The first title event of the PBA World Series of Bowling XVI is underway, and Jason Belmonte has taken the early lead in the PBA Scorpion Championship. The Australian star, who recently won the PBA Roth/Holman Doubles alongside Bill O'Neill, posted a 1,511 total over six games on the 44-foot Scorpion oil pattern at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
Belmonte averaged over 251 to top the 201-player field. Behind him, Tim Foy Jr. (1,474), EJ Tackett (1,436), BJ Moore (1,407), and Chris Via (1,388) round out the top five. Players from 19 countries are competing in the event, and Belmonte is not the only international player in the top 10. Storm Lucky Larsen Masters 2024 runner-up Teodor Samuelsson is currently seventh with 1,382, while Canada's Jordan Jung is right behind him with a 1,377 total.
Germany's Tobias Börding, Malaysia's Rafiq Ismail and Ahmad Muaz, and Sweden's Karl Wahlgren are also currently in the top 24.
After the second round of qualifying on March 5, the top 24 bowlers will advance to elimination match play. The best-of-five Round of 24 will begin at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET).
Full PBA Scorpion Championship Schedule:
Wednesday, March 5
9 a.m. – B-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
2:30 p.m. – A-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
7 p.m. – Match Play Round of 24 (best-of-five games)
Sunday, March 16
9 a.m. – Match Play Round of 16 (best-of-five games)
11:30 a.m. – Match Play Round of 8 (best-of-five games)
5 p.m. on FS1 – PBA Scorpion Championship Finals
Full PBA World Series of Bowling XVI Schedule:
Thursday, March 6
9 a.m. – PBA Viper Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
2:30 p.m. – PBA Viper Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
Friday, March 7
9 a.m. – PBA Viper Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
2:30 p.m. – PBA Viper Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
7 p.m. – PBA Viper Championship - Match Play Round of 24 (best-of-five games)
Saturday, March 8
9 a.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
2:30 p.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
Sunday, March 9
9 a.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
2:30 p.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
7 p.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship - Match Play Round of 24 (best-of-five games)
Monday, March 10
9 a.m. – PBA Shark Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
2:30 p.m. – PBA Shark Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 1 (six games)
Tuesday, March 11
9 a.m. – PBA Shark Championship - A-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
2:30 p.m. – PBA Shark Championship - B-Squad Qualifying Round 2 (six games)
7 p.m. – PBA Shark Championship - Match Play Round of 24 (best-of-five games)
Wednesday, March 12
12 p.m. – PBA World Championship - Practice
Thursday, March 13
10 a.m. – PBA World Championship - Advancer Round 1 (eight games)
Friday, March 14
10 a.m. – PBA World Championship - Advancer Round 2 (eight games)
6 p.m. – PBA Jr. National Championships - Match Play
Saturday, March 15
9 a.m. – PBA Jr. National Championships - Match Play
12:30 p.m. – PBA Jr. National Championships - Stepladder Finals (Mixed, U18 Boys and U18 Girls)
3 p.m. on FS1 – PBA Mike Aulby Nevada Classic - Finals
7 p.m. – PBA Jr. National Championship - Finals taping
Sunday, March 16
9 a.m. – PBA Scorpion Championship - Match Play Round of 16 (best-of-five games)
11:30 a.m. – PBA Scorpion Championship - Match Play Round of 8 (best-of-five games)
5 p.m. on FS1 – PBA Scorpion Championship - Finals
Monday, March 17
9 a.m. – PBA Viper Championship - Match Play Round of 16 (best-of-five games)
11:30 a.m. – PBA Viper Championship - Match Play Round of 8 (best-of-five games)
4 p.m. on FS1 – PBA Viper Championship - Finals
Tuesday, March 18
9 a.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship - Match Play Round of 16 (best-of-five games)
11:30 a.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship - Match Play Round of 8 (best-of-five games)
4 p.m. on FS1 – PBA Chameleon Championship - Finals
Wednesday, March 19
9 a.m. – PBA Shark Championship - Match Play Round of 16 (best-of-five games)
11:30 a.m. – PBA Shark Championship - Match Play Round of 8 (best-of-five games)
4 p.m. on FS1 – PBA Shark Championship - Finals
Thursday, March 20
10 a.m. – PBA World Championship - Round-Robin Match Play Round 1 (eight games)
5 p.m. – PBA World Championship - Round-Robin Match Play Round 2 (eight games)
Saturday, March 22
12 p.m. on FOX – PBA World Championship Finals
