Anthony Simonsen Among 16 Players in Contention for Groupon PBA Illinois Classic

Anthony Simonsen leads the Groupon PBA Illinois Classic after qualifying, averaging over 240 and posting a total pinfall of 5,284 (+884) over 22 games on the Carmen Salvino oil pattern.

The top 32 qualifiers advanced to Thursday's Advancers Round, after which the top 24 moved into an elimination match play bracket. The top eight players, including Simonsen, received a bye in the first round of the bracket.

The first round of bracket play featured the 9th through 24th qualifiers in best-of-seven matches. TomasKäyhkö swept Darren Tang 4-0, while Deo Benard defeated Matt Russo in a full seven-game series, utilizing a back-up ball technique.