Belmonte Shines at WSOB XVI, Eyes PBA World Championship Glory
By Matt Stevens
Superstar Australian tenpin bowler Jason Belmonte has been in sizzling form at the PBA World Series of Bowling XVI (WSOB XVI), staking his claim for multiple titles at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
Across an intense week of competition, Belmonte has powered through the Scorpion, Viper, Chameleon, and Shark Championship qualifying rounds, securing spots in multiple knockout stages—all while locking in second place in the PBA World Championship after 48 gruelling games.
Fellow Aussie, Sam Cooley went close to qualifying for knockout stages but ultimately missed out, finishing his campaign in 106th place with 10,262 pins over his 48 game campaign for the PBA World Championship. His best outing coming at the Viper Championship finishing in 48th, only missing the top 24 cut by 55 pins.
The WSOB XVI is one of the most prestigious events on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) calendar, featuring four separate “animal pattern” championships, each played on unique lane conditions and offering a coveted PBA title.
The series culminates in the PBA World Championship, the WSOB’s ultimate test. In this marathon format, bowlers compete across 48 qualifying games (12 per pattern), with their total pinfall determining who advances to the next stage of the PBA Major, which boasts a $100,000 first-place prize.
Few have mastered this format like Belmonte, the most decorated player in WSOB history, and in 2025, he’s proving once again why he thrives in high-pressure environments. With knockout rounds fast approaching, let’s take a look at how the four animal pattern events have unfolded and how Belmonte has positioned himself for a deep run across multiple events at WSOB XVI.
Scorpion Championship
Jason Belmonte wasted no time making an impact at the PBA World Series of Bowling XVI, kicking off his campaign with a strong showing in the Scorpion Championship. Fresh off his PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship victory with Bill O’Neill, Belmonte brought confidence and precision to the 44-foot Scorpion oil pattern.
With 12 games of qualifying in the books, Belmonte secured a top-three finish, punching his ticket directly into the Round of 16. Now, he looks to take another step toward adding another WSOB title to his legendary career.
Belmonte’s Performance: Stats Provided by LaneTalk Stats
- Finished 3rd in qualifying with a 2,835 total pinfall over 12 games.
- Top-8 finish secured a bye, automatically advancing him to the Round of 16.
| Strike % | 76% |
| Spare Conversion | 85% |
| Splits | 7% |
| Average | 252 |
| Clean | 95% |
| High Game | 289 |
| Low Game | 216 |
| Nine / or better | 94% |
What’s Next?
- Round of 16 Opponent: Faces Patrick Dombrowski (USA, 19th seed) in a best-of-five match.
- Dombrowski’s Path: Advanced after defeating Kyle Troup (USA, 14th seed) 3-1 in the Round of 24.
- Path to the Finals:
- If Belmonte wins, he moves to the quarterfinals (Round of 8) to face either Ryan Barnes (USA, 22nd seed) or Trevor Roberts (USA, 6th seed).
- The Round of 16, quarterfinals, and stepladder finals will all take place on Monday, March 17 (Australian time).
Viper Championship
Following his strong performance in the Scorpion Championship, Jason Belmonte continued his impressive run in the PBA Viper Championship, showcasing his adaptability on the 37-foot Viper oil pattern.
Despite just missing out on an automatic top-8 bye by a single pin, Belmonte maintained his composure in match play, dominating his Round of 24 opponent to secure yet another spot in the Round of 16.
Belmonte’s Performance:
- Qualified 10th after 12 games with a 2,779 total pinfall.
- Narrowly missed the top-8 cut by just 1 pin, forcing him into the Round of 24.
- Showed his experience in elimination play, sweeping Nick Borgaro (USA, 22nd seed) 3-0 in the best-of-five Round of 24 matchup.
| Strike % | 65% |
| Spare Conversion | 89% |
| Splits | 7% |
| Average | 232 |
| Clean | 91% |
| High Game | 279 |
| Low Game | 189 |
| Nine / or better | 87% |
What’s Next?
- Round of 16 Opponent: Faces Matt Ogle (USA, 6th seed).
- Path to the Finals:
- A win will send him to the quarterfinals (Round of 8) to face either Boog Krol (USA, 3rd seed) or Jesper Svensson (Sweden, 14th seed).
- The Round of 16, quarterfinals, and stepladder finals will all take place on Tuesday, March 18 (Australian time).
Chameleon Championship
With two strong performances already in the books at WSOB XVI, Jason Belmonte carried plenty of momentum into the Chameleon Championship.
Despite posting his highest 12-game total of the World Series so far, Belmonte’s run came to an end in a tightly contested Round of 24 battle, where he fell just short of advancing to the Round of 16.
Belmonte’s Performance:
- Qualified 14th after 12 games with a 2,949 total pinfall—his highest of WSOB XVI so far.
| Strike % | 71% |
| Spare Conversion | 97% |
| Splits | 3% |
| Average | 246 |
| Clean | 97% |
| High Game | 278 |
| Low Game | 213 |
| Nine / or better | 96% |
- Entered the Round of 24, where he faced AJ Johnson (USA, 19th seed).
- Engaged in a five-game thriller, ultimately losing 3-2 in a match filled with high-scoring exchanges:
- Game 1: Johnson 259 – Belmonte 246
- Game 2: Johnson 208 – Belmonte 268
- Game 3: Johnson 248 – Belmonte 254
- Game 4: Johnson 279 – Belmonte 246
- Game 5: Johnson 247 – Belmonte 268
- Despite elimination, Belmonte’s overall score remained strong for the PBA World Championship standings.
Shark Championship
With three pattern events in the books, Jason Belmonte entered the PBA Shark Championship looking to finish the WSOB XVI qualifying phase on a high note.
Belmonte once again proved his consistency and adaptability, securing a third Round of 16 appearance out of four events and keeping himself in prime position heading into the PBA World Championship Advancer Rounds.
Belmonte’s Performance:
- Qualified 8th after 12 games with a 2,741 total pinfall.
- Missed the top-8 bye by just one spot, forcing him into the Round of 24.
| Strike % | 61% |
| Spare Conversion | 100% |
| Splits | 5% |
| Average | 228 |
| Clean | 96% |
| High Game | 265 |
| Low Game | 195 |
| Nine / or better | 84% |
- Defeated Nate Stubler (USA, 24th seed) 3-1 in his best-of-five Round of 24 matchup.
What’s Next?
- Round of 16 Opponent: Faces Ben Robinson (USA, 8th seed).
- Path to the Finals:
- If victorious, he advances to the quarterfinals (Round of 8) to face either Ahmad Muaz (Malaysia, 1st seed) or Tim Foy Jr (USA, 17th seed).
- The Round of 16, quarterfinals, and stepladder finals will take place on Thursday, March 20 (Australian time).
PBA World Championship
After four grueling animal pattern events, the PBA World Championship leaderboard is set, and Jason Belmonte is firmly in the hunt for another career-defining major title.
His exceptional performances across the Scorpion, Viper, Chameleon, and Shark Championships have positioned him in second place overall after 48 games, averaging an incredible 235.5 per game.
With just 86 pins separating him from top-seeded EJ Tackett (USA), Belmonte remains a serious contender as the championship heads into its final stages.
Belmonte’s Performance So Far:
- Finished 2nd overall after 48 games with a total pinfall of 11,304.
- Averaged 235.5 across four vastly different lane conditions.
- Remained near the top of the standings throughout WSOB XVI, battling closely with Tackett for the No. 1 seed.
What’s Next?
- The top 50 bowlers from qualifying advance to the PBA World Championship Advancer Rounds.
- Two additional rounds of 8 games will be added to each bowler’s total:
- Advancer Round 1: Friday, March 14 (Australian time).
- Advancer Round 2: Saturday, March 15 (Australian time).
- The top 16 after 64 games will move on to Match Play.
The Final Push: Match Play & Stepladder Finals
- The top 16 qualifiers will enter a 15-game round-robin match play phase, plus one positional round:
- Match Play Round 1 & 2: Friday, March 21 (Australian time).
- The top 5 after 80 total games will advance to the PBA World Championship Finals Stepladder.
- The stepladder final takes place on Sunday, March 23, where the champion will be crowned.
As the PBA World Series of Bowling XVI enters its final and most intense stages, Jason Belmonte has once again proven why he is one of the greatest bowlers of all time. His ability to adapt across four challenging animal pattern championships, secure deep tournament runs, and maintain elite-level scoring has positioned him as a serious contender for the PBA World Championship title.
With multiple knockout matches ahead, the stage is set for a thrilling finish. If history has shown us anything, it’s that Belmonte thrives under pressure—and he’ll be ready to bring his best when it matters most.
Tenpin Bowling Australia congratulates Jason on his outstanding performances so far and wishes him the very best of luck as he battles for the PBA Scorpion, PBA Viper, PBA Shark and PBA World Championship.
Stay up to date with the latest PBA World Championship results and coverage:
Credit to PBA.com for the images used.
