Posted on: Friday, March 19, 2004

Palolo Valley bowler comes up big in Reno

Advertiser Staff

Scott Wong of Palolo Valley has never bowled a 300 game, but he came up big during the ongoing American Bowling Congress National Tournament in Reno, Nev.

Wong, 34, bowled a three-game series of 670 that included a 279 game in which he had strikes on 11 of 12 frames (he spared the sixth frame).

Wong's feat came in February when he competed along with about 20 other Hawai'i residents. His series placed him in the top 20 at the time.

But since the tournament lasts until June and is open to any member of the ABC or anyone who bowls in a league, Wong's place has fallen to 58 and could fall further.

Wong said it was the "best I've done in this tournament, a tournament of this magnitude."

Wong said roughly 100,000 bowlers will participate in the event. Each bowler gets one attempt, but Wong said judging on past history, a three-game series of 800 is needed to win.

"It's kind of exciting, but in the whole big picture, you go into the tournament and you know what score will win. The 670 ... I won't finish in the top 1,000," he said.

Wong said payouts could be given to as many as 15,000 places, depending on the number of bowlers entered. First prize might be around $9,000, he said.

"In the past 10 years, you would need to shoot 800 or better to win it," said Wong, a Saint Louis School graduate.

"Basically, you're going to have to average 266 over three games. People who usually win the tournament are guys who don't make it on the pro tour but are still very good. That caliber of bowler."