6th USBC Open Tenpin Bowling Championship

1. Organization

• a. This tournament is organized and hosted by the United Southern Bowlers Club Inc. (USBC) and sanctioned by the Philippine Bowling Federation (PBF). The PBF and International Bowling Federation (IBF) Playing Rules as of September 2019 shall apply.
• b. This tournament is an official part of the PBF Circuit Stop.

2. Eligibility

• a. All PBF member association bowlers in good standing, as well as unattached members from any local association or bowling club, are welcome to compete in any division for which they qualify.
• b. For the Senior divisions, only players who are 50 years old or above as of September 4, 2026, are eligible to play.

3. Divisions

• a. Mixed OPEN Division: Open to all bowlers, male or female, regardless of average.
• b. Men's CLASSIFIED Division: Open to all male bowlers with an average of 195 and below. Current National Pool members are exempted to participate in this division.
• c. "Bong Coo" LADIES Division: Open to all female bowlers with an average of 185 and below.
• d. Mixed NOVICE Division: Open to all male and female bowlers with an average of 160 and below, provided they have never won a championship in any PBF Open Tournament.
• e. Mixed CLASSIFIED SENIOR Division: Open to all senior bowlers (50 years old and above by September 4, 2026) with an average of 195 and below.
• f. Mixed SENIOR RISING STAR Division: Open to all senior bowlers (50 years old and above by September 4, 2026) with an average of 160 and below, provided they have never won a championship in any PBF Open Tournament or any Senior Division.

4. Averages / Handicap

a. Handicaps are as follows:

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• b. Classification and Averages: Bowlers will be classified according to the latest PBF official averages. Bowlers without a PBF average must submit an average certificate from their respective association, signed by the Association Secretary, President, or Tournament Director. However, the Tournament Committee reserves the right to review and assess any certified average issued by these officials. Bowlers without a certified average will automatically be placed in the Open Category and assigned an average of 196 for men and 186 for women. To claim an age-based handicap, players must present a valid government-issued ID (such as a Driver's License, SSS ID, or Passport).
• c. Misdeclaration of Average: Any misdeclaration of a bowler's average will result in immediate disqualification from the tournament, and all entry fees will be forfeited without a refund.
• d. National Team Handicaps: Philippine National Pool and National Youth Team members will play with a zero (0) handicap for men, and an eight (8) pin handicap for ladies.

5. Maximum Score

• a. The maximum possible score per game is 300 pinfalls, inclusive of the bowler's handicap, if any.
• b. It is the bowler's sole responsibility to verify the correctness of their score by signing the official score sheet. No protests regarding score errors will be entertained after the sheet has been signed and submitted.

6. Registration

• a. Duly accomplished registration forms, along with their corresponding entry fees, must be submitted to the Tournament Secretariat. GCash payments are accepted, provided the Secretariat is notified immediately upon transfer. Entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to lane availability and squad times.
• b. The registration fee includes three (3) qualifying sets.
• c. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any entry, as well as to postpone, add, or cancel any scheduled squad time.

7. Check-in Time

• a. All participants must check in at the tournament counter at least fifteen (15) minutes before their scheduled squad time.
• b. The official clock of the Bowling Center shall serve as the official time for the entire tournament.

8. Dress Code and Uniforms

• a. Bowlers must wear proper bowling attire. Standard polo shirts, jerseys, and T-shirts are permitted; sleeveless shirts, tank tops, and undershirts are strictly prohibited.
• b. Male bowlers are not allowed to wear shorts during the Qualifying Rounds or the Masters Finals. Long pants or slacks must be worn.
• c. Female bowlers are not allowed to wear short shorts or miniskirts during the Qualifying Rounds or the Masters Finals. Proper athletic skirts, skorts, shorts, or slacks are acceptable.
• d. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to bar any participant from competing if they are not in proper uniform.

9. Tournament Events

• a. Qualifying Sets (QS): A Qualifying Set consists of a two-game series, inclusive of the bowler's handicap. To qualify for the Masters Finals in any division, a bowler must complete a minimum of three (3) sets (a total of 6 games) for that specific division. Registered bowlers may play as many Qualifying Sets as they wish to improve their standing; only their best three (3) sets will count toward qualification.
• b. Double-Up Scores: "Double-up" entries are permitted, provided they are registered and paid for at the tournament counter prior to the start of the scheduled qualifying squad.
• c. Desperado Squad Eligibility: To be eligible for the Desperado Squad, a bowler must have completed at least six (6) Qualifying Sets. A registered and played "Double-up" set will count as one (1) valid QS toward this requirement.

10. Masters Finals Event

• a. Mixed OPEN Division: The Top 37 qualifiers, plus two (2) Desperado qualifiers, and the 5th USBC Open Champion (as a seeded player), will play a 8-game series inclusive of handicaps, with lane movement after every game. The top three (3) bowlers after 8 games will proceed to the stepladder shootout. Bowlers finishing in 4th, 5th, and 6th place will be declared the 3rd Runner-up, 4th Runner-up, and 5th Runner-up, respectively.
• b. Men's CLASSIFIED Division: The Top 38 qualifiers, plus two (2) Desperado qualifiers, will play an 8-game series inclusive of handicaps, with lane movement after every game and position pairing on the 8th game. The top six (6) bowlers after 8 games will be declared the winners.
• c. "Bong Coo" LADIES Division: The Top 28 qualifiers, plus two (2) Desperado qualifiers, will play a 6-game series inclusive of handicaps, with lane movement after every game and position pairing on the 6th game. The top five (5) bowlers after 6 games will be declared the winners.
• d. Mixed NOVICE Division: The Top 38 qualifiers, plus two (2) Desperado qualifiers, will play an 8-game series inclusive of handicaps, with lane movement after every game and position pairing on the 8th game. The top six (6) bowlers after 8 games will be declared the winners.
• e. Mixed SENIOR CLASSIFIED Division: The Top 38 qualifiers, plus two (2) Desperado qualifiers, will play an 8-game series inclusive of handicaps, with lane movement after every game and position pairing on the 8th game. The top six (6) bowlers after 8 games will be declared the winners.
• f. Mixed SENIOR RISING STAR Division: The Top 28 qualifiers, plus two (2) Desperado qualifiers, will play a 6-game series inclusive of handicaps, with lane movement after every game and position pairing on the 6th game. The top five (5) bowlers after 6 games will be declared the winners.
• g. Open Division Stepladder Shootout:
  • Match 1: Rank 3 vs. Rank 2 (1-game match). The loser is declared the 2nd Runner-up; the winner advances to Match 2.
  • Match 2 (Championship Match): Rank 1 (holds a twice-to-beat advantage) vs. the winner of Match 1. The loser is declared the 1st Runner-up, and the winner will be crowned the 6th USBC Open Champion.

11. Tie-Breaking Procedure

• a. Qualifying Round Ties: In the event of a tie during the qualifying round, the bowler with the lower handicap will be awarded the higher position. If a tie still persists, it will be broken in favor of the bowler with the lowest difference between their highest and lowest single-game scores within their three (3) counted Qualifying Sets (QS).
• b. Masters Event Standing Ties: In the event of a tie for position standings during any Masters Event, the bowler with the lower handicap will take the higher position. If a tie remains, the bowler with the lowest difference between their highest and lowest single-game scores (inclusive of handicap) during that series will take the higher position.
• c. Stepladder Shootout Ties: In the event of a tie during the Stepladder Shootout, the tie will be broken via a one-frame roll-off. If a tie remains after the roll-off frame, additional single frames will be played continuously until the tie is broken.

12. Bowling Balls and Surface Alterations

• a. Ball Legality: All bowling balls used by participants in all divisions must comply with current IBF and PBF legality rules, including the strict "No Balance Hole" specification.
• b. Equipment Inspection: The Tournament Committee reserves the right to examine and test any bowling ball used by a participant at any point during the tournament.
• c. Penalty for Illegal Equipment: Using an illegal or non-compliant bowling ball is grounds for immediate disqualification. The offending bowler will forfeit all tournament standings, positions, prizes, and any special achievements (such as a perfect 300 game).
• d. Altering Ball Surface: Adjusting or altering the surface of a bowling ball is only permitted before the start of a game.
  • If a ball's surface is altered during a game, the bowler will receive a score of zero (0) pinfalls for that game.
  • If the alteration occurs while a game is actively in progress, the ball will be confiscated by tournament officials and barred from competition until that specific block or round of play is completed.
• e. Urethane Ball Restrictions (Open Division): In alignment with current IBF and PBF rules for elite divisions, standard urethane bowling balls are restricted. Only urethane balls manufactured at a minimum hardness of 78D are permitted. Any urethane ball that measures below 78D during random field durometer testing will be declared non-compliant and immediately removed from the tournament.

15. Missing or Fallen Pins (Dead Balls)

• a. Missing Pins: If a bowler delivers a ball and it is noticed that a pin was missing from the setup, a "Dead Ball" will be declared, provided the error is spotted by a Lane Marshal, an opponent, or bowlers on adjacent lanes. The pins will be fully reset, and the frame must be re-bowled. The bowler who delivered the ball may also call a dead ball, provided that other players on the same pair of lanes can verify the missing pin.
• b. Fallen Pins: Any frame with pre-existing fallen or down pins resting on the pin deck must be completely cleared and reset before a bowler delivers their ball.
• c. Pinsetter Interference: Any pin that is knocked down or moved by mechanical contact with the pinsetter cannot be counted as legal pinfall and must be reset to its original position.
• d. Power Outage / Lights Out: If the bowling center lights or lane lights suddenly turn off after a bowler has already released the ball, the shot will count as a legal delivery based on the resulting pinfall. It will not be declared a dead ball.
• e. Equipment Reset Restrictions: Bowlers are strictly prohibited from manually resetting pins or tampering with the pinsetters. Only designated lane technicians, tournament officials, and official scorers are authorized to reset equipment.
• f. Monitoring: All participants are expected to monitor and strictly abide by these pinfall regulations.

16. Lane Breakdowns

• a. Qualifying Round Breakdowns: If a pair of lanes becomes mechanically unusable or unplayable for more than twenty-nine (29) minutes before or during a qualifying squad, the Tournament Committee will reassign the affected participants to any available pair of lanes provided by the bowling center. Alternatively, the players may choose to wait and compete in the next available squad.
• b. Masters Finals Breakdowns: In the event of a mechanical breakdown during the Masters Finals, affected finalists will be immediately reassigned to vacant lanes. The interrupted game or series must resume exactly from the frame and point of interruption.
• c. Shadow Bowling Restriction: No practice or "shadow bowling" will be permitted on the replacement lanes before resuming an interrupted game.

17. Pacers

• a. If a player chooses to withdraw or discontinue their game during the Masters Finals, a Lane Marshal or tournament official may designate a pacer to fill the vacancy if requested by the remaining bowler on that pair of lanes.

18. Foul Lines

• a. Compliance: Bowlers must strictly observe the foul lines at all times during delivery.
• b. Manual Foul Judging: If the automatic electronic foul detection device becomes temporarily inoperative, the Tournament Committee will assign Lane Marshals to act as official foul judges.
• c. Official Scorers: Official scorers are also authorized to monitor, call, and record fouls committed by bowlers.
• d. Spectator Interference: Spectators are strictly prohibited from interfering with, contesting, or challenging the calls made by a duly designated foul judge or tournament official.

19. Slow Bowling and Lane Courtesy

• a. One-Lane Courtesy: Bowlers must observe a strict one (1) lane courtesy at all times. A bowler may claim the right of way only over a player moving onto the approach or preparing to bowl on the lane immediately to their left. After delivering the ball, the bowler must promptly vacate the approach to give way to the next player.
• b. Yielding to the Right: Bowlers must always yield the right of way to a player moving onto the approach or preparing to bowl on the lane immediately to their right.
• c. Readiness to Play: Players must be fully prepared to bowl when it is their turn. They shall not delay the start of their approach or delivery if the lanes immediately adjacent to them on both the left and right are clear.
• d. Slow Bowling Penalties: Failing to observe the standard lane courtesy and readiness rules outlined above will be construed as slow bowling. Authorized tournament officials will enforce penalties using the card system as follows:
  • First Offense: The bowler will be issued a white card warning (no penalty).
  • Second Offense: The bowler will be issued a yellow card warning (no penalty).
  • Third and Subsequent Offenses: During any Masters Finals or block of games, the bowler will be shown a red card, resulting in an automatic zero (0) pinfall for that entire frame.

20. Protests

• a. Filing Deadline: Any official protest must be submitted in writing and addressed directly to the Tournament Committee. Protests must be filed no later than twenty-four (24) hours after the game in which the alleged infraction occurred, or prior to the official awarding of prizes, whichever comes first.
• b. Specificity: To be considered, a protest must be clear and specific to the exact incident in question. A ruling issued on any protest shall apply strictly to that case and will not be construed to establish a precedent covering similar past or future violations.
• c. Finality of Decisions: The decision of the Tournament Committee regarding any filed protest is final, binding, and cannot be appealed.

21. Masters Finals Schedule

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22. Tournament Fees

A. Registration & Qualifying Fees

B. Masters Finals Entry Fees

Bowlers who qualify for the Masters Finals must settle the corresponding fee for their division prior to competition:

• 1. Mixed OPEN Division: PHP 4,000.00
• 2. Men's CLASSIFIED Division: PHP 3,800.00
• 3. "Bong Coo" LADIES Division: PHP 3,600.00
• 4. Mixed NOVICE Division: PHP 3,800.00
• 5. Mixed SENIOR CLASSIFIED Division: PHP 3,800.00
• 6. Mixed SENIOR RISING STAR Division: PHP 3,400.00

23. Bowler's Area Restrictions

• a. Authorized Personnel: Only registered players, tournament officials, and official coaches are permitted to enter the bowler's area (players' bench).
• b. Coach Limit: A maximum of one (1) registered coach is allowed in the bowler's area per player at any given time.
• c. Leaving the Area: If a bowler needs to leave the playing area for any reason during active competition, they must first request and obtain permission from a Lane Marshal or tournament official.
• d. Food and Beverage Ban: Smoking, eating, and the consumption of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited inside the bowler's area. (Food and drinks must be kept in designated spectator or concourse areas.)
• e. Use of Foreign Substances: Bowlers are strictly prohibited from using easy-slide powder, rosin, talcum, or any other substance on their shoes, the approach, or the lanes that may alter sliding conditions.
• f. Shoe Maintenance: To maintain approach safety, bowling shoes must be wiped clean before a player steps onto the approach or attempts to deliver their ball.

24. Awards and Prizes — Masters Finals

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All amounts in Philippine Pesos (PHP).

25. Special Prizes

• a. Perfect Game Award: A total prize pool of PHP 12,000.00 is allocated for a perfect 300 game. This pool is reserved for the first three (3) players only who achieve a perfect game during the tournament, and the amount will be divided equally among them (PHP 4,000.00 each) if all three slots are filled.
• b. Qualifying Special Prizes:

26. Oil Pattern

• a. A uniform oil pattern will be used for the entire duration of the tournament. Please see the attached documentation for the exact oiling pattern specifications and graphs.

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27. Interpretation of Rules and Regulations

• a. The Tournament Committee shall serve as the sole authority on the interpretation of these rules and regulations. All decisions made by the Committee regarding rule applications are final and binding.

28. Schedule of Tournaments

Daily sequence of qualifying squads, oiling, and Masters Finals check-in windows. Official registration / call-on-reserve / roll-off times per division are listed in Section 21 — Masters Finals Schedule.

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29. Tournament Committee

USBC Tournament Directors

PBF Tournament Director

For further information, please contact: