Salvino Classic, Elite Players Championship titlists emerge
November 20, 2011
LAS VEGAS — International players continued their remarkable string of victories at the 2011 Professional Bowlers Association World Series of Bowling Sunday at South Point Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, where Andres Gomez of Colombia and two-hander Jason Belmonte of Australia won the Carmen Salvino Classic and the Elite Players Championship, respectively. Gomez defeated Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas, 246-207, while Belmonte defeated Mike DeVaney of Murrieta, Calif., 255-238.
Gomez put the pressure on Malott early in the title match of the Carmen Salvino Classic when he followed up a spare in the first frame with a six-bagger. Malott struggled with carry throughout the match, pounding the pocket only to end up with a total of six single-pin spare conversions and five strikes to show for his effort.
“I don’t think anyone could explain what has happened here,” Gomez remarked on the dominance of international players at the 2011 WSOB after winning his first PBA title. “You still saw great American players make some shows, but what happened in the title matches is really hard to explain. I guess I just have to say that I am glad I am Colombian and not American right now.”
As with previous events at the 2011 WSOB, the finals of both the Carmen Salvino Classic and the Elite Players Championship featured an elimination format in which all four finalists bowled at once. The bowler with the lowest score each game was eliminated until two remained to bowl for the title.
In the semifinal of the Carmen Salvino Classic, Jason Belmonte of Australia struggled mightily with lane transition after shooting a 247 in game one. Belmonte failed to convert a washout in the third frame and left the Greek church split for another open frame in the eighth. He was eliminated with a final score of 162. Malott and Gomez advanced with scores of 227 and 189 respectively.
In the first game, Ronnie Russell of Marion, Ind., struggled with carry as he slammed the pocket throughout but left several 10 pins and fell well behind his opponents with a score of 215. Gomez’s 253, Malott’s 250, and Belmonte’s 247 easily were enough to hold off Russell.
The title match of the Elite Players Championship was a high-drama affair that featured clutch strikes and high scores. Belmonte fell behind early as he lost his strike shot briefly in the middle of the game but made his spares. DeVaney stormed out of the gate with five strikes in his first six frames. DeVaney’s fortunes began to turn when a 9 pin withstood a perfect pocket shot in the seventh frame. Belmonte capitalized on the opening with a clutch four-bagger that forced DeVaney to throw a double in the 10th. Once again, DeVaney threw a perfect strike shot on his first ball and got robbed, leaving a 10 pin in a losing effort.
“You get out what you put in,” Belmonte reflected after winning his third PBA title at the 2011 WSOB and fourth overall. “I have worked so hard on my game both physically and mentally, and it really paid off. I don’t know anyone who put in more hours than me leading up to this event.”
In the semifinal of the Elite Players Championship, Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, left a disastrous Greek church split in the 10th frame for a final score of 190, allowing Belmonte to advance to the title match with a score of 205. DeVaney easily avoided elimination with a 234.
In the opening match, Norm Duke of Clermont, Fla. fell victim to two pocket 7-10 splits and another open frame in the ninth. Every other shot he threw was a strike, though, and despite three open frames he still bowled 222. But DeVaney’s 257, Scroggins’s 247 and Belmonte’s 237 were too much for Duke to overcome.
Duke’s elimination in the opening game thwarted his bid to surpass Pete Weber on the all-time PBA titles list. Duke and Weber remain tied for third place with 35 titles each.