The PBA World Championship is one of the four major PBA (Professional Bowlers Association

Professional Bowlers Association

The Professional Bowlers Association is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling in the United States. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the PBA membership consists of almost 4,300 members worldwide...

) bowling

Ten-pin bowling

Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible.-Summary:The lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels Ten-pin bowling (commonly just...

 events. Prior to 2002, the tournament was called the PBA National Championship. The PBA National Championship was first contested in 1960, then called the First Annual National Championship. PBA Hall of Famer Don Carter

Don Carter (bowler)

Don Carter was a right-handed American professional bowler. Learning the game while working a childhood job as a pinsetter, Carter went on to become one of the legends of ten-pin bowling and a founding member of the Professional Bowlers Association in 1958. He was 6-time bowler of the year...

 won the first National Championship title.

The National Championship and World Championship have been contested over the years using a variety of formats. Currently, the PBA World Championship's format is different from normal PBA Tour events, in that the qualifying scores come (at least partially) from other stand-alone tournaments. And unlike many events, it is open to the entire PBA membership.

Norm Duke

Norm Duke

Norm Duke is an American professional bowler currently on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He has bowled 58 perfect 300 games in PBA competition, including the 15th televised 300 game in PBA Tour history on January 5, 2003....

 won the Denny's World Championship on February 24, 2008 at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...

. It was Duke's second career World Championship win and fourth major title overall. Entering the tournament, Duke stood 51st on the PBA points list, 12 behind the "cut line" to earn a Tour exemption for 2008-09. The World Championship victory guaranteed him a spot in the PBA's exempt field for the next two seasons. Duke repeated as PBA World Champion in the opening event of the 2008-09 season, defeating Chris Barnes 259-189. With his additional win in the 2008 U.S. Open, Duke set a PBA record by winning three consecutive major tournaments.

For the 2009-10 season, the PBA World Championship was part of a multi-tournament event held in Allen Park, MI called "The PBA World Series of Bowling," and was contested in a split format. The qualifying rounds of the tournament were contested August 31-September 4, with the televised finals being broadcast live on ESPN

ESPN

Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....

 December 13, 2009. The PBA again held the World Series of Bowling in 2010, moving it to Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

, and again used it as qualifying for the 2010-11 PBA World Championship. This time, the 60-game qualifying scores for the five "animal pattern" championships held at the World Series were used to determine the 8-bowler TV field for the PBA World Championship finals. The World Championship finals were televised live over three consecutive days (January 14–16, 2011), a PBA first.

At the 2011 World Series of Bowling, the qualifying rounds of four "animal" oil pattern events determine the top 25% of the field (minimum 53 bowlers, maximum 60 bowlers) for the "cashers' round" of the PBA World Championship. Eight additional games will then determine the 32-player match play field for the World Championship. For the first time, ESPN will air the entire 16-player quarterfinal match play round over four broadcasts (December 11, December 18, January 1 and January 8), with the final round airing on January 15.

Previous Champions in PBA National Championship (1960-2001)/PBA World Championship (2002-Present)

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Final score (championship match)
1960	Don Carter Don Carter Don Carter may refer to:*Don Carter *Don Carter , basketball entrepreneur*Don Carter...	Ronnie Gaudern
1961	Dave Soutar Dave Soutar David Soutar was a successful professional ten-pin bowler on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He won 18 times on the regular PBA Tour, and seven more times on the Senior PBA Tour...	Morrie Oppenheim
1962	Carmen Salvino Carmen Salvino Carmen Salvino is a professional ten-pin bowler and a founding member of the Professional Bowlers Association . Salvino won 17 PBA Tour titles –- among them the 1962 PBA National Championship. He also won two PBA Senior Tour titles, including the 1984 Senior National Championship...	Don Carter Don Carter Don Carter may refer to:*Don Carter *Don Carter , basketball entrepreneur*Don Carter...
1963	Billy Hardwick Billy Hardwick Billy Hardwick is a former right-handed ten-pin bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association. He currently hails from Florida.-PBA career:...	Ray Bluth	13541-13288
1964	Bob Strampe Sr.	Ray Bluth	13979-13721
1965	Dave Davis Dave Davis (bowler) Dave Davis was a successful professional ten-pin bowler and former member of the Professional Bowlers Association . He grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, and now resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida....	Jerry McCoy	681-502
1966	Wayne Zahn	Nelson Burton Jr. Nelson Burton Jr. Nelson "Bo" Burton, Jr. is a professional ten-pin bowler and former longtime analyst for the Professional Bowlers Tour on ABC Television. He is the son of Nelson Burton, Sr., who himself was a successful bowler in his day, competing with the likes of Glenn Allison and Billy Welu...	14006-13869
1967	Dave Davis Dave Davis (bowler) Dave Davis was a successful professional ten-pin bowler and former member of the Professional Bowlers Association . He grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, and now resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida....	Pete Tountas	216-191
1968	Wayne Zahn	Nelson Burton Jr. Nelson Burton Jr. Nelson "Bo" Burton, Jr. is a professional ten-pin bowler and former longtime analyst for the Professional Bowlers Tour on ABC Television. He is the son of Nelson Burton, Sr., who himself was a successful bowler in his day, competing with the likes of Glenn Allison and Billy Welu...	14182-13741
1969	Mike McGrath	Bill Allen	13670-13605
1970	Mike McGrath	Dave Davis Dave Davis (bowler) Dave Davis was a successful professional ten-pin bowler and former member of the Professional Bowlers Association . He grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, and now resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida....	226-222
1971	Mike Limongello	Dave Davis Dave Davis (bowler) Dave Davis was a successful professional ten-pin bowler and former member of the Professional Bowlers Association . He grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, and now resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida....	207-202
1972	Johnny Guenther	Dick Ritger Dick Ritger Dick Ritger , of River Falls, Wisconsin, was a dominating right-handed ten-pin bowler in the Professional Bowlers Association , and now runs Dick Ritger's Bowling Camp.-PBA career:...	12986-12889
1973	Earl Anthony Earl Anthony Earl Roderick Anthony was a left-handed American professional bowler who amassed records of 41 titles and six bowler of the year awards on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. His title count was amended to 43 in 2008, when the PBA chose to include ABC Masters titles earned by a PBA member...	Sam Flanagan	212-189
1974	Earl Anthony Earl Anthony Earl Roderick Anthony was a left-handed American professional bowler who amassed records of 41 titles and six bowler of the year awards on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. His title count was amended to 43 in 2008, when the PBA chose to include ABC Masters titles earned by a PBA member...	Mark Roth Mark Roth Mark Roth is a former professional bowler. He was born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. As a youth he resided in Meiers Corners, Staten Island, New York City, New York.-Bowling career:...	218-188
1975	Earl Anthony Earl Anthony Earl Roderick Anthony was a left-handed American professional bowler who amassed records of 41 titles and six bowler of the year awards on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. His title count was amended to 43 in 2008, when the PBA chose to include ABC Masters titles earned by a PBA member...	Jim Frazier Jim Frazier Jim Frazier is an Australian inventor, naturalist and cinematographer who invented the Panavision-Frazier lens. He has won many Australian and international awards for his work, including an Academy Award for Technical Achievement and an Emmy Award...	245-180
1976	Paul Colwell	Dave Davis Dave Davis (bowler) Dave Davis was a successful professional ten-pin bowler and former member of the Professional Bowlers Association . He grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, and now resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida....	191-191 (49-48 in two frame roll-off)
1977	Tommy Hudson	Jay Robinson	206-200
1978	Warren Nelson Warren Nelson Warren James Nelson III, born September 16, 1950, is an American business executive and entrepreneur.He is the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of BNK Petroleum. He has held this position since March 2010....	Joseph Groskind	219-199
1979	Mike Aulby Mike Aulby Mike Aulby is a left-handed bowler and former member of the Professional Bowlers Association . He is one of only three PBA bowlers to win both a Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year award...	Earl Anthony Earl Anthony Earl Roderick Anthony was a left-handed American professional bowler who amassed records of 41 titles and six bowler of the year awards on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. His title count was amended to 43 in 2008, when the PBA chose to include ABC Masters titles earned by a PBA member...	245-217
1980	Johnny Petraglia Johnny Petraglia Johnny Petraglia was born in Brooklyn, New York, and now hails from Manalapan Township, New Jersey. He is best known as a left-handed bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association , where he won 14 tour titles. He has also won six Senior PBA Tour titles...	Gary Dickinson	235-223
1981	Earl Anthony Earl Anthony Earl Roderick Anthony was a left-handed American professional bowler who amassed records of 41 titles and six bowler of the year awards on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. His title count was amended to 43 in 2008, when the PBA chose to include ABC Masters titles earned by a PBA member...	Ernie Schlegel	242-237
1982	Earl Anthony Earl Anthony Earl Roderick Anthony was a left-handed American professional bowler who amassed records of 41 titles and six bowler of the year awards on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. His title count was amended to 43 in 2008, when the PBA chose to include ABC Masters titles earned by a PBA member...	Charlie Tapp	233-191
1983	Earl Anthony Earl Anthony Earl Roderick Anthony was a left-handed American professional bowler who amassed records of 41 titles and six bowler of the year awards on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. His title count was amended to 43 in 2008, when the PBA chose to include ABC Masters titles earned by a PBA member...	Mike Durbin Mike Durbin Mike Durbin is a former American professional bowler. He became a member of the PBA in 1967, a year in which he won two tournaments and was named PBA Rookie of the Year by Sporting News. He would go on to win a record three Tournament of Champions titles and 14 total PBA titles, amassing over...	210-183
1984	Bob Chamberlain	Dan Eberl	219-191
1985	Mike Aulby Mike Aulby Mike Aulby is a left-handed bowler and former member of the Professional Bowlers Association . He is one of only three PBA bowlers to win both a Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year award...	Steve Cook	253-211
1986	Tom Crites	Mike Aulby Mike Aulby Mike Aulby is a left-handed bowler and former member of the Professional Bowlers Association . He is one of only three PBA bowlers to win both a Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year award...	190-184
1987	Randy Pedersen Randy Pedersen Randy Pedersen is a professional bowler and color analyst for ESPN's coverage of the PBA Tour. He works alongside play-by-play commentator Rob Stone. Pedersen grew up in Southern California, but relocated to Clermont, Florida in the early 1990s, where he has resided ever since...	Amleto Monacelli Amleto Monacelli Amleto Monacelli of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, is a renowned ten-pin bowler and winner of 19 titles on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour.-PBA career:...	233-222
1988	Brian Voss Brian Voss Brian Voss of Kennesaw, GA, is a professional ten-pin bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association since 1982. The right-hander currently owns 25 PBA titles...	Todd Thompson	246-185
1989	Pete Weber Pete Weber Peter David "Pete" Weber, nicknamed “PDW”, , is a famous bowling professional on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. Weber is one of the sport's most popular active players and is well known for his maverick, rebellious personality...	Dave Ferraro	221-216
1990	Jim Pencak	Chris Warren Chris Warren Chris Warren may refer to:*Chris Warren , American football running back*Chris Warren American basketball player out of the University of Mississippi, currently playing for the Adelaide 36ers...	223-214
1991	Mike Miller	Norm Duke Norm Duke Norm Duke is an American professional bowler currently on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He has bowled 58 perfect 300 games in PBA competition, including the 15th televised 300 game in PBA Tour history on January 5, 2003....	218-214
1992	Eric Forkel	Bob Vespi	217-133
1993	Ron Palombi Jr.	Eugene McCune	237-224
1994	Dave Traber	Dale Traber	196-187
1995	Scott Alexander	Wayne Webb Wayne Webb Wayne Webb is the son of a Ten-pin bowling alley operator from Rehoboth, Massachusetts, USA and was one of the world's best Ten-pin bowlers from the late 1970s to the end of the 1980s...	246-210
1996	Butch Soper	Walter Ray Williams Jr.	226-210
1997	Rick Steelsmith	Brian Voss Brian Voss Brian Voss of Kennesaw, GA, is a professional ten-pin bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association since 1982. The right-hander currently owns 25 PBA titles...	218-190
1998	Pete Weber Pete Weber Peter David "Pete" Weber, nicknamed “PDW”, , is a famous bowling professional on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. Weber is one of the sport's most popular active players and is well known for his maverick, rebellious personality...	David Ozio David Ozio David Ozio of Beaumont, TX is a right-handed ten-pin bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association . He won 11 titles on the PBA Tour. He was the 2004 Senior PBA Rookie of the Year, winning the 2004 Senior U.S. Open. Through 2008, he has won five titles on the Senior and Generations...	277-236
1999	Tim Criss	Dave Arnold Dave Arnold Dave Arnold is an American chef from New York City. He is a leader in molecular gastronomy.-Personal history:Arnold grew up in the New York area and began tinkering with restaurant equipment after earning his MFA from Columbia University School of the Arts...	238-161
2000	Norm Duke Norm Duke Norm Duke is an American professional bowler currently on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He has bowled 58 perfect 300 games in PBA competition, including the 15th televised 300 game in PBA Tour history on January 5, 2003....	Jason Couch Jason Couch Jason Couch is one of the top bowlers on the Professional Bowlers Association tour. A left-handed cranker, he currently resides in Clermont, Florida.-PBA career:...	214-198
2001	Walter Ray Williams Jr.	Jeff Lizzi	258-204
2001-02	Doug Kent Doug Kent Doug Kent is a right-handed American professional ten-pin bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association . In the 2006-07 season, Kent became just the sixth bowler in PBA history to win two major championships in one tour year as he captured titles in the USBC Masters and Denny's PBA...	Lonnie Waliczek	215-160
2002-03	Walter Ray Williams Jr.	Brian Kretzer	226-204
2003-04	Tom Baker Tom Baker (bowler) Tom Baker is a professional bowler on the PBA Tour. He has won 10 titles on the regular PBA Tour, and 9 more on the PBA Senior Tour. He currently resides in King, North Carolina....	Mika Koivuniemi Mika Koivuniemi Mika Juhani Koivuniemi is a Finnish ten-pin bowler, currently on the Professional Bowlers Association tour in the United States, who has won bowling titles in 12 different countries in his career....	246-239
2004-05	Patrick Allen Patrick Allen (bowler) Patrick Allen is one of the premiere left-handed ten-pin bowlers currently on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He has won 13 PBA titles, including two majors...	Chris Loschetter Chris Loschetter Chris Loschetter is an American professional bowler, from Florida, currently on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He was born on May 24, 1980. He currently resides in Avon, Ohio with his wife Erin. He attended Florida State University and was on the bowling team there through the...	235-210
2005-06	Walter Ray Williams Jr.	Pete Weber Pete Weber Peter David "Pete" Weber, nicknamed “PDW”, , is a famous bowling professional on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. Weber is one of the sport's most popular active players and is well known for his maverick, rebellious personality...	236-213
2006-07	Doug Kent Doug Kent Doug Kent is a right-handed American professional ten-pin bowler and member of the Professional Bowlers Association . In the 2006-07 season, Kent became just the sixth bowler in PBA history to win two major championships in one tour year as he captured titles in the USBC Masters and Denny's PBA...	Chris Barnes	237-216
2007-08	Norm Duke Norm Duke Norm Duke is an American professional bowler currently on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He has bowled 58 perfect 300 games in PBA competition, including the 15th televised 300 game in PBA Tour history on January 5, 2003....	Ryan Shafer	202-165
2008-09	Norm Duke Norm Duke Norm Duke is an American professional bowler currently on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour. He has bowled 58 perfect 300 games in PBA competition, including the 15th televised 300 game in PBA Tour history on January 5, 2003....	Chris Barnes	259-189
2009-10	Tom Smallwood Tom Smallwood Thomas Smallwood is a ten-pin bowler currently competing on the PBA Tour. On December 13, 2009, the right-hander won his first PBA Tour title and first major in the PBA World Championship, defeating 2008-09 PBA Player of the Year Wes Malott in the final match, 244-228...	Wes Malott Wes Malott Wesley Clint "Big Nasty" Malott is an American professional ten-pin bowler who resides in Pflugerville, Texas. He has six titles in eight full seasons on the PBA tour, having won at least one title in four straight seasons . He also won the 2006–07 Showplace Lanes Megabucks Shootout, which is not...	244-228
2010-11	Chris Barnes	Bill O'Neill Bill O'Neill (bowler) William "Bill" O'Neill is a right-handed professional ten-pin bowler who competes on the PBA Tour in North America. He is a resident of Southampton, Pennsylvania. His nickname on tour is "The Real Deal". O'Neill was the 2009-10 U.S. Open champion, winning the event on February 28, 2010...	267-237
2011-12	Osku Palermaa Osku Palermaa Osku Palermaa in Espoo, Finland is a Finnish Ten-pin bowler.-Today:Palermaa has 8 EBT titles to his name, and was the EBT ranking champion for three consecutive years from 2007 to 2009. Palermaa was also joint runner up in the 2005 EBT rankings, and runner up in the 2006 EBT rankings.Osku won his...	Ryan Shafer	203-177