Pete McCordic leads opening round at 2024 Super Senior Classic

QUALIFYING: Round 1

LAS VEGAS –
Pete McCordic of Katy, Texas, averaged more than 253 during the first round of qualifying Thursday at the 2024 Super Senior Classic to take the early lead and earn bragging rights for the day as his twin brother – Paul McCordic of Sugar Land, Texas – placed second for six games in the 204-player field.

Pete McCordic, a Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer and two-time PBA Tour titlist, posted games of 237, 269, 258, 225, 268 and 265 for a 1,522 total at the Sam’s Town Bowling Center to pace the field during A Squad.

The 70-year-old right-hander maintained the lead through B Squad, as Paul McCordic tried to catch his brother from the left side of the lanes on the strength of the first 300 at the 2024 event during Game 4. Paul McCordic averaged nearly 245 on Thursday, finishing with a 1,469 total.

New York’s Glenn Smith connected for 300 in his final game to take over third place with 1,426, while Craig Miller of Tracy, California, and Brad Snell of Mount Prospect, Illinois, rounded out the top five with 1,417 and 1,400, respectively.

St. Louis’ John Marsala, the 2023 Super Senior Classic champion, sits in a tie for 33rd after the opening day of qualifying with a 1,327 total.

The McCordic brothers made their debut at the Super Senior Classic, which includes the top bowlers age 60 and older, during the inaugural event in 2013. Each advanced to the stepladder finals, with Pete defeating Paul (235-197) to eliminate him in fourth place. Pete finished as the runner-up in 2013 to Kerry Painter of Henderson, Nevada.

Since then, both have recorded multiple finishes in the top 10 at the event, including a pair of third-place efforts for Pete McCordic in 2019 and 2022. Paul McCordic posted a runner-up finish at the 2016 United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters, which also was contested at Sam’s Town.

Competition will resume Friday at noon Eastern as the bowlers on B Squad hit the fresh 41-foot lane condition for their final six games of qualifying. A Squad will bowl on the burn starting at 5 p.m. Eastern.

The top 52 bowlers after 12 games of qualifying will advance to Saturday’s cashers’ round at the 2024 Super Senior Classic.

After six games, 2018 Super Senior Classic champion Mike Dias of Lafayette, Colorado, and Todd Kjell of Roscoe, Illinois, are tied in 52nd with 1,293, a 215.5 average.

The advancers will bowl another six-game block, starting Saturday at noon Eastern, with total pinfall for 18 games helping place the top 12 into one of two match-play groups.

Group 1 will feature the qualifiers who placed as an odd seed (1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11), while Group 2 will consist of the even seeds (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12). The match-play round will get underway Saturday at 6 p.m. Eastern.

Each participant in match play will bowl six head-to-head games in their group, including a final position round. Each victory will be worth 30 bonus pins.

At the end of match play, the top finisher in each group – based on 24-game totals including bonus pins – will earn a spot in Sunday’s main stepladder finals. The player with the top pinfall total will be the No. 1 seed for the main stepladder, while the other group leader will be the No. 2 seed.

The second-, third- and fourth-place finisher in each match-play group will have the opportunity to work their way into the main stepladder through a group stepladder Sunday at Sam’s Town. The group stepladder will begin at noon Eastern.

The bowlers in the third and fourth position in each group will face each other in a single-game match, with the winner advancing to take on the competitor in the second position. The winners of the final match in the group stepladder will advance to Sunday’s main stepladder and face each other in the opening match, starting at 2 p.m. Eastern.

The winner of the 2024 Super Senior Classic will take home an $8,000 top prize, while the runner-up collects $6,550.

After the conclusion of the Super Senior Classic, the top bowlers age 50 and older will take to the lanes at Sam’s Town for the 2024 USBC Senior Masters.

The Senior Masters is the first major championship on the 2024 PBA50 Tour schedule and will be held from June 3-9.

BowlTV.com is providing livestream coverage of both events.