FAIRLAWN, Ohio – Andrew Anderson, who has struggled this season after earning PBA Player of the Year honors in 2018, blasted a six-game total of 1,470 to take the opening-round lead at the 2019 PBA Tournament of Champions on Wednesday afternoon.

After only cashing in one of the first four events this season, Anderson looked solid in Wednesday’s first round with games of 290, 226, 231, 259, 244 and 220 to average 245 at AMF Riviera Lanes.

“I was kind of surprised I bowled that well,” Anderson said. “I think the main thing was that I avoided having to play catch up with my adjustments. I was getting off to good starts and finished games well mainly by playing it safe and not being too aggressive.”

Results: PBA Tournament of Champions Qualifying Round 1

Anderson, who finished third in last season’s TOC, and the rest of the 65-player field will return this evening at 6 p.m. Eastern for the second six-round block of qualifying. Qualifying will conclude with the third round on Thursday, which begins at 11 a.m. Eastern, and the top 24 players will advance to match play.

Australian two-hander Jason Belmonte led after three games Wednesday and finished in second place with 1,451. Belmonte started out with games of 268, 224 and 277 before closing with 238, 199 and 245.

Marshall Kent is third with 1,438, Jon Van Hees is fourth with 1,417 and Rhino Page was the top lefty in fifth with 1,371.

The cut number with one-third of qualifying completed is Ronnie Russell with 1,286, a 214.33 average.  Among those in the Top 24 currently is Pete Weber, who sits in 13^th place with 1,312.