Brunswick News
Rash Takes Third Place in GEICO Shark Open Qualifying
LAS VEGAS (Nov. 8, 2011) – Bowling fans will be seeing a lot of four-time PBA Tour champion Sean Rash on ESPN this season.
Rash continued his unprecedented PBA World Series of Bowling streak Tuesday, qualifying for his fourth consecutive television final at South Point Bowling Center. With his third-place finish in the GEICO Shark Open, the Montgomery, Ill., resident has qualified for the ESPN-televised finals in all four animal pattern tournaments – Bayer Viper Open, Chameleon Open, Scorpion Open and the Shark Open.
Rash finished the tournament with a 3,238 14-game pinfall (231.3 average) and had games of 243, 222, 209, 230, 214 and 247 in Tuesday’s six-game final round to secure his berth in the TV finals.
“I have everything working together right now,” Rash said. “Physically and mentally I’m in the right place and I’ve got great equipment.”
Asked about the challenge of competing on four different conditions over four days, Rash said it’s all in the preparation.
“Every day is a different day and having a game plan for each day really becomes important in the World Series,” he said. “That’s going to help put yourself in a position to win and it has worked great so far.”
Thirteen-time Tour champion and defending PBA World Championship winner Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, led the Shark qualifying and will be making his first World Series television final after posting a 3,297 pinfall total (235.5 average). He had games of 226, 290, 268, 176, 227 and 268 Tuesday night.
“I really haven’t been bowling up to expectations,” Barnes said. “I’ve been way off the pace and need to get out of the block much better. It was important for me to make this show and get some momentum going into the last round of the World Championship.”
Also making the Shark Open finals were Australian two-hander Jason Belmonte, who finished second with a 3,251 pinfall, making his second television final and reigning PBA Player of the Year Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland, Mich., who finished fourth with 3,190 pins to make his first final. The Shark Open finals will be taped by ESPN on Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. PT.
The World Series of Bowling is webcast live on pba.com’s exclusive online bowling channel, Xtra Frame. Special one-day and World Series of Bowling subscription packages are available on pba.com.
PBA GEICO SHARK OPEN
South Point Bowling Center, Las Vegas, Tuesday
(After 14 games; top 4 advance to ESPN finals)
1, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3,297.
2, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 3,251.
3, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 3,238.
4, Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, 3,190.
Jerry Schneider | PR/Media Relations
Professional Bowlers Association | 719 Second Avenue, Suite 701 | Seattle, WA 98104
jerry.schneider@pba.com | cell: (262) 366-2157