UK Open Qualifier to Be Held at PIBC in September
The Canadian chapter of the Professional Bowls Association (PBA) holds annual qualifiers to send Canadian representatives to the Scottish Open in Livingston, Scotland and to the World Bowls Tour (WBT) Indoor Championships (Mixed Pairs and Singles) at Potter’s Resort in England. Registration fees are pooled to provide travel subsidies to the Canadian qualifiers.
In September 2026, PBA Canada will also be holding a qualifier for the UK Open to be held in
Cambridge, England in March 2027. This qualifier is to be held right here at the PIBC, immediately
after the Pacific Coast Open (PCO).
Dates:
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Practice on evening of 18 September
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Tournament play on 19 and 20 September
Who Can Play:
Open to any PBA Canada member up to a maximum of 48 entries on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Format:
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Single knockout
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PBA Conditions of Play (further details at the link here)
○ 9-end sets
○ 3-end, non-cumulative tie-breaker
○ 3-metre “T-line”
○ Left and right re-spot marks
Fees:
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Annual $20 PBA membership fee
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$60 tournament entry fee
Travel Subsidies
All PBA Canada membership fees and the entry fees from all 3 qualifier tournaments are pooled
together, minus costs, and then shared equally amongst the 5 winning competitors to provide a
travel subsidy for each, with the expectation that they will attend the event in the UK. In recent
years, the subsidy has been around $750 for each winner. On top of this, players receive
guaranteed World Bowls Tour prize money at their overseas events. A loss in the first round of the
UK Open would yield an estimated £300-£500, with higher payouts for every win thereafter. Flights
and accommodation for the 3-day event are the responsibility of the player to book and pay for.
How to Register:
Contact Kody Olthoff (racingfan1212@hotmail.com).
Payment by e-transfer to Kody’s email address is preferred.
Further Info on PBA Canada: