CHICAGO (March 9, 2018) – World Bowling, the international governing body for tenpin bowling, and the Professional Bowlers Association have announced a nine-tournament PBA International-World Bowling Tour schedule for 2018, beginning March 10-18 when England’s Dom Barrett will try to defend his title in the Brunswick Euro Challenge at Dream-Bowl Palace in Munich, Germany.

The PBA International-WBT schedule awards PBA Tour titles if the winner is a PBA member and, if a woman, she does not accept “handicap pins” as part of her score. The PBA-WBT series awards points which are used to qualify players for the end-of-season WBT Men’s and Women’s Finals.

The Brunswick Euro Challenge also could play a role in the 2018 PBA Tour Finals set for early May in Allen Park, Mich. Composite PBA and WBT earnings for 2016 through the PBA Xtra Frame Maine Shootout at Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine, April 17-18, will determine the eight players who will compete at Thunderbowl Lanes in May.

The 2018 schedule includes the United States Bowling Congress Masters and Queens, and the Busan Cup in South Korea and the Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles, both new to the PBA-WBT schedule. Returning are the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Malmo, Sweden; the WBT Thailand in Bangkok, and the PBA World Championship which will be part of PBA World Series of Bowling X. Closing the WBT schedule will be the World Bowling Men’s World Championships in Hong Kong, which is open only to players representing World Bowling member federations.

Additional tournaments that comply with World Bowling and PBA International rules are under consideration and may be added to the schedule.

2018 PBA INTERNATIONAL-WORLD BOWLING TOUR SCHEDULE

(Events designated as PBA-WBT tournaments will award a PBA Tour title if the winner is a PBA member and does not accept handicap pins)

March 10-18 – PBA-WBT Brunswick Euro Challenge, Dream-Bowl Palace, Munich, Germany

April 8-15 – USBC Masters, Oncenter Convention Center, Syracuse, N.Y. (PBA-WBT event)

May 20-26 – PBA-WBT Busan Cup, Rainbow Square Bowling Center, Busan, Korea

July 26-29 – Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles, Copperfield Bowl, Houston, Texas (PBA title to male partner, PWBA title to female partner if a member of his/her respective organization)

Aug. 25-Sept. 9 – PBA-WBT Storm Lucky Larsen Masters, Baltiska Bowlinghallen, Malmo, Sweden

Sept. 22-28 – PBA-WBT Thailand, Blu-O Rhythm and Bowl Siam Paragon, Bangkok, Thailand

Oct. 24-31 – U.S. Open, Northrock Lanes, Wichita, Kan. (PBA-WBT event, tentative)

November/December – PBA World Championship, tba (PBA-WBT event, tentative)

Nov. 24-Dec. 5 – World Bowling Men’s World Championships, SCAA Bowling Centre, Hong Kong