MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Jason Belmonte left Victory Lanes on Friday agitated after the first round of qualifying at the U.S. Open.

Despite leading the first round with an eight-game total of 1,777, a 222.13 average, Belmonte said he ended the day annoyed by four missed makeable spares on the 45-foot flat pattern.

“I have a really salty taste in my mouth because I made four errors today, missing four very simple spares,” Belmonte said. “It’s not about how you do Day 1, it’s how you do at the end of the week. I know the U.S. Open is brutal. I know that it’s coming to come down to single-digit pins like it does every single year. So looking back at those four errors has left me a little bit salty, a little bit cranky.”

Results: U.S. Open Qualifying Round 1

Belmonte missed the 1-2-4 twice, the 2-4-5 and a 10 pin and although four missed spares doesn’t seem like much over the course of eight games, it does add up to more than 40 pins off his total.

“I’m going to have to let it go,” Belmonte said. “Get a good night’s sleep tonight, come back tomorrow night and just redirect my focus in a positive mind frame when attacking spares.”

The 11-time major champion who is seeking his first U.S. Open win didn’t miss any makeable spares in his first five games as he shot 225, 253, 235, 207 and 226.

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His first blunder came in the sixth game when he left the 1-2-4 in the first frame. He shot the spare straight, but missed right and chopped the 1-2 off the 4. He left the same spare in the fifth frame that game and again threw plastic at it but missed left this time, leaving the headpin standing. Those two opens led to his lowest game of the day with 184.

He rebounded with 255 in Game 7 but made two more unforced errors in the final game of the day. He left the 2-4-5 in the fourth frame and left the four pin standing. Then in the sixth frame, he left a 10 pin and missed it in the gutter. The result was a 192 finish to the day.

Despite the opens, Belmonte jumped into the lead after the final game as he slipped past Bill O’Neill, who finished second overall with 1,771.

Zach Doty jumped into third place on the final squad of the day with 1,762, while Chris Barnes is fourth with 1,727. Marshall Kent and Shawn Maldonado tied for fifth with 1,722.

PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber, who told FloBowling during practice he was feeling strong, shook off a tough start and ended his day at plus-59 with a total of 1,659. That total was good enough to place him tied for 16th.

All rounds of the event leading up to the stepladder finals are being broadcast live on FloBowling.