Norm Duke is not only eying off a shot at Player of the Year honors at the 66th Professional Bowlers Association Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open, but also a major title defense. The 44-year-old Hall of Famer demonstrated he’s up for the challenge by taking the second round qualifying lead Wednesday at Brunswick Zone Carolier.
With a 2,826 12-game overall pinfall (235.5 average) and averaging 243.5 in Wednesday’s six-game round, Duke holds a 141-pin lead over reigning PBA Player of the Year Chris Barnes in second who is a contender to repeat as Player of the Year.
“I’m ecstatic about how well I’ve been bowling to this point,” Duke said. “You’re not supposed to be able to shoot numbers like this at the U.S. Open.”
Duke, who is tied for fourth with Parker Bohn III for career PBA Tour titles with 32—six of those majors—took last week off from the Tour to prepare for the U.S. Open.
“For this tournament you need all your mental skills,” Duke said. “Taking last week off was part of my preparation and as a result I feel I’m as ready as I can be for this tournament.”
Duke and Barnes are the only two players who can challenge current front-runner Wes Malott for the Player of the Year title but would have to win for any chance for the honor. Malott is in 58th place after Wednesday’s qualifying round.
Australia's Belmonte is in a tie for 73rd after Round 2
LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR
66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open
Brunswick Zone Carolier, North Brunswick, N.J.
Round 2 Qualifying After 12 Games
1, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 2,826
2, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 2,685
3, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 2,657
4, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 2,640
5, Matthew O'Grady, South Amboy, N.J., 2,633
6, Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, 2,612
7, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 2,598
8, Anthony LaCaze, Glen Ellyn, Ill., 2,590
9, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 2,586
10, Vinny D'Ambrosio III, Staten Island, N.Y., 2,581
11, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 2,573
12, Richard Wolfe, Vienna, Va., 2,564
13, Shawn McKee, Concord, N.C., 2,559
14, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 2,555
15, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 2,543
16, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 2,542
17, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,538
18, Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., 2,535
19, David Haynes, Las Vegas, 2,533
20, Paul Pinto, Philadelphia, 2,510
21, Troy Wollenbecker, Miami, 2,509
22, Ronnie Russell, Indianapolis, 2,506
23, Mike Rose Jr., Rochester, N.Y., 2,502
23, Don Allen III, Vancouver, Wash., 2,502
25, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 2,500
25, Bobby Hall II, Landover, Md., 2,500
27, Chun Bae, Cedarhurst, N.Y., 2,494
28, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 2,491
29, James Wallace, Hicksville, N.Y., 2,488
29, George Lambert IV, Canada, 2,488
29, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 2,488
32, Rick Hara, Darien, Ill., 2,487
32, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 2,487
34, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 2,486
35, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 2,485
36, P.J. Sonday, Avoca, Pa., 2,484
37, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 2,482
38, Paul Gibson, Brunswick, Ohio, 2,476
39, Don Breeden, Clive, Iowa, 2,474
40, Kenneth Jessee, Huber Heights, Ohio, 2,472
41, Ron Nelson Jr., Bridgeview, Ill., 2,471
41, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 2,471
43, Jim Tomek Jr., Camp Hill, Pa., 2,462
44, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 2,460
44, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 2,460
46, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 2,459
47, P.J. Haggerty, Clovis, Calif., 2,458
48, Jason Weaver, Denver, Pa., 2,457
49, Rhino Page, Topeka, Kan., 2,455
49, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 2,455
51, Shannon Buchan, Waterloo, Iowa, 2,452
52, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 2,451
73, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 2,409
With a 2,826 12-game overall pinfall (235.5 average) and averaging 243.5 in Wednesday’s six-game round, Duke holds a 141-pin lead over reigning PBA Player of the Year Chris Barnes in second who is a contender to repeat as Player of the Year.
“I’m ecstatic about how well I’ve been bowling to this point,” Duke said. “You’re not supposed to be able to shoot numbers like this at the U.S. Open.”
Duke, who is tied for fourth with Parker Bohn III for career PBA Tour titles with 32—six of those majors—took last week off from the Tour to prepare for the U.S. Open.
“For this tournament you need all your mental skills,” Duke said. “Taking last week off was part of my preparation and as a result I feel I’m as ready as I can be for this tournament.”
Duke and Barnes are the only two players who can challenge current front-runner Wes Malott for the Player of the Year title but would have to win for any chance for the honor. Malott is in 58th place after Wednesday’s qualifying round.
Australia's Belmonte is in a tie for 73rd after Round 2
LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR
66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open
Brunswick Zone Carolier, North Brunswick, N.J.
Round 2 Qualifying After 12 Games
1, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 2,826
2, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 2,685
3, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 2,657
4, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 2,640
5, Matthew O'Grady, South Amboy, N.J., 2,633
6, Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, 2,612
7, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 2,598
8, Anthony LaCaze, Glen Ellyn, Ill., 2,590
9, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 2,586
10, Vinny D'Ambrosio III, Staten Island, N.Y., 2,581
11, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 2,573
12, Richard Wolfe, Vienna, Va., 2,564
13, Shawn McKee, Concord, N.C., 2,559
14, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 2,555
15, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 2,543
16, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 2,542
17, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,538
18, Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., 2,535
19, David Haynes, Las Vegas, 2,533
20, Paul Pinto, Philadelphia, 2,510
21, Troy Wollenbecker, Miami, 2,509
22, Ronnie Russell, Indianapolis, 2,506
23, Mike Rose Jr., Rochester, N.Y., 2,502
23, Don Allen III, Vancouver, Wash., 2,502
25, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 2,500
25, Bobby Hall II, Landover, Md., 2,500
27, Chun Bae, Cedarhurst, N.Y., 2,494
28, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 2,491
29, James Wallace, Hicksville, N.Y., 2,488
29, George Lambert IV, Canada, 2,488
29, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 2,488
32, Rick Hara, Darien, Ill., 2,487
32, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 2,487
34, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 2,486
35, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 2,485
36, P.J. Sonday, Avoca, Pa., 2,484
37, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 2,482
38, Paul Gibson, Brunswick, Ohio, 2,476
39, Don Breeden, Clive, Iowa, 2,474
40, Kenneth Jessee, Huber Heights, Ohio, 2,472
41, Ron Nelson Jr., Bridgeview, Ill., 2,471
41, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 2,471
43, Jim Tomek Jr., Camp Hill, Pa., 2,462
44, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 2,460
44, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 2,460
46, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 2,459
47, P.J. Haggerty, Clovis, Calif., 2,458
48, Jason Weaver, Denver, Pa., 2,457
49, Rhino Page, Topeka, Kan., 2,455
49, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 2,455
51, Shannon Buchan, Waterloo, Iowa, 2,452
52, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 2,451
73, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 2,409
Just pointing out how hard this pattern is. 
