Hoffman brings World Cup back to the U.S.

Hoffman brings World Cup back to the U.S.

Team USA's Bill Hoffman became the first American to win the men's division at the QubicaAMF World Cup in a dozen years Saturday, November 10 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Hoffman, an eight-time Team USA member, defeated Australia's Jason Belmonte 2 games to 1 in the best of three championship match to win one of the sport's most prestigious individual titles. He is the first American player to win the event since Niagara Falls native Patrick Healey Jr. in 1995.

"I bowled on Team USA for three years with Healey and a lot of this has to do with the experience I gathered by bowling with him," Hoffman said. "This is by far my biggest singles title ever. I hope to bring the Team USA program back to the top of the world in team and singles."

The World Cup, by far the world's biggest international event, featured 90 countries this year. Hoffman, Columbus, OH, beat a field of 84 players in the men's division, including many of the best bowlers in the world.

In the championship match, Hoffman started with a, 227-147, victory before falling, 268-192, in Game 2. Hoffman rebounded to win the deciding game, 221-181, and was propelled to the title by tripping the 4-9 for a strike in the fifth frame and a crossover strike in the sixth.

Hoffman advanced to the title match with an easy 2-0 victory over former Denny's Professional Bowlers Association Tour exempt player Andres Gomez of Columbia. Hoffman swept the match with victories of 247-196 and 276-205.

In the women's championship, Australia's Ann-Maree Putney defeated Korea's Lee Sun Hee, 2-0, to win the title. It's the sixth time Australia has claimed the women's division title.

Putney won the first game, 280-201, and pulled away in the final frames to win the deciding game, 247-226. In the opening match, Lee advanced with a 2-0 victory over Tina Hulsch of Germany.

Team USA's Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, TX, finished 12th, missing the cut to the top eight by 51 pins.