Real men go for two. Jason Belmonte went for four.
The two-handed Australian bowler left the 3-6-9-10 pins standing after opening the 10th frame with a strike, and then converted the spare to capture his first-ever PBA U.S. Open title on Sunday at Sun Valley Lanes and complete a historic Super Slam.
"I'm usually a risk-taker," Belmonte said. "Even if there is a split, I'm going to try and make them. If you take two (pins) you'll be up in the count, but I usually go for it. I was really proud to be able to just take a step back and let logic take over."
Belmonte joins only Mike Aulby to win all five PBA major championships. Both Aulby and Belmonte are also the only two PBA bowlers to win the Masters tournament three times.
"I have no words for it," Belmonte said. "Only one other person to have ever done it in the history of our game is crazy. Now there is two of us. I'm just extremely, extremely happy to join Mike on that list."
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Belmonte, the No. 2 seed, defeated U.S. Open top-seeded Anthony Simonsen 226-201 in the stepladder finals format after taking down Dick Allen (215-187) in the semifinals. With the victory over Simonsen, Belmonte moved to 5-3 all-time and 2-2 on televised events against the 23-year old. Simonsen, who stopped Belmonte from winning another major in 2019, was going for his own piece of PBA history to become the youngest bowler to win three major titles.
And as the 3-6-9-10 pins fell with the U.S. Open on the line, Belmonte let out a gigantic roar in front of a sold out Sun Valley crowd.
"My first thought was I just won the U.S. Open, and pretty much every air in my lungs wanted to come out," Belmonte said. "It's an incredible feeling.
"I did everything I could to stay as calm as possible and just let my ball do all the work and all the talking. If I didn't knock them over on the first go I made sure I knocked them over on the second go."
The U.S. Open was the only major title that eluded Belmonte since joining the PBA circuit in 2008. Another U.S. Open title would mean the completion of another Super Slam cycle, as well. The Orange, New South Wales, native now has 12 PBA career major titles including three Masters championships (2013, ’15, ’17).
"To do that I think I need to win the U.S. Open again," Belmonte said. "I think if I win again I complete the cycle.Â
"That's crazy to to even think about. That's my goal. To win the Super Slam twice by winning the next U.S. Open. That will be a pretty cool thing to say."
It was not always easy for Belmonte on Sunday, as the five-time PBA player of the year trailed by seven pins in the sixth frame against Allen in the semifinals. Allen would end up with an open frame in the eighth to allow Belmonte to shut the door.
Then it came down to Belmonte's shining moment against PBA rising star Simonsen.
"I feel for Anthony," Belmonte said. "In 2013, I lost the U.S. Open in the exact same position Anthony was. He dominated this week, led by hundreds of pins and then lost in the title match.
"There was a part of me, that after I won, everything just happened so quickly, that I wanted to talk to him about it. I'll give him a call later and tell him 'Hey, yours will come.' Mine took seven years later, but I've got a feeling he will win his before his seventh year rolls around."
Midland's Perry Crowell, the No. 5 seed, defeated No. 4 Chris Via in the opening round of the stepladder finals, 241-203, before Allen bested Crowell 205-181 in the quarterfinals.