BILL O’NEILL WINS THIRD
CAREER PBA TOUR TITLE
WITH HAMMER TABOO IN
PBA WORLD SERIES OF BOWLING

The predictability of the Hammer Taboo helped reigning U.S. Open champion Bill O’Neill win four stepladder matches en route to winning the PBA World Series of Bowling Pepsi Viper Championship at the South Point Bowling Center.O’Neill made quick work of his three opponents leading up to the title match, disposing of PBA Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli in the opening match, 244-159, and then defeating Mike DeVaney, 242-209, and Tommy Jones, 248-192 before beating Andres Gomez of Colombia in the final, 237-203. His average for four games was 242.75.“Because I potentially had four games to bowl for the title I wanted a ball that was predictable and that’s why I chose the Taboo,” O’Neill said. “It’s a stronger ball and with a unique drill pattern that reduced the flare, I could use the same ball and just make relatively minor hand and speed adjustments.“I never thought about changing equipment and only moved four or five boards in four matches.”After going several seasons before winning his first PBA Tour title, O’Neill’s Viper title was his first of the 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season and his third in the last two seasons. He won his first career title in last season’s World Series of Bowling Chameleon Championship and he followed up later in the season with his first major title in the U.S. Open.“After that first win last year, it has definitely made it easier for me to bowl on TV—I really put a lot of pressure on myself and you just can’t bowl that way,” O’Neill said.“Bill continues to dominate the PBA, and this Viper Championship is another trophy in a case that will get very full in the next few years,” said Jeff Ussery, Hammer Brand Manager. “With the Taboo matching up so well on the Viper pattern, Bill was able to dominate the TV show, with each match finished by the eighth to ninth frame.”O’Neill’s victory was the second for the new Taboo, which releases to the market on December 14.The Hammer Pro Staff star also will be the No. 1 seed for the stepladder finals of the PBA World Championship which will air live on ESPN2 and ESPN over a span of three days, Jan. 14-16. O’Neill will bowl for the title live on ESPN on Sunday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. Eastern. As the top seed in the World Championship, O’Neill earned the right to select the lane pattern for the television final, and has chosen the Viper pattern.