 24 will begin at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET) Friday.
The Rounds of 16 and 8 will take place on Monday, March 17, 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.
Tim Foy Jr., who led PBA Scorpion Championship qualifying, leads PBA World Championship through 18 games. Jason Belmonte, BJ Moore, Tackett and Krol round out the top five of the major 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 advance for 16 games of advancer rounds. Then the top 16 players will bowl an additional 16 games of round-robin match play.
Round 1 Leaders | PBA Viper Championship
- Darren Ong, 1,489 (+289)
- Boog Krol, 1,484 (+284)
- EJ Tackett, 1,436 (+236)
- Tom Daugherty, 1,435 (+236)
- Alec Keplinger, 1,427 (+227)
- Chris Barnes, 1,418 (+218)
- Frank Snodgrass, 1,410 (+210)
- William Berggren, 1,400 (+200)
- Andrew Anderson, 1,399 (+199)
- Kevin McCune, 1,391 (+191)
Full standings are available here.
Round 3 Leaders | PBA World Championship
- Tim Foy Jr., 4,221 (+621)
- Jason Belmonte, 4,206 (+606)
- BJ Moore, 4,190 (+590)
- EJ Tackett, 4,156 (+556)
- Boog Krol, 4,156 (+556)
- Rafiq Ismail, 4,141 (+541)
- Darren Ong, 4,087 (+487)
- Kyle Troup, 4,069 (+469)
- Shawn Maldonado, 4,064 (+464)
- DJ Archer, 4,056 (+456)
Full standings are available here.
Tournament Schedule
National Bowling Stadium | Reno, NV
All times Pacific/local
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.