Scoring exploded in the opening round of the PBA Chameleon Championship at the PBA World Series of Bowling XVI, with 16 players averaging over 250 and another 18 surpassing the 240 mark at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno.
Kevin McCune took the leader position, totaling 1,545 pins over six games on the 41-foot Chameleon oil pattern. He edged out Zach Wilkins by just a single pin to claim the top spot.
Zach Weidman (1,536) Yuma Haraguchi (1,534) and Jesper Svensson (1,532) round up the top 5.
Two-time reigning PBA World Champion EJ Tackett (+269) currently sits in 24th place.
The second round of qualifying continues Sunday, with the top 24 advancing to match play. The Round of 24 begins at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET), followed by the Rounds of 16 and 8 on Tuesday, March 18.
All matches will be livestreamed on BowlTV.
PBA World Championship Standings
Jason Belmonte, who is currently 15th in the PBA Chameleon Championship standings, holds the overall lead in the PBA World Championship after 30 of 48 games. He has knocked down 7,115 pins, averaging just over 237.
Belmonte and Tackett, now ranked second, have dominated this event in recent years, winning six of the last eight PBA World Championship titles.
Meanwhile, Tim Foy Jr., the top performer in the PBA Scorpion Championship, remains among the contenders holding the third position, joined by BJ Moore and David Krol in the top five.
Full PBA World Series of Bowling XVI Schedule:
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
