February 11, 2022 Nolan Hughes

The third event of the 2022 PBA season took place in Jackson, Michigan at the THE STORM CUP: David Small's Best Of The Best Championship. The scoring pace ping-ponged in the positive direction as the season briefly winds down following back-to-back majors.

1. Jason Belmonte - 11,370
Belmonte came back down to earth following a pair of top-three performances in the season-opening majors. He sat 67th of 72 entrants after the first six games of qualifying and 167 pins out of the cut, almost inconceivable for the 26-time titleist. He returned to form in the second block, but ultimately came up 44 pins shy of the cut. He would be the Player of the Year favorite as retains his early lead in the points race.

2. Anthony Simonsen - 9,480
The three-time major champ picked up right where he left off at the U.S. Open, averaging almost 250 to trail only Jesper Svensson after six games. But then it was almost as if someone channeled their inner Monstar to sap Simonsen’s superpowers, as Simonsen mustered just +61 over his final six games to miss the cut by 10 pins. He’ll need that green jacket to keep warm as the PBA continues its parade across the Midwest.

3. EJ Tackett - 7,955
Tackett showed no signs of a hangover following his disappointing loss in the US Open title match. He averaged over 236 across 18 games to finish 10th. As the only player to post consecutive top-10 finishes, he made up some ground on Belmonte and Simonsen in the points race.

4. Sean Rash - 6,285
Rash did not bowl in Jackson, serving his suspension.

5. Jake Peters - 5,595
Peters’ splendid 2022 season keeps on marching. He averaged over 230 to make the cut in Jackson before settling in 19th place and a third straight finish inside the cash. The 32-year-old moves into the top five of the points race.

6. AJ Johnson - 5,385
There are two ways to look at Johnson’s finish in Jackson. Both of these statements are true.

Glass half empty: Johnson followed up a pair of brilliant performances in the season-opening major events, posting a 44th place finish.

Glass half full: Johnson followed up a pair of brilliant performances in the season-opening major events, averaging 226 across his 12 games of qualifying.

7. Jesper Svensson - 5,135
They say winning cures all ailments, and that would be true in the case of the Svensson. He did not compete in the Players Championship and finished 81st at the US Open, but a sensational, wire-to-wire victory in Jackson elevates him all the way into seventh place in the points race.

8. Tommy Jones - 5,110
It’s a testament to Jones’ performance in the two majors that a 50th place finish hardly affects his standing in the points race. It’s also a testament to the lofty scoring pace in Jackson that he finished 50th after averaging 222.83 for 12 games.

9. Packy Hanrahan - 4,857.5
Hanrahan broke through in Jackson after finishing seventh at the Players Championship Southwest regional qualifier, missing the show by 50 pins, then shooting 152 in his final game at the U.S. Open to flag the cut by 40 pins.

He sat inside the top-four from beginning to end, earning the third seed for the stepladder. Hanrahan took down Dom Barrett and Nick Pate before falling to Svensson in the title match. The 26-year-old looks to be knocking on the door of his first career PBA title.

10. Dom Barrett - 4,630
The Barrett who showed up to Jackson resembled the Barrett who led the Players Championship Southwest regional qualifier, not the one who missed the cut at the U.S. Open. A fourth-place finish propelled him from 23rd into the top 10 of the points race.

11. Bill O'Neill - 4,520
A sixth-place finish at the JAX60 stop moved O’Neill into the top 16 through three events, but he might be happier about his beloved 76ers’ acquisition of James Harden.

On that note, Harden would fit seamlessly in the bowling world: He’s left-handed; relies primarily on skill; complains about bad calls/carry; and doesn’t like to stay in one city too long. Put a urethane ball in his hands and he just might make a show.

12. Brad Miller - 4,460
Miller dominated in the initial 12 games of qualifying, sitting fifth through 12 games. Though he missed the cut following the second advancers round, finishing in 13th place overall, he continues to climb the PBA Playoffs standings.

13. François Lavoie - 4,290
A 47th-place finish wasn’t what the Canadian hoped for in Jackson, but he remains within the current PBA Playoffs cut.

14. Kyle Troup - 4,280
An eighth-place finish in Jackson powers Troup into the top 16 of the points race. He may not be content with that finish after sitting third through 12 games, but he should be satisfied with moving in the right direction. The 2021 Player of the Year sat 21st in the points race after the U.S. Open.

15. Wesley Low Jr. - 4,110
Low couldn’t replicate the success of fellow two-handed lefties Svensson and Hanrahan on the 37-foot Viper pattern. However, the sophomore continues what looks to be the makings of a breakout season on the PBA Tour.

16. DJ Archer - 4,107.5
Archer pops into the top 16 after a ninth place finish in Jackson. He trailed Mykel Holliman by just a single pin for the final spot in the round of eight.

17. Sam Cooley - 4,075
If the season ended today, Cooley would be the first player out of the PBA Playoffs cut. Good news: the season does not end today. Plus, Cooley bested Belmonte by a whopping four pins to seize the Aussie belt for the week.

18. Patrick Dombrowski - 4,020
Dombrowski did not compete in Jackson, but remains well within PBA Playoffs contention.

19. Brandon Novak - 3,965
Novak ends the week exactly where he began. A solid 15th-place finish in Jackson followed an eighth-place finish at the U.S. Open, which launched Novak from 91st into PBA Playoffs contention.

20. Tom Daugherty - 3,795
Daugherty plummets from 12th to 20th in the points race after a 55th-place finish in Jackson. Over the course of the entire season, this disappointing performance could be just a minor blip on the radar.

PBA action resumes at the THE STORM CUP: David Small’s Kokomo Championship next Monday, Feb. 14.

Dropped outside the top 20: Arturo Quintero, Kyle Sherman, Graham Fach, Wes Malott, Norm Duke