Belmonte qualified in fifth place for the World Championship match play rounds which started at 5am today (AEDT) in Las Vegas.

His top five spot came off the back of consistent results in the World Series of Bowling animal patterns – Cheetah, Viper, Chameleon and Scorpion.

The two-handed bowler finished off the fourth and final animal pattern, the Scorpion, yesterday coming in 14th.

It was a good result after he qualified in 22nd for the top 24 with a seven-game total of 1573.

Belmonte said he made some “great shots” for his final game 255 in the initial qualifying round.

After this, the top 24 bowled another seven games where Belmonte’s form see-sawed.

Games of 227, 147 and 247 pushed him back to 21st, but he was up to 12th on the back of his 244, 275 and 206 scores.

A 205 to finish the round gave him a 1551 seven-game total and 3124 for the 14 games on the Scorpion pattern.

American Michael Haugen Jr was the top qualifier for the Scorpion final with 3213.

While he has had some up-and down moments during the WSOB, Belmonte has qualified for the top 24 in all four animal patterns which ensured he qualified for the World Championship top 24.

They bowl 24 match play games (16 today, eight tomorrow), after which the top five move into the stepladder final.

Belmonte qualified fifth for the match play rounds with his 28-game total of 6380.

England’s Dom Barrett was the top qualifier on 6430.