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Mike Jakubowski | PR/Media Relations

Professional Bowlers Association | 719 Second Avenue, Suite 701 | Seattle, WA 98104

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Michael Fagan is Top Qualifier for

PBA Bowling Foundation Long Island Classic ESPN Finals

Australian two-handed bowler Jason Belmonte to make PBA Tour Television Finals Debut



West Babylon, N.Y. (March 27, 2009) – Looking for his first Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour singles title, Michael Fagan of Patchogue, N.Y., earned the No. 1 qualifying position for Sunday’s live ESPN-televised stepladder finals of the Bowling Foundation Long Island Classic at AMF Babylon Lanes.



As a result of earning the No. 2 qualifying position, Australian two-handed bowling sensation Jason Belmonte will make his Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour television debut in Sunday’s finals scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.



After Friday’s Round of 16, the 28-year-old Fagan had a 7,624 overall pinfall and a 12-6 match play record, 53 pins ahead of Belmonte who finished with a 7,571 pinfall and 14-4 record. Belmonte had the tournament lead going into the final position round match against Fagan but lost the match to Fagan 212-185.



“I knew I was going have to do something special to compete with Jason but I was able to pull it out in the position round,” Fagan said. “I had the support of a lot of friends and family here tonight and was happy to give them a good show.”



Belmonte, who has won several major international titles and is in his first year on the PBA Tour, has garnered much media attention this season and will make an appearance with PBA Player of the Year contender Wes Malott Saturday morning from 7-10 a.m. Eastern on Fox & Friends, the top-rated cable morning show on the Fox News Network.



“It’s nice to have the media attention and pressure finally turn into a reward,” said the 25 year-old Belmonte, whose hometown is Orange, Australia. “For America to see me bowl live has been my goal. I will let them their own assessment of what I can do.



“The hardest thing about the stepladder will be sitting there watching the other guys get a feel for the lanes,” Belmonte added.



Fagan’s top finishes this year have been second and fourth place which both came in February.

Belmonte had 11th, 12th and 15th place finishes in February and posted a 10th place finish in the PBA World Championship which opened the season last October.



Rounding out the stepladder field will be No. 3 qualifier, Bill O’Neill, Southampton, Pa.; No. 4 qualifier, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., and No. 5 qualifier, Robert Smith of Columbus, Ohio.





Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour

2009 Bowling Foundation Long Island Classic

AMF Babylon Lanes, West Babylon, N.Y.

Round of 16 Results After 32 Games
1, Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 12-6, 7,624
2, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 14-4, 7,571
3, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 10-8, 7,448
4, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 10-8, 7,443
5, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 10-8, 7,401
6, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 13-5, 7,397, $4,000
7, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 11-7, 7,319, $3,700
8, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 9-9, 7,316, $3,400
9, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 8-10, 7,312, $3,200
10, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 9-9, 7,282, $3,000
11, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 9-9, 7,263, $2,800
12, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 9-8-1, 7,257, $2,700
13, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 7-10-1, 7,246, $2,650
14, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 8-10, 7,159, $2,600
15, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 8-10, 7,154, $2,550
16, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 9-9, 7,104, $2,500





About the PBA

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) features the best bowlers in the world competing in National, Regional and Senior Tour events and will award over $4.3 million in prize money during the 2008-09 Lumber Liquidators PBA National Tour. The organization has more than 4,000 members spanning 13 countries, and nearly one million viewers tune-in to watch the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour every Sunday on ESPN throughout the season. PBA sponsors include Bayer, Brunswick, CLR, Denny's, Etonic, Flomax, GEICO, Go RVing, H&R Block, Lumber Liquidators, Motel 6, Pepsi-Cola and the USBC, among others. For more information on the PBA, log on to www.pba.com. This season marks the 50th Anniversary of the PBA Tour.



About The Bowling Foundation
The Bowling Foundation operates and supports many youth related programs, bowling organizations and charitable causes through the efforts of bowlers, leagues, associations, and bowling centers. Some of the most important programs include: Bowl For The Cure with the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Special Olympics, Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, Bowl For Veterans, and various scholarships and grants for schools and youth organizations. For more information, log onto www.bowlingfoundation.org