23rd Otober, Arlington, Texas: The finalists for the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association were determined following the conclusion of the AMF Australian Masters, the final event on the 2011 World Bowling Tour.

The top three players in the final World Bowling Tour points list in both the men's and women's divisions advanced to the World Bowling Tour Finals, which will take place November 17 in Las Vegas with a total prize fund of US$40,000.

Finland's Mika Koivuniemi took the top spot in the men's rankings with 198 points, while the United States' Sean Rash was second with 142 points. Jason Belmonte of Australia finished third with 120 points.

On the women's side, the United States' Carolyn Dorin-Ballard finished first with 145 ranking points. A pair of Swedes were next with Nina Flack in second at 120 and Sandra Andersson third with 111 points.

The World Bowling Tour is made up of various events around the world throughout the course of 2011. Players earn points based on how they finish in the event and those points were tabulated throughout the season to determine the top three men and top three women who will be invited to compete in the World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association.

The World Bowling Tour Finals are scheduled to take place at the PBA's World Series of Bowling on November 17. The event will be aired nationally in the United States.

The top three men and top three women will bowl a stepladder finals format in their respective divisions at the World Bowling Tour Finals. The prize money for each division is the same, with the winner taking US$10,000, second place earning US$6,000 and third place winning US$4,000.

The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of more than 115 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, visit www.worldtenpinbowling.com.

Photos courtesy of Bowl.com.

4th Otober, Arlington, Texas: Finland's Mika Koivuniemi and the United States' Carolyn Dorin-Ballard have mathematically locked up spots in the year-end World Tenpin Bowling Association World Bowling Tour Finals.

With just one event remaining on the 2012 World Bowling Tour, the two points leaders have secured enough points to earn spots in the finals. The top three men and top three women advance to the season-ending event.

The seventh event on the schedule, the PTT Thailand Tournament, recently concluded with Koivuniemi earning 14 points for a 14th-place finish, while Dorin-Ballard did not compete. Based on the results of other bowlers, it was enough to lock up spots in the finals for both bowlers.

Koivuniemi leads the men's rankings with 163 points, while American Sean Rash is second with 112 after picking up 22 points in Thailand.

Australian Jason Belmonte earned 50 points with his victory in Thailand to surge into third place with 98 points. Finland's Osku Palermaa is fourth at 85.

In the women's rankings, Dorin-Ballard has totaled 145 points, while Nina Flack of Sweden moved up into second with 120 points, including 35 points in Thailand. Kelly Kulick of the United States, who also did not compete in Thailand, is third with 100 points, while Finland's Krista Pollanen is fourth with 80.

The World Bowling Tour is made up of various events around the world throughout the course of 2011.

Players earn points based on how they finish in the event and those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the top three men and top three women who will be invited to compete in the World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA.

The World Bowling Tour Finals are scheduled to take place at the PBA's World Series of Bowling in November and will feature a total prize fund of US$40,000. The event will be aired nationally in the United States.

The top three men and top three women will bowl a stepladder finals format in their respective divisions at the World Bowling Tour Finals. The prize money for each division is the same, with the winner taking US$10,000, second place earning US$6,000 and third place winning US$4,000.

The tour wraps up with the AMF Australian Masters from October 10-22 in Sydney, Australia. The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of more than 100 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, visit www.worldtenpinbowling.com.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

28th August, Arlington, Texas: With two events remaining on the World Bowling Tour, FPBA pro Mika Koivuniemi of Finland holds a massive lead in the men's rankings, while Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of the United States stayed at the top of the women;s rankings.

Koivuniemi was the only player on either the men's or women's side among the top three in the rankings to compete in the most recent event on the World Bowling Tour, presented by the World Tenpin Bowling Association.

The Finn earned 24 rankings points for a sixth-place finish at the It's Daejeon International Open Bowling Tournament, which concluded Aug. 26.

Koivuniemi leads the rankings with 149 points, while Sean Rash of the United States remained in second with 90 points and Finland's Osku Palermaa is third at 77.

On the women's side, none of the top six players in the rankings competed in Korea, which left the women’s rankings unchanged among the leaders.

Dorin-Ballard leads with 145 points, while Team USA's Kelly Kulick is second with 100. Sweden's Nina Flack remains in third place with 85 points.

The World Bowling Tour is made up of various events around the world throughout the course of 2011.

Players earn points based on how they finish in the event and those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the top three men and top three women who will be invited to compete in the World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association.

The World Bowling Tour Finals are scheduled to take place at the PBA's World Series of Bowling in late 2011 and will feature a total prize fund of US$40,000. The event will be aired nationally in the United States.

The top three men and top three women will bowl a stepladder finals format in their respective divisions at the World Bowling Tour Finals. The prize money for each division is the same, with the winner taking US$10,000, second place earning US$6,000 and third place winning US$4,000.

The next stop on the World Bowling Tour in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 24 to 30 and the tour wraps up with the AMF Australian Masters from October 10 to 22 in Sydney, Australia.

The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of more than 100 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, visit www.worldtenpinbowling.com.

Photos by Terence Yaw.

23rd March, Arlington, Texas: Although there was no movement among the leaders after five events, the top three in the World Bowling Tour rankings were shaken up a little bit after the conclusion of the Kuwait Open.

Finland's Mika Koivuniemi and the United States' Carolyn Dorin-Ballard did not compete in the Kuwait Open but held onto the top spot in the rankings of the World Bowling Tour, presented by the World Tenpin Bowling Association.

Koivuniemi leads the men's rankings with 125 points, earned in three events, while Dorin-Ballard has accumulated 145 points in four events.

American Chris Barnes, who also did not compete in Kuwait, dropped from second to fourth after strong showings by Sean Rash of the United States and Osku Palermaa of Finland.

Rash earned 25 ranking points at the Kuwait Open to bring his season total to 90, good enough for second place, while Palermaa picked up 30 points in Kuwait to up his total to 76 points. Barnes is fourth with 68.

Kelly Kulick of the United States remained in second place in the women's rankings, but Nina Flack of Sweden jumped into third place by earning 30 points in Kuwait.

Flack has totaled 85 points in three events and moved past Finland’s Krista Pollanen, who is now fourth with 80 points. The World Bowling Tour is made up of various events around the world throughout the course of 2011.

Players earn points based on how they finish in the event and those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the top three men and top three women who will be invited to compete in the World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association.

The World Bowling Tour Finals are scheduled to take place at the PBA's World Series of Bowling in late 2011 and will feature a total prize fund of US$40,000. The event will be aired nationally in the United States.

The top three men and top three women will bowl a stepladder finals format in their respective divisions at the World Bowling Tour Finals. The prize money for each division is the same, with the winner taking US$10,000, second place earning US$6,000 and third place winning US$4,000.

The next stop on the World Bowling Tour in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 24-30 and the tour wraps up with the AMF Australian Masters from October 10-22 in Sydney, Australia.

The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of more than 100 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, visit www.worldtenpinbowling.com.

Photos courtesy of Bowl.com.

2nd March, Arlington, Texas: Finland's Mika Koivuniemi and American Carolyn Dorin-Ballard maintained the lead at the top of their respective divisions after three events on the new World Bowling Tour presented by the World Tenpin Bowling Association.

Koivuniemi's fantastic year continued at the 68th Lumber Liquidators US Open, where he finished second to Norm Duke of the United States. Koivuniemi lost in the title match, 225-216.

The Finnish player has accumulated 125 ranking points based on a victory at the Brunswick Ballmaster Open, a third-place finish at the USBC Masters and his most recent second-place finish.

Koivuniemi holds a sizable lead on Chris Barnes of the United States, who is second with 68 points, while American Sean Rash is third with 65 points. All three players have competed in the first three events.

On the women's side, Dorin-Ballard finished third among the women at the US Open and leads the rankings with 105 points. She holds a slight edge on Kelly Kulick of the United States, who won the women's rankings at the US Open and at the USBC Masters. Kulick finished 66th overall at the US Open.

Kulick's total of 100 points put her in second, while Liz Johnson of the United States is third with 70 points. Krista Pollanen of Finland is fourth with 50 points after leading the women at the Brunswick Ballmaster Open.

The World Bowling Tour is made up of various events around the world throughout the course of 2011.

Players earn points based on how they finish in the event and those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the top three men and top three women who will be invited to compete in the World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association.

The next stop on the World Bowling Tour is the Brunswick Euro Challenge from March 4-13 in Saint Maximin, France. The Tour continues with the Kuwait Open from March 18-22 in Kuwait City, Kuwait.

The fall swing includes a stop in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 24-30 and wraps up with the AMF Australian Masters from October 10-22 in Sydney, Australia.

The World Bowling Tour finals are scheduled to take place at the PBA's World Series of Bowling in late 2011 and will feature a total prize fund of US$40,000. The event will be aired nationally in the United States.

The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of more than 100 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, visit www.worldtenpinbowling.com.

Photos courtesy of Bowl.com.

17th February, Arlington, Texas: After two events on the new World Bowling Tour presented by the World Tenpin Bowling Association, Finland's Mika Koivuniemi maintained his lead at the top of the men's rankings, while Carolyn Dorin-Ballard of the United States moved into the women's lead.

Koivuniemi, who won the season-opening tournament at the Brunswick Ballmaster Open, took third place at the second event of the season, the 2011 USBC Masters, and has a total of 85 ranking points. In the stepladder finals of the USBC Masters, which were aired nationally on ESPN, Koivuniemi lost in the semifinals to American Tom Hess, 254-219.

Sean Rash of the United States retained his second place position in the rankings with 51 points. Rash finished second to Koivuniemi at the Ballmaster Open and took 20th place at the USBC Masters.

Hess, who won the Masters with a 230-206 victory over fellow American Jack Jurek, moved into third place with 50 points, while Chris Barnes of the United States sits in fourth place with 45 points.

In the women's rankings, Dorin-Ballard is the only player who has competed in both events to open the season and has a total of 70 ranking points. She finished second among the women at the Ballmaster Open and then took fourth in the women's field at the USBC Masters.

Finland's Krista Pollanen, who earned the top ranking points at the Ballmaster Open, is tied for second place with American Kelly Kulick with 50 points. Kulick topped the women's field at the USBC Masters and finished 29th overall.

Liz Johnson of the United States sits in third place with 40 points after finishing second among the women at the USBC Masters.

The World Bowling Tour is made up of various events around the world throughout the course of 2011. Players earn points based on how they finish in the event and those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the top three men and top three women who will be invited to compete in the World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association.

The next stop on the World Bowling Tour is the 68th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open from February 21-27 in North Brunswick, N.J. The fourth stop of the season is the Brunswick Euro Challenge from March 4-13 in Saint Maximin, France.

The Tour continues with the Kuwait Open from March 18-22 in Kuwait City, Kuwait. The fall swing includes a stop in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 24-30 and wraps up with the AMF Australian Masters from October 10-22 in Sydney, Australia.

The World Bowling Tour finals are scheduled to take place at the PBA's World Series of Bowling in late 2011 and will feature a total prize fund of US$40,000. The event will be aired nationally in the United States.

The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of more than 100 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA and the World Bowling Tour, visit www.worldtenpinbowling.com.

Photos courtesy of Bowl.com.

3rd February, Arlington,Texas: The first World Bowling Tour schedule will culminate with a special made for television event featuring the top three men and top three women in the season-ending points list.

The World Tenpin Bowling Association World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the Professional Bowlers Association will be taped for broadcast during the PBA's World Series of Bowling. The one-hour long event will feature a total prize fund of $40,000 and be broadcast on national television in the United States.

"Holding this special season-ending event to the World Bowling Tour adds even more value to those tournaments who are on board with the Tour," WTBA President Kevin Dornberger said.

"It also presents incentive to all of the world's top bowlers to compete in all of the World Bowling Tour events for a chance to compete in this special event."

The World Bowling Tour is made up of various events around the world throughout the course of 2011. Players earn points based on how they finish in the event and those points will be tabulated throughout the season to determine the players eligible for the World Bowling Tour Finals.

"The PBA is proud to present the World Bowling Tour Finals as the culminating event for the top points getters on the WBT, both male and female," said Tom Clark, PBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer.

"The PBA is a strong supporter of the growth of international bowling and hosted one of the greatest collections of international talent at the PBA World Series of Bowling this season. It is a great sign of unity among the leading bowling organizations in the world that the WTBA World Bowling Tour Finals presented by the PBA will be an ESPN telecast emanating from next season’s PBA World Series of Bowling."

Mika Koivuniemi of Finland leads the World Bowling Tour men's points list after one event. Koivuniemi won the Brunswick Ballmaster Open at Tali Bowling in Helsinki, Finland last month to earn 50 points.

Koivuniemi defeated fellow Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exempt player Sean Rash, 236-191, to win the title and the 12,000 Euro (approximately US$16,500). Two weeks later, Koivuniemi won $250,000 at the PBA's Tournament of Champions.

In the women's rankings, Krista Pollanen of Finland was the high female finisher at the Ballmaster Open. Pollanen finished in ninth place overall in the event.

The World Tenpin Bowling Association, which is made up of more than 100 bowling federations, governs the sport throughout the world. For more information on WTBA, visit worldtenpinbowling.com.

Photos by Terence Yaw.