Striking Spotlight

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

BELMONTE NAMED NOVEMBER IBMA BOWLER OF THE MONTH
 

(SPOILER ALERT: This press release contains information from telecasted tournaments available for viewing on the ESPN3 live stream Saturday November 18 and Sunday November 19, 2017 and will air on ESPN Sunday December 17, December 24, December 31, 2017 and January 7, 2018 at 1:00pm EST. Some results of other PBA World Series of Bowling shows may also be mentioned here )

Jason Belmonte, New South Wales, Australia, has been selected as the November 2017 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the International Bowling Media Association.

Belmonte defeated top-seeded Jesper Svensson, Sweden, 238-225, for his 16 th PBA title and ninth major crown. He also becomes the first player in PBA history to win three majors in the same season and is a front-runner for 2017 PBA Chris Schenkel Player of the Year honors. 

The television stepladder finals began with fourth-seeded Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, North Carolina, ousting fifth-seeded Matthew Sanders, Evansville, Indiana, 10-7 in a one-ball rolloff, after tying at 248. Third-seeded Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, New York, downed Troup in the quarterfinal match, 193-180. The second-seeded Belmonte tied Ciminelli at 257 in the semifinal, before taking the one-ball rolloff, 9-7, to advance to the championship match with Svensson. This marks the first television finals in PBA history with two tie matches, requiring tie-breaking rolloffs.  

The Australian also captured the World Bowling Tour Men’s Final 10-8 in another one- ball rolloff, after tying Marshall Kent, Yakima, Washington at 267. Kent had defeated Jesper Svensson, 231-224 to advance to the WBT Men’s Final title match.

Belmonte had one of his best PBA World Series of Bowling performances with a 26 th place finish in the PBA Shark Championship, presented by PBA Xtra Frame, finishing 13 th in the PBA Chameleon Championship presented by Reno/Tahoe, a fourth place standing in the PBA Cheetah Championship presented by PBA Bowling Challenge, and as runner up in the PBA Scorpion Championship presented by Go Bowling!  

Others obtaining votes this month were Liz Johnson, winner of the PBA Chameleon Championship, presented by Reno/Tahoe, Jesper Svensson, winner of the PBA Cheetah Championship, presented by PBA Bowling Challenge and runner up in the PBA World Championship, and Jakob Butturff, men’s winner of the 53 rd QubicaAMF World Cup.

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