To put it simply Jim it means they have taken actual millilitres of oil away for this pattern. Most of the PBA pattern have about 22 to 30 mil of oil spread on the lane, I believe this one is well below 20mls.
Usually volume is needed to stop the high performance covers of todays modern bowling balls breaking down the pattern in a matter of frames. They are using plastic this week which does not have footprint (grip) of the hook monsters we are acustom to, therefore a lighter volume was applied to compensate.
If the put out a normal volume for this it would push all the oil down the lane and it scores would be very tight and would decrease as the day went on (especially with plastic). From what I hear, bowlers arent having to move much on this pattern for the duration of the 7 games unlike most weeks where they can move 10 boards in a game sometimes.
Here is the press release about Belmo leading
Powered by two 300 games and averaging 240.4, Australian two-hander Jason Belmonte led after two qualifying rounds Thursday in the Professional Bowlers Association GEICO Mark Roth Plastic Ball Championship at AMF Babylon Lanes.
Belmonte, the 2008-09 PBA Rookie of the Year, had a 3,366 14-game pinfall total to hold a 27-pin lead over the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour’s all-time career titlist Walter Ray Williams Jr., in second with 3,339.
The field of 64 was cut to the top 32 players who will advance to match play beginning Friday morning.
For this tournament all players are required to use two specially-made Mark Roth plastic bowling balls incorporating 1970s-era technology.
Belmonte became the first two-handed bowler to win a Tour event when he won The Bowling Foundation Long Island Classic at AMF Babylon Lanes last season.
Belmonte’s 300 games were the first he’s bowled with plastic equipment and each came in the sixth game of both seven-game blocks Thursday.
“This is a different tournament but matching up well with the center means a lot regardless,” said the 26-year-old Belmonte. In both blocks (Thursday) I started out slow and was feeling more comfortable towards the end but I would never have expected to throw two 300 games, especially with plastic equipment.”
The 50-year-old Williams, who owns 47 Tour titles, is looking for his third title of the season having won the season-opening Motor City Open and his second United States Bowling Congress Masters title in February. He is currently second in the Player of the Year Race four points behind Bill O’Neill.
“I had a nice reaction all day and really didn’t change much of anything,” Williams said. “For me it played like a track shot from the old lacquer days.”
PBA Hall of Famer and 14-time Tour titlist Johnny Petraglia and his son Johnny Jr. qualified seventh and 26th respectively, the first time the pair have made a cut together.
“I wish they were all plastic ball tournaments,” said the 63-year-old Petraglia Sr. “Bowling in a tournament with my son and named after Mark Roth – it doesn’t get much better than that.”
After a tie for the 32nd and final cut position, Chris Loschetter defeated Steve Harmann in a one-game roll-off 223-213 to advance.
In addition to using equipment that emphasizes a player’s ability to make adjustments without being able to rely on the technology built into today’s more advanced balls, requiring all players to use the same type of equipment also equalizes the playing field.
After Friday morning’s match play round the field will be cut to 16 for another match play round Friday evening which will determine the top five who will advance to Sunday’s finals to be telecast live on ESPN at 2 p.m. Eastern.
LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR
GEICO MARK ROTH PLASTIC BALL CHAMPIONSHIP
AMF Babylon Lanes, West Babylon, N.Y., March 25
SECOND ROUND
(After 14 games, top 32 players advance to match play)
1, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 3,366.
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,339.
3, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 3,320.
4, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 3,293.
5, Brian Ziesig, Levittown, N.Y., 3,241.
6, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 3,228.
7, John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 3,218.
8, Alex Cavagnaro, Lindenhurst, N.Y., 3,215.
9, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 3,213.
10, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 3,208.
11, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3,206.
12, Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., 3,204.
13, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 3,197.
14, (tie) Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., and Brian Waliczek, Birch Run, Mich., 3,152.
16, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 3,151.
17, Robert Smith, Columbus, Ohio, 3,144.
18, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 3,139.
19, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 3,125.
20, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 3,120.
21, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 3,119.
22, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 3,112.
23, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 3,111.
24, Ronnie Russell, Camby, Ind., 3,108.
25, Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa, 3,100.
26, Johnny Petraglia Jr., Youngstown, Ohio, 3,093.
27, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 3,077.
28, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 3,059.
29, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 3,058.
30, Cassidy Schaub, Ashland, Ohio, 3,043.
31, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 3,040.
32, (tie) Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, and Steve Harman, Indianapolis, 3,035.
Loschetter def. Harman, 223-213, in one-game roll-off to advance to match play
