Mario Quintero wins first title at 2024 PBA50 World Championship

Jackson, Michigan – Bowling fans are familiar with the fiery and charismatic personality of PBA Tour player Arturo Quintero, but over the past two weeks, it was his older brother Mario who captured the attention of viewers of the 2024 PBA50 World Series of Bowling II with his calm demeanor.

The 10-time Team Mexico member and gold medalist in the men’s all-events tournament at the 2023 International Bowling Federation World Senior Championships is now a major champion on the PBA50 Tour.

Quintero was one of three bowlers to make every cut at the PBA50 Ballard, Monacelli and Petraglia Championships. Going into the final two days of round-robin match play at the World Championships, the tall right-hander went 11-6-1, averaging 227.28 in 43 games. He earned the No. 1 seed in Monday’s stepladder finals at JAX 60 for the chance to face Brad Angelo, who also made every cut.

In the championship match, Quintero chose to let Angelo start. Angelo, who decided to stay all the way to the right and throw the ball up, started the match with a strike followed by two single-pin spares. Quintero converted a 10-pin followed by a double, before a mishit in the fourth frame resulted in the 1-2-4-6-10. He only got the 1-2 for an open frame. Angelo responded with a strike and another single-pin spare.

Quintero shook off the washout as he showed the kind of hitting power the other players had been seeing all week, throwing four straight strikes.

After Angelo missed the head pin in the sixth inning, he took the spare and watched a filthy head pin messenger take out the 9-pin. After leaving a stone-9 in the eighth frame, Angelo heard a kid yell and joked, “That’s how I feel.” He got the spare followed by another spare in the foundation frame.

Quintero stepped up in the ninth frame and needed just one more point in the last two frames to win and he delivered with a strike. That was when he showed a little emotion as he clenched his fists. He took a spare and hit for 228, while Angelo Had 180.

“I’m so happy,” Quintero said through an interpreter. “I was so nervous when I bowled with the best in the world. I focused on my game, I didn’t think about the player I was playing against; I just hit my shots.”

Entering the PBA50 WSOB II, Quintero won the 2024 Bud Moore Players Championship in 30th place in his first PBA50 tournament. He said he learned so much from that first experience going into the WSOB. He finished ninth in the Ballard, 13th in the Monacelli and seventh in the Petraglia Championships.

With his $25,000 check at the World Championship, equal to the largest cash prize in PBA50 Tour history, Quintero has earned $29,500 in five events. With the victory, he qualifies for the PBA50 Tournament of Champions, which begins August 12 at the historic AMF Riviera Lanes.

“I think I’ll go,” he said, smiling.

In the opening match of the World Championship, fifth-seeded Brian Dennis faced reigning champion Chris Barnes. Both players started the match calmly, as Dennis had three spares in his first four shots and Barnes started with three spares. Barnes threw three consecutive strikes to take the lead. Dennis doubled in the fifth and sixth frames and split in the seventh and ninth frames. After a spare, Barnes threw four consecutive strikes to take command and win the match 245-206.

Barnes would next face Mika Koivuniemi, who also made all three cuts at WSOB II and was making his fifth straight stepladder final. Barnes started with strike, spare, strike until Koivuniemi’s spare, strike, then a 7-10 split for an open followed by a spare. Both responded with doubles. After back-to-back spares for Barnes in the sixth and seventh, Koivuniemi went spare, strike, while Barnes went strike, spare.

In the ninth frame, Koivuniemi struck, followed by a strike on his first shot in the tenth. His next ball failed to make the left turn, leaving 4-8, which he picked up for 215.

Barnes struck on his first shot. He needed only nine pins to win, but left a 9-pin behind. He picked it up for 217.

In the semifinals, Barnes faced Angelo. Angelo’s strategy of playing the lanes completely differently than the other bowlers ultimately earned him a nice payday. After Angelo started the match with a spare, Barnes took the 4-9 split. From there, Angelo threw down three straight strikes while Barnes threw down four straight to take an 11-pin lead into the fifth frame. After picking up an 8-pin, Angelo regained the lead in the seventh when he threw down three strikes to set himself up for the 10th frame.

Barnes, who was far left and hooking the court, saw his gaze disappear and posted five straight spares and a nine-count to end his run with a 223. Angelo doubled up in the final frame and hugged Barnes. Angelo, making his fifth stepladder final of the year, finished with a 257 to win the $13,000 second-place prize.

As for the new champion, Quintero is looking forward to celebrating his big win with his wife Mariana, who is back home in Mexico City, but that will have to wait. He will compete in the inaugural 2024 PBA/PBA50/PWBA Jonesboro Trios beginning Thursday in Jonesboro, Ark., and the PBA50 South Shore Classic on Aug. 6 in Indiana.

When asked who his younger brother Arturo was the best bowler, he was quick to answer.

“My brother is crazy. I think he is better,” Quintero said. “I have to respect Arturo because he is my mother’s favorite, so I have to let him win sometimes.”

Arturo watched and was so excited for Mario. “We are very proud and very happy,” Arturo said. “This will encourage a lot of people to follow their dreams.”

FINAL STANDINGS PBA50 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP:

1. Mario Quintero, $25,000
2. Brad Angelo, $13,000
3. Chris Barnes, $7,000
4. Mika Koivuniemi, $6,000
5. Brian Dennis, $5,000

COMPETITION RESULTS
Match 1: Barnes defeats Dennis 245-206
Match 2: Barnes def. Koivuniemi 217-215
Match 3: Angelo defeats Barnes 257-223
Championship Match: Quintero defeats Angelo 228-180

Final Standings – PBA50 World Championship