Bowling Bytes--6/1/10

~ Long journey ends with success at USBC Open Championships -- "Not even an erupting volcano could keep the United Kingdom's Ken Iredale from the 2010 USBC Open Championships. Although his trip to the National Bowling Stadium was delayed by a month, he wasted no time finding his way to the top of the Classified All-Events standings with a 1,810 total Wednesday. Harry Arnold of Falls City, Neb., previously held the lead with 1,796..."

~ USBC Hall of Fame adds new category -- "To recognize top performers in United States Bowling Congress competitions, USBC will have a new Hall of Fame category starting in 2011. The Outstanding USBC Performance category will recognize efforts by bowlers in USBC national events. This will cover performances of bowlers in tournaments such as the Open Championships, Women's Championships, Queens and Senior Queens, and Masters and Senior Masters..."

~ Junior team USA members impressed with the ITRC -- "Members of 2010 Junior Team USA had the chance to train at the International Training and Research Center during a camp held this week at the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas. The training camp for the 20-member Junior Team USA started May 23 and team members were impressed with the new facilities..."

~ Mohr Takes PBA Senior Northern California Classic First Round Lead -- "Reigning PBA Senior Tour Player of the Year Ron Mohr of Eagle River, Alaska, averaged 234 to take the first round lead in the PBA Senior Northern California Classic at Harvest Park Bowl Monday. Mohr, who is trying for his fourth career title and first of 2010, rolled games of 215, 274, 233, 241, 249, 257, 216 and 190 for an eight-game total of 1,875 pins and a nine-pin lead over Harry Sullins of Chesterfield Township, Mich. Darryl Traber of Waterford, Wis., was third with 1,864 pins followed by Ken Croucher of Grants Pass, Ore., at 1,832; Ted Staikoff of Black Hawk, S.D., at 1,801, and Senior Tour rookie Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., at 1,776..."

~ Kalfas Revives Game in Time to Win PBA Regional Players Championship -- "Riga Kalfas of Florence, Ky., revived his game just in time to win the Professional Bowlers Association Regional Players Championship at Thunderbowl Lanes Monday. Kalfas, a 42-year-old truck driver by day and bowling pro shop operator by night, defeated Chris Collins of Savannah, Ga., 236-216, to complete a near-perfect day and claim the $7,500 first prize along with a guaranteed berth in the 2011 PBA Tournament of Champions, a record $1 million event with a $250,000 first prize..."

~ 2010 PBA Regional Players Championship--Match Play Rounds

~ PBA West Region Senior Leaders Through June 1, 2010

~ Mai Genge Jensen, Robert Andersson Lead top 8 into Round Robin Match Play finals -- "Day one leader Mai Ginge Jensen (pictured left), Denmark, and Swede Robert Andersson (right) finished the 18-game preliminaries in the 3rd European Bowling Tour Masters 2010 Tuesday morning at Lovvang Bowling Center in Aalborg, Denmark, atop the women's and men's leaderboard and lead the top 8 players into the Round Robin Match Play finals. Jensen won her second 400 Euro bonus on the combined oil pattern averaging 219.33 for the block and finished with 3906 pinfall total or an average of 217.00 for 18 games. Her compatriot, two-time defending EBT Masters champion, Kamilla Kjeldsen, was 58 pins behind in second place with 3848..."

~ Justin Lim, Cherie Tan set the early pace in 43rd Singapore International Open -- "The 43rd Singapore International Open Tenpin Bowling Championships is underway at Orchid Bowl at Orchid Country Club in Singapore. The tournament, which will be held from May 25 through June 5, 2010, offers 25,000 Singapore Dollars to the men's winner of the men's Open Masters Division and 5,000 for the women's champion. Local bowlers Justin Lim (pictured left) and Cherie Tan (right) set the pace in the qualifying as of Sunday, May 30, with 950 and 937 4-game total, respectively...PBA pro Tim Mack and his mother Joan Mack, United States (pictured left), tested the lanes at Orchid Bowl on Sunday. The former world champion and international standout posted (226,00 ave.) to move into second place in the Overseas Pool. Mack is currently sandwiched between Dilbir Singh (930) and Dhruv Sarad (868), both India..."

~ Missouri bowler joins 50-Year Club at USBC Open Championships -- "John Wonders Sr. of Florissant, Mo., added his name to the record books at the USBC Open Championships when he became the 129th bowler in history to compete in 50 tournaments. The 75-year-old right-hander has competed in 33 cities in 20 states and made his ceremonial march down Center Aisle surrounded by family and friends at the National Bowling Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Overall, his five decades on the championship lanes have been memorable...Wonders has been a major player in the bowling industry for much of his life, and he was a co-founder of the Hammer bowling ball brand, which still is a recognizable name on the lanes..."