The World Bowling Tour again will feature events from every zone in 2015 as the tour kicks off its fifth season.
The 2015 schedule, which actually includes five events from late 2014, will consist of 16 events, and begins with the Professional Bowlers Association World Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, from Oct. 26-Nov. 2.
The 2014 It’s Daejeon International Open in Daejeon, Korea, has come on board and will be a major event with double points awarded, just like the PBA World Championship.
"Starting the 2015 World Bowling Tour with back-to-back majors is a great way to begin our fifth season," World Bowling President and CEO Kevin Dornberger said. "It is my hope that many bowlers will travel to compete in Daejeon. It’s a first-class event in a first-class city."
After the Daejeon event, the WBT heads into its first swing of events in the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC). The Qatar Open will take place in Doha from Nov. 22-27 and be immediately followed by the 8th Kingdom International Open in Riydah, Saudi Arabia, from Nov. 28-Dec. 2.
The World Men’s Championships, another major event, will take place Dec. 4-15 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The WMC is open only to those who qualify to compete for their home federation.
The Brunswick Ballmaster Open in Helsinki, Finland, is the lone event in January from Jan. 2-11, while the United States Bowling Congress Masters, a major, takes place Feb. 1-8 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States.
In late February and March, the WBT returns with the second GCC swing with the H.H. Emir Cup in Doha, Qatar (Feb. 24-March 2), the Kingdom of Bahrain Open (March 3-9) and the Kuwait International Open (March 10-14). The Brunswick Euro Challenge in Munich, Germany, wraps up March from March 14-22.
The PBA Summer Swing Oklahoma Open takes place May 9-17 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, United States, while the women’s only United States Bowling Congress Queens will be held May 13-19 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States.
The WBT Thailand event is back on the schedule in Bangkok, Thailand, with dates yet to be set in October. The U.S. Open will also be on the tour but dates a location have not been announced.
The WBT is made up of various events around the world and players earn points based on how they finish in each event. The current points system is based on a continuous two-year cycle.
The top three men and top three women in the points list will compete in the season-ending World Bowling Tour Finals in November in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
The special event will feature a total prize fund of $70,000. The prize money for each division is the same, with the winner taking $20,000, second place earning $10,000 and third place winning $5,000.
For more information on the World Bowling Tour, visit WorldBowling.org.
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