Shawn Maldonado looks for back-to-back PBA titles in Lubbock

Reigning champion Shawn Maldonado headlines the field for this weekends' Pro Bowlers Association Lubbock Sports Shootout, which will be held at South Plains Lanes starting Saturday.

Maldonado took home the title last year, under its previous name, the Lubbock Sports Open, edging Jake Peters 222-199 in the championship round. That was Maldonado's second career PBA Tour national title and he's among the nearly 100 bowlers competing for this year's crown.

Peters will also return to Lubbock looking to avenge the runner-up finish in 2021. Other notable names scheduled to compete include 2019 champion Jakob Butturff, Dom Barrett, AJ Chapman, Anthony and Sean Leavery-Spahr, Francois Lavoie, Anthony Simonsen, E.J. Tackett and Stuart Williams.

Competition begins in earnest at 9 a.m. Saturday.

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Bowlers will be divided into two squads, some bowling in the morning and others in the afternoon, each rolling eight games. The top third of Saturday's bowlers advance to Sunday's cashers round.

The four games of the cashers round are slated to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday. The top 12 bowlers will advance to the afternoon's round robin match play. The champion will be determined by the total number of pins after the position round. South Plains Lanes will use the chameleon oil pattern for the tournament.

The winner is projected to earn the $10,00 prize. The final cash spot is expected to win an minimum of $750.

Previous winners of the Lubbock Sports Open include Maldonado in 2021, Butturff in 2019 and 2016, Marshall Kent in 2017 E.J. Tackett in 2015, Sean Rash in 2012 and Chris Barnes in 2008. The event was not held in 2020.

Previous winners of the Lubbock Sports Open, which has been a PBA national tour title since 2015, include Maldonado (2021), Butturff (2019 and 2016), Chris Barnes (2018), Marshall Kent (2017) and E.J. Tackett (2015).

2022 PBA Lubbock Sports Shootout

Saturday's Schedule

Roll call 30 minutes before scheduled squad times

A Squad (eight games) — 9 a.m.

B Squad (eight games) — 2:30 p.m.

Top 1/3rd advance to Cashers Round

Sunday's Schedule

Cashers Round (four games) — 8:30 a.m. (total pins carry over)

Re-oil

Noon — Top 12 advance to Round Robin Match Play

Total pins after position round determine all final standings

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Shawn Maldonado looks for back-to-back PBA titles in Lubbock