He is the only two-handed player to win the Player of the Year (POY) award and the second international player to win back-to-back titles.

Belmonte is also only the sixth player to win the title in consecutive years, joining an illustrious list which includes Walter Ray Williams Jr, Earl Anthony, Mark Roth, Amleto Monacelli and Don Johnson.

“To be the best bowler in the world is crazy,” Belmonte told the Central Western Daily.

“It’s really cool. Only five other bowlers before me have won back-to-back titles. And those five names are some of the best, so it’s very flattering and I’m very honoured to be up there with them.”

However, he added he doesn’t consider himself on par with the other five names yet.

“I don’t put myself in the category of the other guys who have won Player of the Year back-to-back, but one day I hope I can join that elite group,” he said during yesterday’s presentation.

Belmonte had another outstanding year on the lanes in 2014 where he won three PBA titles.

Immediately after being presented with the 2012-13 POY trophy, he took out the Barbasol PBA Tournament of Champions.

He then claimed a second consecutive major title when he won the United States Bowling Congress Masters.

The two-handed bowler added the Oklahoma Open to his list of wins in 2014 which helped him to lead the PBA Tour earnings ($US163,788), average (226.71) and competition points (136,454) for the year.

The Player of the Year prize is voted on by the PBA bowlers as well as a panel of veteran bowling journalists.

“This year was a culmination of everything and being very proud that all the sacrifices are worth it,” Belmonte said.

“To leave your family sucks, so it’s nice to be able to perform and be rewarded.”

Yesterday’s announcement was made after the 31-year-old finished a practice session in Wisconsin for the PBA Players Championship which starts early this morning (AEDT).

Belmonte said he felt good on the lanes before the tournament which has attracted a field of 85 bowlers.

They started the tournament at 3am (AEDT) today with the first round of eight qualifying games.

They will bowl another eight qualifying games tomorrow before the field is cut to the top 24 for 24 games of matchplay.

After this the top five bowlers move into the stepladder finals on the weekend.

Belmonte admitted it will be tough to get his mind back on the job after yesterday’s major accolade.

“I think I’ll just take a page of out of last year where I won the Player of the Year just before the Tournament of Champions and then I ended up winning the Tournament of Champions,” he said.

“I’ll use it as motivation. I have to step up and show everyone why they should have voted for me.”