Naperville bowler in third at U.S. Open qualifier

NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. - Brad Angelo has quietly been one of the most consistent bowlers on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association Tour this season, but he hasn't had enough breaks go his way to get him over the hump.

He's hoping they all fall into place this week in the most prestigious tournament of the season.

Angelo averaged 231.67 Wednesday to take the overall lead after two days with a 2,663 12-game pinfall in the 65th Denny's U.S. Open at Brunswick Zone Carolier, the fourth Major and final event of the 2007-08 season.

Sitting in second behind Angelo was Australian sensation Jason Belmonte, a two-hander widely recognized as one of the top bowlers in the world. Belmonte averaged 217.50 on Tuesday after a 222.50 average Wednesday and will look to become the second Aussie this season to make a PBA championship round. Fellow Australian National Team member Andrew Frawley finished fourth in the Denny's World Championship.

Mark Clark of Naperville, Ill., finished third with 2,639 while Eugene McCune (Munster, Ind.) and Shannon Buchan (Waterloo, Iowa) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, rounding out the top five.

The 38-year-old Angelo, who is still looking for his first title, has made match play in 14 of the 16 events he's bowled this season, only missing in last week's GEICO Classic and the season-opening United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Masters. In between, he's posted one runner-up finish and suffered many tough breaks.

"It has been a solid season," Angelo (Lockport, N.Y.) said. "I think the last four or five single elimination match play events, whoever I lost to ended up making the show so it's been that type of season. It has been disappointing to make that many match plays and not be able to break through and make a couple more shows. On the other hand, I'm doing the right things to get in that position."

After averaging 212.17 on the fresh oil on Tuesday night, Angelo came out on the burned up oil on the second squad Wednesday, shooting 230 or better in five of his six games including a 265 in game two.

Angelo is no stranger to success in the U.S. Open, although he had more success when the event was held on the West Coast. In his two appearances in U.S. Open's held in Southern California, Angelo finished ninth in 2003 and sixth in 2004. He's bowled well in the three previous U.S. Open's held at Brunswick Zone Carolier, but has yet to make match play, finishing 36th in 2005, 43rd in 2006 and 35th last season.

Rookie sensation Rhino Page (Topeka, Kan.) continued to add to what is already the greatest rookie season in PBA history, finishing the day seventh with 2,601. Page owns one title this season and has made a rookie record five championship rounds.

In the race for the PBA Player of the Year award, Mike Scroggins (Amarillo, Texas) took another step toward sneaking into the lead, finishing the day 29th. Scroggins needs to win the title this week and hope neither Chris Barnes nor Walter Ray Williams Jr. finish in the top five. Should that happen, Scroggins would win the race by one point. Things are not looking good for Barnes (Double Oak, Texas) or Williams (Ocala, Fla.), although Barnes - who has a two-point lead over Williams - moved up to 92 on Wednesday. Williams sits 125th, in danger of missing the first cut on Thursday. The top 122 bowlers after Thursday's six games will advance to Friday's final round of qualifying.

Following the nine-game block Friday morning, the field will be cut down to 24 bowlers for round robin match play, which starts Friday evening and runs through Saturday.

The top four after Saturday's match play will advance to Sunday's championship round live on ESPN at 2 p.m. ET. The winner will take home $100,000 and a three-year Denny's PBA Tour exemption.

65th Denny's U.S. Open

Second-round results from Wednesday's games at the Brunswick Zone Carolier in North Brunswick, N.J. Totals represent 12-game pinfall:

1. Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 2,663

2. Jason Belmonte, Orange, NSW, Australia, 2,640

3. Mark Clark, Naperville, Ill., 2,639

4. Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 2,628

5. Shannon Buchan, Waterloo, Iowa, 2,625

6. Dominic Barrett, Walton On The Naze, England, 2,620

7. Rhino Page, Topeka, Kan, 2,601

8. Andrew Koff, Miami, 2,596

9. Christopher Wood, North Haven, Conn., 2,590

10. Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 2,588

11. Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 2,586

12. Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 2,578

13. Wes Malott, Argyle, Texas, 2,571

14. David O'Sullivan, Orlando, Fla., 2,569

15. Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 2,567

16. Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,555

17. Jim Wolcott, Hendersonville, Tenn., 2,549

18. Bill O'Neill, Levittown, Pa., 2,545

19. Robert Smith, Captain Cook, Hawaii, 2,544

20. John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 2,541

21. Mike Mineman, Belleville, Ill., 2,536

22. Dale Aivaz Jr., Yonkers, N.Y., 2,532

23. Mike Rose Jr., Rochester, N.Y., 2,530

24. Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 2,528

25. Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 2,521

26. Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,520

27. Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 2,519

28. John Furey, Freehold, N.J., 2,517

29. Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 2,515

29. Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, 2,515

31. Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 2,513

32. Tom Baker, King, N.C., 2,511

33. Edward VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 2,509

34. Ron Nelson Jr., Bridgeview, Ill., 2,505

35. Jeff Roche, Dearborn, Mich., 2,503

35. Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 2,503

37. Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 2,501

38. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, N. Richland Hills, Texas, 2,494

39. Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 2,493

40. Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 2,492

40. Todd Book, Cantonment, Fla., 2,492

42. Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 2,487

42. Ron Dixon, Boynton Beach, Fla., 2,487

44. Michael Marsico, Chesapeake Beach, Md., 2,482

44. John Conroy, Mahopac, N.Y., 2,482

44. Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 2,482

47. Clint Dacy, Keller, Texas, 2,479

48. Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 2,471

49. Peter Spreadbury, Oak Forest, Ill., 2,467

50. Stuart Williams, Cheshire, England, 2,465

Other competitors from Illinois

57. Billy Oatman, Chicago, 2,447

86. Steve Rogers, Bourbonnais, Ill., 2,405

155. Wade Gayhart, Lockport, Ill., 2,323

194. Jason Wojnar, Chicago, 2,286

197. Walter Schaub II, Schaumburg, Ill., 2,283

247. Mike Pullin, Rochelle, Ill., 2,239

278. Corey Young, Steeleville, Ill., 2,203

306. Jamie Durham, Roscoe, Ill., 2,173

342. Dan Kiran, Chicago, 2,130

349. Tony Caraker, Hoffman Estates, Ill., 2,124

372. Mike Dole, Rockford, Ill., 2,097

375. Randy Rau, Belleville, Ill., 2,095

383. Fred Reyes, Chicago, 2,090

406. Craig Wedgeworth, Chicago, 2,048

483. William Guszczo, Orland Park, Ill., 2,166

300 games - None.