Two-time defending champion Amleto Monacelli of Venezuela will try to become the first player to win the Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open presented by Dexter three consecutive times when the PBA50 Tour’s first major of the 2014 season returns to the Suncoast Bowling Center June 1-6.

Monacelli will be among an expected field of approximately 180 of the nation’s top professional and amateur players ages 50 and older who will compete in the most challenging test of the season. The Senior U.S. Open will be webcast in its entirety on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame.

“You need a lot of things to go your way to win the tournament once, let alone two or three times. But in a way, it’s not unlike being able to win any tournament two or three times,” he continued. “I like the long format and challenging lane conditions.

“My biggest issue to deal with will be the mental part of the game. I’ll need to keep my anxiety under control and keep a positive attitude because there can be a lot of ups and downs in a long format. If I can stay patient and calm it will help me to focus on what I need to do to make adjustments.”

The 52-year-old PBA Hall of Famer is one of a handful of players who competes on both the PBA Tour and the PBA50 Tour. His 19 tournament wins and two Player of the Year honors on the PBA Tour earned him induction into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1997 making him the first and so far only foreign player inducted into the Hall of Fame.

In 2012, Monacelli made a successful transition to the PBA50 Tour winning the 2012 Senior U.S. Open at the Suncoast by defeating fellow Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr., 255-247, in the championship match for his first PBA50 Tour title. He went on to win 2012 PBA50 Tour Rookie of the Year honors.

In 2013, he became the third player to successfully defend his Senior U.S. Open title by defeating two-time PBA50 Player of the Year and 2011 Senior U.S. Open winner Ron Mohr of Las Vegas 199-193 in the title match. In winning back-to-back titles, Monacelli joined fellow Hall of Famers Tom Baker (2005-06) and Wayne Webb (2008-09) as the third player to accomplish the feat. Webb and Baker also will be in the field hoping to become the Open’s first three-time winner.

Monacelli will also be trying for his second win of the 2014 season after winning the season-opening Pasco County (Fla.) Open in April. He attributes his continued success on the PBA50 Tour to better knowledge of his bowling equipment.

“For most of my career I was a feel player,” Monacelli said. “Going to a different ball really wasn’t my first choice if I had to make an adjustment. I would just try to make the adjustments with changing my ball speed, hand position or target on the lane.

“I’m learning more and more about ball dynamics and drilling which will be especially helpful on the tough U.S. Open condition.”

The Senior U.S. Open field features 10 Hall of Famers including two-time defending PBA50 Player of the Year Walter Ray Williams Jr. Williams will be trying for his eighth career PBA50 Tour title and first Senior U.S. Open title after back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2011 and 2012. Last season’s PBA50 Rookie of the Year, Pete Weber, will be making his Senior U.S. Open debut and will be trying for his third career PBA50 Tour title. Current PBA50 rookies Norm Duke and Parker Bohn III, who both won their first PBA50 Tour titles this season, also will make their first Senior U.S. Open appearances.

PBA50 players also will continue their chase for the top three places in the PBA50 Player of the Year points, which will earn the spots in the second PBA50 Tour Finals. Monacelli finished second to Williams in the inaugural PBA50 Tour Finals which was held as part of the 2013 PBA World Series of Bowling televised by ESPN last November. Williams defeated Monacelli 224-204 in the championship match of the end-of-season special event after Monacelli defeated Weber 243-208 in the semifinal match.

The Senior U.S. Open is considered the most demanding test for players because of its grueling format. Like the U.S. Open on the National Tour, the Senior U.S. Open demands patience, quality shot-making and a strong mental game over 50 games of qualifying and match play. The top four players will then meet in the stepladder finals to determine the winner.