Masters is a career-de- fining moment. People remember that and you’ll always have that next to your name.” Jones, 32, already


has two majors under his belt — the 2006 U.S. Open and the 2007 Tournament of Champions — and winning a Masters title would go a long way toward ensuring his high ranking in the greatest players of all time.


Two Hands, One Winner


LIKE KOIVUNIEMI, the Masters holds a special place in Jason Belmonte’s heart. “The Masters was the very first USBC/PBA event I ever played. So I would love to win the event that I first flew to the USA for,” he says. After finishing eighth in the event last year, the popu-


lar Australian two-hander would like improve on that and make the TV show this year. “Every major has a little ‘something special’ about it,”


says Belmonte. “The U.S. Open is special because how hard the lanes are, the Tournament of Champions be- cause of its history and the prize fund, and the Masters because of the amount of games you play and the format. The Masters is about surviving and I love to fight. I never give up.”


19 USBOWLERFEBRUARY 2011


the top amateurs come out to bowl so the field is always very strong. “Winning the Mas-


LIKE MIKE?: Team USA’s Mike Fagan is looking to get over the hump and make this year’s TV show.


He’s come close to the title, making the TV show twice in his ca- reer (2006 and ’09), but finishing fourth on both occasions. “I’d love to change


that this year,” he says. “The Masters has a lot of prestige because of the names that have won the event and the mental strain that you go through to win the event, with match after match of bowling. It’s basically all of bowl- ing’s event because all USBC members can compete. You get all of


ters would be another major on my resume and those are very hard to come by. I am a stu- dent of the game and have always paid at- tention to the records. There is a lot left that I want to accomplish in my career, but winning the Masters is right up at the top of that list.” Jones pauses his ex-


citement for a moment before concluding, “I just look forward to a great event and hope to hold the trophy on that Sunday.” Whether it will be


the veteran Finn Koi- vuniemi or one of the hungry young pro stars hitting their prime, or even a from-out-of-no- where amateur sensa- tion (which has been known to happen at the Masters from time to time), you can bet the competition will be fierce.


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