Bowler shines in Vegas

Starting with the Dec. 4 kickoff of ESPN's coverage of the Professional Bowlers Association, Rash will be a near-fixture of Sunday morning bowling.

Rash, 29, was the top qualifier after 40 games Wednesday in the PBA World Championship in Las Vegas, an achievement that continued a week-long tear that guarantees lots of TV time for the Dimond High grad. He racked a total pinfall of 9,361 for a 234 average. The top 16 advance to the televised quarterfinals.

Earlier this week, Rash -- a four-time PBA Tour champion who has earned nearly a half-million dollars in prize money during his career -- made an unprecedented run in the PBA World Series of Bowling. He was the only bowler to finish in the top four in all four tournaments -- the Viper Open, the Chameleon Open, the Scorpion Open and the Shark Open -- to advance to the televised finals in each event.

And, because he has scored enough points in international play, Rash has qualified for the World Bowling Tour Finals, a non-PBA event that ESPN will feature Dec. 4.

Rash's success in the four World Series of Bowling events was particularly impressive, because each was contested on four different oil patterns, meaning Rash had to adjust his game each day according to those patterns.

The five finals and the World Series quarterfinals are next week in Las Vegas, but they won't be televised until December or beyond.

The Viper finals air Jan. 22, followed by the Chameleon (Feb. 12), the Scorpion (Feb. 19) and the Shark (March 4). The World Series will run on six weekends beginning Dec. 11.