PBA match play to begin for Vernon Hills tourney
Ken Simard and Missy Bellinder both took advantage of the week off to refocus their games as each finished atop their respective fields in Thursday's qualifying of the CLR Carmen Salvino Scorpion Championship at Brunswick Zone Hawthorn, the sixth stop on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour.
Simard, of Greenville, S.C., was fourth after the first seven-game block with 1,708 pins, and he continued to dominate in the second block adding 1,792 pins for a total score of 3500, plus-700, averaging 250 over the 14 games. Simard finished with a 93-pin lead over second-place Wes Malott of Argyle, Texas, who finished with a score of 3,378.
"I had a great cross, good reaction and had some great bowling balls," Simard said. "The week off really helped. I had a 30-minute conversation with Norm Duke in Taylor and he helped me change my grip and work on some things with my arm swing. (Friday) I just will try to keep the same rhythm and take it one game at a time."
Local favorite Robert Spigner of Vernon Hills also advanced to the Round of 32 match play, finishing eighth in qualifying with a score of 3,329. Australian Jason Belmonte who entered the tournament via a Commissioner's Exemption, also advanced, finishing 24th with a score of 3,241.
Also of note, Dino Castillo, Mika Koivuniemi, Doug Kent, Simard and Tommy Delutz Jr. all shot 300 games during qualifying. All but Castillo advanced to today's play. The top 32 men and top 10 women advanced.
Bellinder, who had held a 46-point lead after the first block over the 16-player field, managed to hold off Michelle Feldman of Auburn, N.Y., who outscored Bellinder in the second block, 1752-1713. Bellinder finished the day with 3,352 pins, plus 552, averaging 239.43 while Feldman was just 14 pins behind with a score of 3,338.
"I was just trying to keep up with Michelle (Feldman) all day," said Bellinder, who bowled on the pair next to Feldman. "I just wanted to come out and have fun. The break helped tremendously as I was able to relax and refocus."
Brenda Mack of Indianapolis, Ind., and Wendy Macpherson of Henderson, Nev., tied for the 10th and final spot, which forced a one-game roll-off in which Mack defeated Macpherson 242-193 to advance.
The men's competition continues today with nine games of round-robin match play beginning at 11 a.m. cutting the field to the top 16. The remaining 16 will return at 6 p.m. for nine more games of round-robin match play, to decide the final four. The women's field will return at 6 p.m. for nine games of round-robin match play, until the final two are decided. The four men and two women will advance to Sunday's live televised finals on ESPN at noon.
Men's Top 32:
1. Ken Simard, Greenville, S.C., 3,500
2. Wes Malott, Argyle, Texas, 3,378
3. Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 3,370
Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 3,370
5. Tommy Delutz Jr., Flushing, N.Y., 3,366
6. Chad Kloss, Greenfield, Wis, 3,348
7. Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 3,347
8. Robert Spigner, Vernon Hills, Ill., 3,329
9. Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 3,326
10. Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 3,324
11. Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 3,320
12. Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 3,312
13. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,296
14. Ken Abner, Cincinnati, 3,295
15. Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 3,289
16. Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 3,287
17. Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 3,280
18. Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 3,273
19. Jason Poli, West Des Moines, Iowa, 3,270
20. Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 3,268
21. Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3,267
22. Edward VanDaniker Jr, Essex, Md, 3,254
23. Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 3,244
24. Jason Belmonte, Orange, NSW,Australia, 3,241
25. Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 3,235
26. Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 3,233
27. Chester Rogers Jr, Milwaukie, Ore, 3,228
28. Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 3,225
29. Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 3,220
30. Terrance Reeves, Valrico, Fla, 3,203
31. Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 3,200
32. Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., 3,197
Local bowlers:
38. Peter Spreadbury, Oak Forest, Ill., 3,147
46. , David Traber, Hebron, Ill., 3,106
Women's Top 10:
1. Missy Bellinder, Fullerton, Calif., 3,352
2. Michelle Feldman, Auburn, N.Y., 3,338
3. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, N. Richland Hills, Texas, 3,192
4. Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 3,114
5. Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 3,047
6. Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 3,020
7. Jennifer Petrick, Canton, Ohio, 3,018
8. Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 3,010
9. Shannon O'Keefe, Arlington, Texas, 3,007
10. Brenda Mack, Indianapolis, 2,963
Local bowler:
13. Adrienne Miller, Buffalo Grove, Ill., 2,955