Belmonte in Charge of PBA Pete Weber Missouri Classic

• Championship Sunday begins at 4 p.m. ET on The CW
• Qualifying and match play continue Thursday and Friday on BowlTV
• Three-time reigning POTY EJ Tackett continues title defense

For the first time, Jason Belmonte is competing in the PBA Pete Weber Missouri Classic. Family obligations took the Australian back home during this event during each of the past two seasons, he said.

Belmonte is making the most of his debut as he leads the 90-player field through two rounds of qualifying. The two-hander averaged more than 236 to accumulate a total pinfall of 2,839 (+439) at Bowlero St. Peters outside of St. Louis, Mo.

Patrick Dombrowski, who led the opening round of qualifying, Zach Wilkins, Packy Hanrahan and Anthony Neuer round out the top five.

The top 24 players following the third round of qualifying on Thursday will advance to elimination match play. 

Cam Crowe, Thomas Larsen and Graham Fach, as well as the top five, are in position to earn a one-round bye in match play.

Defending champion EJ Tackett is the current cut with a total pinfall of 2,616, a 218 per game pace.

Belmonte finished in 37th place during the season-opening PBA Players Championship last week.

He said he often struggles to perform near his best at the start of a new season, largely due to the extensive travel. It takes almost two full days for Belmonte to travel from his hometown of Orange, New South Wales in Australia to the first tour stop each year.

“I hear a lot of people ask why I don't leave earlier,” Belmonte said. “I think it's a really difficult thing for people to understand that when you're gone for six months of the year, you're not trying to add any extra days (away from home). That's just part of the game for me. It's been that way my whole career, so I just have to put up with it.”

Belmonte and Weber’s careers are inextricably linked.

Weber won his record-tying 10th career major against Belmonte in the 2013 PBA Tournament of Champions. Six years later, Belmonte broke that very record with his 11th career major title.

“Pete is one of the greatest to ever lace the shoes up,” he said. “The Weber name, it is bowling. I have a lot of respect for the Weber name. Hopefully, my ball keeps doing what it's doing right now, and I’m shaking Pete's hand at the end of the week.”

Anthony Neuer not only bounced back from a disappointing performance in Texas, but a dismal showing during the first round in Missouri. Neuer averaged 200 on the nose and sat in 81st place after the opening round.

Despite the scoresheet, Neuer remained confident in his abilities.

“I was really close this morning. I felt like I had control of the pocket,” Neuer said. “In the parking lot, I was talking to Cam (Crowe) and I said ‘I feel like tonight's gonna be a big block.’”

That would prove to be an understatement as Neuer put up games of 279, 203, 252, 299, 279 and 238 — an average of 258.33 — to surge into fifth place overall.

The 23-year-old said he committed to a mental reset after the first round, focusing on one shot at a time instead of looking at the bigger picture. The other reason for his turnaround, he said, was “fate.”

His father, Andy Neuer, won the 1994 Bud Light Hall of Fame Championship in Richmond Heights — located just 20 miles southeast of St. Peters.

“I’ve got to try to make the show and finish the job this week,” Neuer said. 

Kyle Sherman of neighboring O’Fallon, Mo. is in 48th place, while last week’s champion Brandon Bonta sits in 71st place.

All rounds this week are contested on the 45-foot Dick Weber oil pattern.

Following Thursday morning’s final qualifying round, the top 24 players will advance to elimination match play. Each match will be the best of seven games.

The winners of each bracket, as well as the highest-seeded loser in the Round of 8, will advance to the stepladder finals.

The championship round is set for Sunday, March 1 at 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. local time).

PBA Pete Weber Missouri Classic Schedule

All times Eastern

Thursday, Feb. 26 — BowlTV
11 a.m. — Qualifying Round 3 (six games)
7 p.m. — Elimination Match Play - Round of 24 (best of 7 games)

Friday, Feb. 27 — BowlTV
12 p.m. — Elimination Match Play - Round of 16 (best of 7 games)
7 p.m. — Elimination Match Play - Round of 8 (best of 7 games)

Saturday, Feb. 28 — BowlTV
8:30 p.m. — PBA Junior National Championship Finals

Sunday, March 1 — The CW
4 p.m. — PBA Pete Weber Missouri Classic stepladder finals