The USBC Masters is a championship ten pin bowling event conducted by the United States Bowling Congress. The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) began recognizing it as a title event in 1998, and it was designated one of the four majors in 2000.
Prior to 2005 the tournament was known as the ABC Masters, conducted by the American Bowling Congress (which became the USBC in 2005). The Masters began as an invitational event showcasing national and local bowling stars and has grown to become one of bowling’s most prestigious events.
While the event has evolved over the years, its trademark qualifying and double-elimination match play format has remained largely unchanged. All bowlers compete in 10 games of qualifying, with the top 25 percent of the field returning for five additional games to determine the top 63. Those qualifiers join the previous year’s champion in the match play bracket. All head-to-head matches consist of 3 games, highest total pinfall wins.[1]
Hundreds of competitors turn out for the Masters each year with their sights set on a prize fund that has recently been as high as $350,000, including a $50,000 top prize (plus a two-year PBA Tour exemption for PBA members).[2] The field, which now includes women, also features representatives from all 50 states and a handful of foreign countries.
The Masters is open to any USBC league member who has averaged 190 or higher for 21 games during the past two seasons, any non-USBC league member who is classified by the PBA as a Full Member, any bowler who has averaged 190 or higher in his/her past five ABC/WIBC/USBC Tournaments, and any state/provincial representatives who have placed first or second in the all-events category of their association tournament.[3]
After the Masters in January 2004, the tournament was moved to the fall, resulting in two Masters events during 2004. (The first was part of the 2003-04 PBA season, and the second was part of the 2004-05 season.) Then in 2008, the tournament was moved back to the spring, which is why there was no Masters during 2008.
The 2011 USBC Masters was held at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada, and won by Tom Hess. It was Hess's first career PBA title.[4] The 2012 event is scheduled for January 23-29, and will be held in Henderson, Nevada.[5]
NOTE: In May, 2008, the PBA announced it was revising its all-time records to include ABC Masters championships prior to 1998 as PBA titles (and majors), if the champion was a PBA member at the time.[6]
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