January 2017 -
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TOURNAMENTS
Butturff, Brummett Lead After Fourth
Round At 2017 USBC TEAM USA Trials
By Aaron Smith
HENDERSON, Nevada
– Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Ari-
zona, and Sydney Brummett of Fort Wayne, Indiana, found
their way back to the top of the standings after four rounds
at the 2017 USBC Team USA Trials.
Butturff, who held a share of the lead after Round 2, re-
gained the men’s lead after finishing in 15th place Saturday
for a total of 45 ranking points. Brummett, who led the tour-
nament’s opening round on the women’s side, paced the
field at Sunset Station’s Strike Zone Bowling Center on Sat-
urday and leads with 26 points.
The players earn points based on their finishing positions
in each qualifying round. The top bowler of the block earns
one ranking point, second place earns two points, etc., with
the lowest total of ranking points after the five six-game
blocks determining the 2017 USBC Team USA Trials cham-
pions.
Butturff has been steady throughout the first four days of
competition, averaging more than 228 across four World
Bowling oil patterns. The left-hander posted a 1,359 total
Saturday on the 44-foot Tokyo condition and has continued
to make the right decisions on moves throughout the week.
―Normally, when lefties encounter the transition from the
righties moving left on the longer patterns, we move left,‖
said Butturff, a two-time Professional Bowlers Association
Tour champion. ―This week, I’ve been moving right, increas-
ing the speed and taking some hand out of it, and it has
worked. I’ve been able to stay pretty consistent the whole
week. Hopefully, I will be able to do the same tomorrow.‖
Matt Russo of Millstone Township, New Jersey, who led
after Friday’s third round, sits in second place overall with 58
points. Steven Badovinac of Monument, Colorado, is third
with 63 points, AJ Johnson of Oswego, Illinois, is fourth with
73 points and defending Team USA Trials champion Mar-
shall Kent of Yakima, Washington, is fifth with 75 points.
Johnson bounced back from a 52nd-place finish during
Round 3 to lead Saturday’s round with a 1,490 total, a
248.33 average. Justin Carl of Albany, New York, finished in
second with 1,427 and William Boston of Evansville, Indi-
ana, was third with 1,423.
Richard Paul III of Winton, California, rolled the only perfect
game Saturday, the seventh of the week for the men, on his
way to an 11th-place finish with 1,378.
After starting Saturday’s round with games of 219 and 217,
Brummett averaged 259 in her final four games with scores
of 237, 290, 246 and 263 for a 1,472 total to lead the women
and move back into the overall lead.
―I had good ball reaction, and when that happens, it really
loosens up your swing,‖ said Brummett, who earned a spot
on Junior Team USA 2017 through the 2016 Junior Gold
Championships. ―Having good ball motion and a little bit of
room on the lane is nice, and I felt comfortable. I’ve been
taking it one day at a time and treating each day like an indi-
vidual tournament, so the last four days are completely over.
I’m going to try and get as many pins as possible tomorrow
and hope it turns out well.‖
Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, held onto the second
spot with 27 points. Round 3 leader Missy Parkin of Laguna
Hills, California, is third with 37 points, and Erin McCarthy of
Omaha, Nebraska, and Shannon O’Keefe of O’Fallon, Illi-
nois, are tied for fourth place with 41 points.
O’Keefe finished second in Saturday’s daily standings with
a 1,425 total. Rebecca Gotterbarn of Garden City, New
York, was third with 1,381.
The United States National Amateur Bowling Champion-
ships also is being contested during Team USA Trials. The
top three amateur men and top three amateur women after
Sunday’s final round of qualifying will advance to a steplad-
der finals, which will determine the U.S. Amateur champi-
ons. The winners will earn spots on Team USA.
The top three amateurs on the men’s side are Russo (58
ranking points), Badovinac (63 points) and AJ Chapman of
Wichita, Kansas (76 points). The top three amateurs for the
women are Brummett (26 points), Stephanie Zavala of
Downey, California (43 points), and Julia Bond of Aurora,
Illinois (52 points).
To be eligible for the U.S. Amateur, a bowler must not hold
or have held a professional membership (PBA or Profes-
sional Women’s Bowling Association) in the preceding year.
Also, anyone who has won a professional title (regional,
national or senior) as a professional is not eligible to com-
pete as an amateur.
A minimum of 12 men and 12 women will join Team USA
2017. The top four men and top four women at the 2017
Team USA Trials, based on ranking points, will earn auto-
matic spots, while two additional men and two additional
women will be selected by the National Selection Committee
from the pool of players that competed during the week at
Sunset Station.
The National Selection Committee will select a maximum
of five men and five women for the team based on submitted
resumes from Team USA or Junior Team USA members
within the last 10 years or those in the top 25 in earnings
during the 2016 PBA Tour season and top 25 in points dur-
ing the 2016 PWBA Tour season.
For youth competitors, Junior Team USA 2017 will consist
of 12 boys and 12 girls. The top four boys and top four girls
at the 2017 Team USA Trials, based on ranking points, will
earn automatic spots, while two additional boys and two
additional girls from either the 2017 Team USA Trials or
2016 Junior Gold Championships will be selected by the
National Selection Committee.
They will join the six boys and six girls who already earned
their spots on Junior Team USA 2017 through qualifying at
the 2016 Junior Gold Championships in Indianapolis.
2017 USBC Team USA Trials
At Sunset Station’s Strike Zone Bowling Center,
Henderson, Nev.
SATURDAY’S RESULTS
ROUND 4 – TOP 20 (
six-game total)
MEN
1, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 1,490.
2, Justin Carl, Albany, N.Y., 1,427.
3, William Boston, Evansville, Ind., 1,423.
4, Pete Vergos, Apopka, Fla., 1,419.
5, Zach Hattori, Henderson, Nev., 1,412.
6, Steven Badovinac, Monument, Colo., 1,407.
7, Brandon Biondo, Carpentersville, Ill., 1,400.
8, Kyle Sherman, O’Fallon, Mo., 1,388.
9, Dallas Leong, Las Vegas, 1,386.
10, Kyle Krol, Tinley Park, Ill., 1,383.
11, Richard Paul III, Winton, Calif., 1,378.
12, Kennon McFalls, Gastonia, N.C., 1,375.
13, Kyle King, Glendale, Ariz., 1,368.
14, AJ Chapman, Wichita, Kan., 1,360.
15, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., 1,359.
16, Cortez Schenck, Phoenix, 1,358.
17, Tyrell Ingalls, Loganville, Ga., 1,356.
18, Bryan Bourget, Woonsocket, R.I., 1,355.
19, Dakota Vostry, Chicago, 1,354.
T20, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1,353.
T20, Nick Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 1,353.
(Continued on page 10)
