TORONTO — Quebec City's Francois Lavoie is one of three nominees for the 2017 Best Bowler ESPY Award.
The 24-year-old Lavoie, named PBA Tour rookie of the year in 2016, is up against E.J. Tackett, the reigning GEICO Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year, and three-time player of the year Jason Belmonte.
Coming off a breakthrough 2016 season, Lavoie is the first Canadian to earn PBA Tour rookie of the year honours and the second Canadian to win a PBA Tour title.
He was the first player in U.S. Open history to bowl a nationally televised 300 en route to the title. Lavoie also won the 2016 PBA Shark Open and the 2017 PBA Xtra Frame Greater Jonesboro Open.
Tackett was the dominant player in the second half of 2016, highlighted by his first major in the PBA World Championship. He won his second major at the 2017 FireLake PBA Tournament of Champions after capturing the DHC Japan Invitational title.
In 2017, Australia's Belmonte won a record fourth USBC Masters title and the Barbasol PBA Players Championship to bring his total to eight career majors. He has won three straight ESPY Award and four in total.
The winner will be announced July 12.
Canadian soccer international Kadeisha Buchanan is also nominated for an ESPY in the best female college athlete category.
The Canadian Press
