UP-AND-COMER: Team USA star Bill O’Neill finished fifth in the Masters last year. Is this year his turn?

$250,000 WINNER: Click on the play button (above left) to see BOWL.com’s post- game interview with Tournament of Champions winner Mika Koivuniemi.

alike from all over the world. The competition is fierce to say the least. But Koivuniemi

— nicknamed “Major Mika” for his penchant at winning the big events — remains un- fazed by the weight of such things. “I haven’t entered the Masters yet,” he said. “Of course I will… I probably

should do that soon.” (Just a hint to anyone else out there who may have dragged your feet — the Masters registra- tion deadline is Feb. 6!) “I’m 43 now, but

I was in my early 30s when I won the Masters in 2000,” said Kovuni- emi. “It always has such special meaning to me because it was my first

“It seems like (the Masters) would be easier than a competition like the Tournament of Champions, but it’s not.”

—Mika Koivuniemi

ever win on the Tour. I look at the format of the Masters with its double elimination. It seems like it would be easier than a competi- tion like the Tourna- ment of Champions, but it’s not. There are so many who come to bowl and there is some luck involved. If you’re paired with the wrong guy or on the wrong lanes anything could happen!” The laid-back Finn

does get excited talk- ing about some of his potential competitors,

though. Especially, the younger pro stars, most of whom are in their 30s and hitting the prime of their careers. And all of them have one thing in common: They’ve never won a USBC Masters and they are definitely hungry for the title. “Guys like Wes Ma-

lott, Bill O’Neill, Mike Fagan, Tommy Jones and Jason Belmonte — all those guys are play- ing so well now. If you

17 USBOWLER FEBRUARY 2011

take away the luck fac- tor, I think any one of those guys could grab their first Masters title. “Malott especially is

bowling so good these days. And Bill O’Neill is one of the hardest working bowlers I’ve seen. I love the way he sees the lanes and plays the lanes. He’s one of the best in the sport right now.” Ask him about his

own chances to win, and Koivuniemi just

smiles for a moment before saying, “Well that would be some- thing wouldn’t it? I think I may have an OK shot at the Player of the Year then, eh?” But what about

those other guys? Ma- lott, O’Neill, Fagan and Jones are all on Team USA and have popped up at the top or near the top of leaderboards this whole season. Bel- monte is the interna- tional sensation who’s