The Bowling Tree

Roto Grip Reveals Their Fall Ball Line-Up Additions

2012-05-18T20:54:00.003-07:00

Defiant Edge
GUTS: Featuring the same technological advancement found in the Defiant, the unique elliptical shape of the Paragon core defines predictability of axis migration and allows you to perfectly match up your ball reaction to the condition at hand.
GRIT: The MicroBite pearl reactive coverstock uses extremely small structured additives to help smooth the transitions while maintaining entry angle at the pocket. This helps you create better pin action while reducing oil sensitivity that can send your ball through the break point.
GRIME: The new Defiant Edge is the ideal complement to the original Defiant, providing the perfect combination of skid-hook-roll even on medium-heavy oil. Be sure to keep your original Defiant on hand for those heavy oil situations.

Berserk
GUTS: With the same consistent, smooth-rolling Caliber weight block that the Bandit rode all the way to glory, the Berserk utilizes increased energy transfer to create maximum pin action for both rev-dominant and speed-dominant players alike.
GRIT: The 65MH Hybrid Reactive Coverstock is the ideal combination of both solid and pearl reactive. This technology gives you the ease of the pearl through the front part of the lane with the smooth reaction of a solid at the breakpoint.
GRIME: The Berserk is the perfect marriage of its predecessors, the Bandit and Outlaw. This ball is best suited for medium/heavy oil conditions, but the surface can easily be adjusted to work well on a variety of conditions.

Shatter
GUTS: Featuring the same proven, late-rolling Neutron core utilized in both the Rising Star and Shooting Star, the Shatter is a model of consistency, producing good length and strong motion down-lane.
GRIT: The 51ML pearl reactive coverstock was created to go toe-to-toe with medium to lighter oil conditions. This reliable shell allows the ball to easily clear the front part of the lane and provide you with more stored energy down-lane.
GRIME: The Shatter produces more length and backend on medium to lighter oil conditions than the Rising Star and Shooting star, creating the perfect combination when paired with either of its predecessors.

Scream & Shout
GUTS: The NEW Late Roll 46 core was designed to provide maximum length with stable control down lane. This core will produce a minimal amount of flare and strong hitting power through the pocket.
GRIT: The NEW 42L pearl (Scream) and 45L solid (Shout) reactive coverstocks were created to combat lighter oil conditions. Both easily clear the front part of the lane and look good doing it.
GRIME: The NEW Scream & Shout were designed for those lighter oil conditions where you need a ball that provides you with good length and control at the breakpoint.

Track Reveals the New 912T, 706A, 503T and 300A

2012-05-18T20:30:00.000-07:00

“Our goal was to create a ball that simply out hooked and (out) performed every ball ever made in the history of Track.” The new Track introduction in the 900 series is 912T. With the Legion 2 Turbo core creating easy revs while storing plenty of energy for the back end the 912T features the brand new Gen ET (Extreme Traction) cover. Track included: “The “Traction” this cover creates is out of this world. We accomplished this by taking our Gen XT (Xtra Traction) cover used on the popular 716T and slowly increased the “Traction” additives until we created the best cover to match up with heavy oil patterns.”

Track further explained “In order to create the strong overall hook that was desired when creating the 912T, we decided to go with our newest finishing process. This process uses 1500 Abranet Soft as the last finishing step. Abranet Soft is a new type of sanding material that was developed to minimize clogging while sanding. The foam layer and open structure of Abranet Soft provides more flexibility and allows the material to follow surface contours more effectively.” Available June 21, 2012.

The 300A is designed for when there is too much friction for today's high-performance balls. A combination of the Track Symmetric Core and Gen MA (Moderate Angle) cover provided the building blocks for a ball to complement the 300T and 300C. The 300A comes with standard polished factory finish. The surface is finished with 800 Abranet and then working up with 1000, 2000 and then 4000 Abralon before Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish. Those looking for a little less length can achieve it by sanding with a 2000 Abralon pad and then re-polishing. Available June 21,2012.

Later this summer, Track will reveal the New 706A. Track explained “The concept for creating the 706A was simple. We wanted a core/cover combination that would provide the aggressive move at the breakpoint the “A” series is known for, with improved continuation through the pins. Our R&D team accomplished this by creating both a brand new core and cover. 706A is the first Track ball to feature the brand new Helmet core. For the 706A, our R&D team developed our new Gen XA (Xtra Angle) cover. The finish process is the final factor that determines our overall ball motion. For the 706A, we started with 800 Abranet then followed it up with 1000 and 2000 Abralon. Once the sanding is done, we apply our Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish." Available July 24, 2012.

In August, Track introduces the 503T. The Packman core offers moderate revs due to the medium Rg values combined with a large overall flare potential. The new GenMT (Moderate Traction) cover is a modified version of the Gen XT (Xtra Traction) cover found on the 716T. By reducing the amount of Traction additives, Trackcreated a cover that will match up the best with medium to oily lane conditions. The finish process is the final factor that determines the overall ball motion. For the 503T, they started with 800 Abranet then followed it up with 1000 and 2000 Abralon. This finish will provide enough traction for oily lanes while allowing the 503T, to still be useful on medium oil patterns as well. Available August 28, 2012

Patraglia Wins PBA Titles in Six Decades With Dayton Win

2012-05-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Hall of Famer Johnny Petraglia became the first player in PBA history to win a national tour or senior tour title in six decades by winning the PBA Senior Dayton Classic presented by Roto Grip Thursday at Capri Lanes.

Petraglia, who won his eighth career Senior Tour title, also ended a three-year
drought without a win by defeating reigning Senior Player of the Year Ron Mohr of Eagle River, Alaska, 220-204, in the title match.

Petraglia, who was the top seed for the finals, started strong with the first
three strikes but then ran into trouble in the fourth frame throwing a 4-6-7-10
split. He threw another split (3-7) in the seventh frame but was able to close
out the match with four strikes and a nine-count which was enough to beat Mohr who was also struggling.

“When I threw that first split it surprised me because I thought it was going to
be a strike,” said the 65-year-old Petraglia, whose last Senior Tour title came
in the 2009 Sun Bowl In The Villages. “Frankly, I was a little lost at that
point. I really didn’t make an adjustment until after that second split when I
moved right on the approach, threw it a little farther left on the lane and
trusted that it would come back and it did.

“I guess some things are meant to happen,” he added. “Ron was having trouble on the left lane leaving three 10-pins which meant if I could get back to striking
I could still win the match.”
Overall, Petraglia and fellow PBA legend Dick Weber both have PBA titles in six
decades, however, Weber’s longevity mark includes a PBA regional title.
Petraglia also owns 14 PBA Tour titles, winning his first at a national tour
stop in Ft. Smith, AR, in 1966 at the age of 19.

“I guess it shows how old I am,” Petraglia said jokingly after achieving the
milestone. “But this is very special to me because it’s part of history and
makes it all worth it. “You know at my age, I was wondering if it was going to happen,” he said. “There are so many great Senior Tour players and there are more great bowlers from the regular Tour who are becoming eligible so it doesn’t get any easier. Another thing that makes it special is that there are some guys that might be able to tie this record in the coming years but probably not going to break it.”

In the semi-final match, Mohr, trying for his first title of the season and
eighth of his career, defeated Ron Profitt of Brookville, Ohio, 238-222, to
advance to the title match. In the opening match, Profitt defeated last week’s
Senior Mooresville Classic winner Bob Learn Jr. of Erie, PA, 243-217. Learn
beat Profitt in the championship match of that tournament, 203-196, for his
first Senior Tour title.
The Senior Tour takes a two-week break before the Senior U.S. Open June 3-8 at the Suncoast Bowling Center in Las Vegas. The season’s first major will be
streamed live in its entirety on bowling’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame.
Subscription information is available by visiting www.xtraframe.tv.
PBA SENIOR DAYTON CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ROTO GRIPCapri Lanes, Kettering, Ohio, Thursday

FINAL STANDINGS
1, Johnny Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., one game, 220, $8,000.
2, Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, two games, 442, $4,500.
3, Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, two games, 465, $3,000.
4, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa. one game, 217, $2,500.

PLAYOFF RESULTS
Match One - Profitt def. Learn, 243-217; Semifinal Match – Mohr def. Profitt,
238-222; Championship Match – Petraglia def. Mohr, 220-204.

MATCH PLAY RESULTS
(Includes match play record, total pinfall and money earned. Top four advanced
to stepladder finals)

1, Johnny Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 12-4, 7,982.
2, Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 7-8-1, 7,924.
3, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 9-4-3, 7,909.
4, Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, 9-7, 7,873.
5, Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa., 10-6, 7,820, $2,000.
6, Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 10-4-2, 7,813, $1,800.
7, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 5-11, 7,797, $1,700.
8, Jeff Schrum, Cherryville, N.C., 10-5-1, 7,782, $1,600.
9, Hugh Miller, Seattle, 6-9-1, 7,767, $1,500.
10, Roy Buckley, New Albany, Ohio, 10-6, 7,736, $1,450.
11, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 10-6, 7,706, $1,400.
12, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 6-10, 7,654, $1,380.
13, Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 5-11, 7,625, $1,360.
14, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 9-7, 7,604, $1,340.
15, Marc Lineberry, Camanche, Iowa, 6-10, 7,578, $1,320.
16, Mark Everette, Aliquippa, Pa., 6-9-1, 7,499, $1,300.

Failed to advance to second match play round
17, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 3-5, 5,586, $1,200.
18, Paul McCordic, Sugar Land, Texas, 3-5, 5,580, $1,180.
19, Brian Cooper, Visalia, Calif., 5-3, 5,568, $1,160.
20, Charlie Tapp, Kalamazoo, Mich., 5-2-1, 5,555, $1,140.
21, (tie) Tom Carter, Rockford, IL, 4-3-1, & John Shreve Sr., Elyria, OH, 1-6-1, 5,539, $1,110.
23, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp, Mich., 3-5, 5,536, $1,080.
24, Ernie Segura Jr., Taylor, Mich., 5-3, 5,518, $1,070.
25, James Souder, Greeneville, Tenn, 5-3, 5,505, $1,060.
26, Arturo Hernandez, Venezuela, 4-4, 5,495, $1,050.
27, (tie) Peter Knopp, Germany, 5-3-0, and Mark Williams, Beaumont, TX, 2-6, 5,492, $1,035.
29, Dale Eagle, Tavares, Fla., 2-6, 5,462, $1,020.
30, Wayne Webb, Columbus, Ohio, 3-5, 5,454, $1,010.
31, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 4-4, 5,321, $1,010.
32, William Keenan, Jr., Orlando, Fla., 2-6, 5,302, $1,000.
300 Games - Daryl Bower

Xtra Frame Resumes Live Coverage with PBA Senior Dayton Classic

2012-05-11T10:01:00.001-07:00

Live Xtra Frame programming returns May 15-17 with coverage of the PBA Senior Dayton Classic presented by Roto Grip from Capri Lanes in Dayton, Ohio.

Xtra Frame, the PBA’s exclusive online bowling channel, will cover qualifying rounds at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, and Wednesday, May 16, along with full coverage of round-robin match play rounds on Thursday at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., leading into the four-player stepladder finals at 7 p.m. All times are Eastern.

Also on the Xtra Frame calendar will be the live announcement of the 2011-12 PBA Player of the Year from the PBA Summer Shootout in Chicago at noon ET on Monday, May 28.

Preliminary summer webcasts on the Xtra Frame schedule include the Luci Bonneau Memorial Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles from Palace Lanes in Houston, Texas, July 21-22; the South Point Mixed Doubles from Las Vegas, July 28-29, and the Teen Masters Grand Championships from Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal in New York City, Aug. 5-8.

To subscribe to Xtra Frame, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame link.

If you would like information on how to get your event covered live on Xtra Frame, contact PBA Multimedia Specialist Mike Jakubowski (email: mike.jakubowski@pba.com or call: 414-651-6965).

International PBA Stars To Compete For World Games Berths

2012-05-11T09:53:00.001-07:00

Mixed doubles teams from 19 WTBA American Zone countries will compete for berths in the 2013 World Games during the Pan American Bowling Confederation Champion of Champions event May 9-12 at Kegel Training Center in Babson Park, Fla.

Team USA will be presented by amateur Steve Smith of San Diego and two-time PBA Women’s Series titlist Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, NY. Venezuela’s team will include PBA Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli, PBA Tour titlist Andres Gomez will bowl for Colombia, and PBA Tour competitor Dan MacLelland will be on Team Canada. At stake are eight spots in the World Games, which will be held in Cali, Colombia.

The Champion of Champions event will award medals in men's and women’s singles, mixed doubles, men's and women’s all-events, national all-events, men’s and women's Masters, and mixed doubles Masters. The top eight teams in the national all-events will join Colombia in qualifying for the World Games, an international showcase for more than 30 sports that are not included in the Olympics Games.

“PBA24” Membership Program

2012-05-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Rob Gotterbarn first experienced PBA-level competition as a 19-year-old amateur when he bowled his first PBA East Region tournament in 2010. The Garden City South, NY, resident finished 39th, out of the money.

He tried again in 2011, when he improved to 37th – still short of the cash line, but closer.

Then the former St. John’s University collegiate bowler tried the 2012 U.S. Open, finishing in a tie for 80th place and picking up his first PBA check – for $1,145. It was a turning point.

“Bowling in the U.S. Open was an awesome experience,” Gotterbarn said. “It really made me want to be a PBA24 member.”

The new PBA24 membership program, inviting new players to experience PBA competition for a modest $49 membership fee, was just what Gotterbarn needed to take the next step.

“It was a great opportunity for me,” he said. “I can’t say enough about the program. College bowling helped me a lot, but the only reason I’m bowling regionals is because I get to bowl with the best bowlers in the world and see what they do. I really enjoy watching them and I’m learning a lot. Without the PBA24 program, it would have made it a lot harder for me to be out here.”

Since becoming a PBA24 member, Gotterbarn has bowled in three East Region tournaments, cashing in two events (Catskill, NY, and Rockaway, NJ). With two cashes, he was required to move up to full PBA membership, which he happily did.

“I definitely want to get there (on the national tour). I’m working every day towards it. That’s my goal, my dream,” he said. “I’m learning how to play the patterns. At the last regional I bowled, I had to grind it out, but I’m watching Patrick Allen and Brad Angelo and Ryan Shafer and Johnathan Bower, and it’s crazy to see what those guys can do when they get lined up on the pattern with the right equipment. I need to learn how to do that. I’m burning into my memory everything those guys are doing.”

Gotterbarn is one of 33 young bowlers, all ages 24 and younger, who have taken advantage of the PBA24 opportunity so far. Additional players who want to test their skills at an affordable price are expected to join as the PBA regional program kicks into high gear over the summer months.

For more information about this program and other PBA membership opportunities, visit pba.com and click on the “join PBA” link.

Seismic Releases The Raging Bull Stampede

2012-05-10T11:19:00.002-07:00

The Seismic Raging Bull Stampede™ has been engineered to provide more torque at the end of the pattern than has ever been seen in a Seismic ball.

The Horn Core has been their most popular core to date. Matching this core with the new SF79 Coverstock, the Stampede™ provides you with the same stable roll which sets up for an strong back end move. This Core/Cover combination is designed for maximizing carry percentage on high scoring lanes. Video of the new Seismic Stampede

MOTIV Introduces the Sigma Hybrid

2012-05-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

The new Diablo Red and Charcoal Pearl MOTIV Sigma Hybrid is built on award winning technology from the Sigma Tour, which won 1st place as the Most Versatile Ball of 2011 in the Bowling This Month Magazine's (BTM) Reader's Choice Awards.

While the Hybrid edition does feature the same proven Sigma™ core design, the cover technology (Atomix™ Hybrid Reactive) and box finish (1000 Wet Sand) the Sigma Hybrid should provide a different zone of performance. Designed for medium-heavy oil, the Sigma Hybrid reads earlier and provides a smoother ball motion.

League bowlers that are rev-challenged or speed dominant will appreciate the strength of the Sigma Hybrid on a fresh house shot. Tournament bowlers will use it on medium-heavy volume sport patterns. 15# SPECS: RG: 2.47, DIFF: .047

MOTIV steps into the Entry Level Performance Catagory

2012-05-10T10:53:00.001-07:00

MOTIV™. will introduce the Ascent™ May 30th. Available in both a solid and pearl option, the Ascent™ line offers two different ball motions for Light Oil.

The Pink/Purple Pearl edition is much longer with a more angular backend (Pearl Finish: 2000 Polish).

The Red/Blue Solid Ascent reads earlier and produces a smooth strong arc to the pocket (Solid Finish: 1000 Wet Sand.

Both Ascent™ balls combine the MOTIVator-Z™ cover from the QZ2 Backdraft with the proven Recon™ core . The resulting RG is 2.59 with a .025 differential on the 15# model.

WWRD: 5/30/2012

PBA Regional Players Championship-East

2012-05-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA)’s annual Regional Players Championship-East is set for Memorial Day weekend at Columbus Western Bowl in Columbus, Ohio, where the winner will earn an “Elite” berth in the 2013 PBA Tournament of Champions.

The Regional Players Championship-East, which is open to all PBA members except for those who finished among the top 32 in competition points during the 2011-12 PBA Tour season, will also pay a $6,000 first prize based upon a capacity field of 200 players.

Scott Newell of Deland, FL, who went on to win his first PBA Tour title in the Xtra Frame Tour Ricart Ford Open in Columbus during the 2011-12 season, is the defending RPC-East champion.

Following Friday, May 25, practice and pro-am events, the RPC-East gets underway with an eight-game qualifying round Saturday. The top one-third of the field will advance to a four-game cashers’ round Sunday morning, with the top 32 (based on 170 entries) moving on. Additional two-game elimination rounds will follow at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. with the field being trimmed in half after each round.

At 2 p.m., the four surviving players will bowl one more game, with total pinfall for 19 games deciding the champion.

The entry fee will be $295. One in three entries will cash with last-to-cash guaranteed to pay a minimum of $600. For additional entry and prize fund information, visit pba.com and click on the “Regional Players Championship” in the Regional Tours section under the Schedules tab.

Bob Learn Jr. Wins PBA Senior Mooresville Classic

2012-05-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

In only his third tournament on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Senior Tour, Bob Learn Jr. of Erie, PA, won the PBA Senior Mooresville Classic presented by Columbia Wednesday for his first Senior Tour title.

Learn, who won five PBA Tour titles including the 1999 U.S. Open in a 15-year PBA Tour career, defeated Ron Profitt of Brookville, Ohio, 203-196, in the championship match at George Pappas Victory Lanes.

After starting the match with two strikes, Profitt ran into trouble early with a split and a washout in the third and fourth frames, respectively, which he failed to convert and was not able to recover from later in the match.

“When he threw the split and the washout it definitely changed the tone of the match,” said the 50-year-old Learn. “Even though I didn’t have a good look on the pair either, from that point on I was able to bowl just good enough to stay ahead of him.”

In his two previous Senior Tour tournaments this season Learn finished ninth in both the Senior Sun Bowl In The Villages and Senior Don Carter Memorial Open.
“Third time’s the charm I guess,” said Learn. “I’m qualifying well but you have to get some breaks in the match play rounds and it kind of made up for some bad breaks I had in the first two tournaments.”

Profitt was trying for his first win in seven seasons on the Senior Tour. He had a long road to the championship match winning three best-of-five matches, a best-of-three match and the semifinal. His runnerup finish was a career best with fourth being his best previous finish.

In the semifinal matches, Learn defeated Mike Henry of Brunswick, Ohio, 201-189 and Profitt defeated last week’s Senior Don Carter Memorial winner Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr., 248-206.

The next stop for the PBA Senior Tour will be the Senior Dayton Classic presented by Roto Grip May 14-17 at Capri Lanes in Kettering, Ohio. The tournament will be streamed live in its entirety on pba.com’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. For Xtra Frame subscription information visit www.xtraframe.tv.

PBA SENIOR MOORESVILLE CLASSIC PRESENTED BY COLUMBIAGeorge Pappas Victory Lanes, Mooresville, N.C., Wednesday

Final Results

Championship Match
Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa. ($8,000) def. Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio ($4,500), 203-196.

Semifinal Round (one-game matches, losers earn $3,000)
Profitt def. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 248-206.
Learn def. Mike Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 201-189.

Round of 8 (best-of-three games, losers eliminated, $1,700 each)
Profitt def. Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 2-0.
W.R. Williams def. Ricky Beck, Box Elder, S.D., 2-0.
Henry def. Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., 2-0.
Learn def. Johnny Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 2-0.

Round of 16 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,300 each)
M. Williams def. Wayne Webb, Columbus, Ohio, 3-0.
Profitt def. Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 3-1.
W.R. Williams def. Jeff Schrum, Cherryville, N.C., 3-0.
Beck def. Charlie Tapp, Kalamazoo, Mich., 3-2.
Henry def. Steve Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y., 3-1.
Kossert def. Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 3-2.
Petraglia def. Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3-2.
Learn def. Henry Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 3-2.

Round of 24 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,100 each)
M. Williams def. Brent Hunter, Glenville, Pa., 3-2.
Profitt def. Dave Sill, Titusville, Fla., 3-0.
Schrum def. Kerry Fulford, Brownwood, Texas, 3-1.
Ferraro def. Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 3-0.
Kossert def. Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 3-0.
Petraglia def. Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 3-0.
Gonzalez def. Gary Shultis, Levittown, N.Y., 3-0.
Beck def. Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 3-2.
Round of 32 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,050 each)
Hunter def. Brian Gottry, Wilmington, N.C., 3-2.
Profitt def. Bob Handley, Winter Park, Fla., 3-0.Schrum def. Dennis Lane, Kingsport, Tenn., 3-2.
Beck def. Al Brooks, Bluefield, W. Va., 3-0.
Ferraro def. Ron Glick, Morganville, N.J., 3-0.
Carlson def. Peter Knopp, Germany, 3-2.
Petraglia def. Peter King, Yankton, S.D., 3-2.
Gonzalez def. Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill. 3-2.

Wayne Webb Holds Onto Lead at PBA Senior Mooresville Classic

2012-05-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

Wayne Webb relied on his arsenal of bowling equipment once again to help him retain the lead after the second round of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Senior Mooresville Classic presented by Columbia Tuesday at George Pappas Victory Lanes.

Webb, an innovator in using knowledge of bowling ball mechanics and drilling
layouts to achieve desired ball reaction since his days competing on the PBA
Tour where he won 20 titles, led with a 3,969 16-game overall pinfall total
(248 average). In Tuesday’s second round he had a 1,962 eight-game pinfall with games of 255, 256, 199, 300, 234, 217, 279 and 222.

“I put my experience with equipment to good use the past two days,” said the
Hall of Famer. “One of my strengths is having an idea of what equipment to use
to sometimes create something that isn’t there and get the desired results.”
In Monday’s qualifying round Webb used three different balls and two in
Tuesday’s round to help him adjust to the changing lane conditions.

“I started with one of the balls I used yesterday thinking it would give me the
same ball reaction today but it was hooking way too early,” said Webb, who is
five-time Senior Tour titlist and was the 2010 Senior Player of the Year. “The
lanes played differently in today’s first block so I went to another ball that
gave me a similar look as yesterday and had good luck with it.”
Webb heads a field of 32 players who advanced to Wednesday’s match play rounds dominating qualifying by holding a 181-pin lead over Mike Henry of Brunswick, Ohio in second with 3,788. As a result of finishing in the top eight, Webb and Henry earned two byes for match play.

Rounding out the top eight and also earning two byes in match play were Bob
Learn Jr., Erie, PA, 3,711; Charlie Tapp, Kalamazoo, MI, 3,667; Walter Ray
Williams Jr., Ocala, FL, 3,561; Tom Baker, King, NC, 3,549; Kenny Parks,
Hammond, IN, 3,547, and Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 3,545.
PBA SENIOR MOORESVILLE CLASSIC PRESENTED BY COLUMBIA
George Pappas Victory Lanes, Mooresville, N.C., Tuesday

SECOND ROUND RESULTS
(after 16 games)

1, Wayne Webb, Columbus, Ohio, 3,969.
2, Mike Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 3,788.
3, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 3,711.
4, Charlie Tapp, Kalamazoo, Mich., 3,667.
5, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,561.
6, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3,549.
7, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 3,547.
8, Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 3,545.
9, Dave Sill, Titusville, Fla., 3,540.
10, Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., 3,536.
11, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 3,521.
12, Kerry Fulford, Brownwood, Texas, 3,501.
13, Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 3,499.
14, Gary Shultis, Levittown, N.Y., 3,497.
15, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 3,491.
16, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 3,488.
17, Brian Gottry, Wilmington, N.C., 3,477.
18, Steve Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y., 3,463.
19, Henry Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 3,456.
20, (tie) Ricky Beck, Box Elder, S.D., and Jeff Schrum, Cherryville, N.C., 3,447.
22, Patrick King, Yankton, S.D., 3,445.
23, Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 3,435.
24, Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, 3,418.
25, Bob Handley, Winter Park, Fla., 3,409.
26, Peter Knopp, Germany, 3,403.
27, (tie) John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., Dennis Lane, Kingsport, Tenn., and Al
Brooks, Bluefield, W. Va., 3,400.
30, Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., 3,397.
31, Ron Glick, Morganville, N.J., 3,387.
32, Brent Hunter, Glenville, Pa., 3,382.

Did not advance
33, Wayne Bolin, Lumberton, N.C., 3,381, $900.
34, (tie)Timothy Kauble, Marion, Ohio, and Steve Lickliter, Beckley, W. Va., 3,376, $900.
36, (tie) Brendan Bierch, Grafton, Mass., and Paul McCordic, Sugar Land, Texas, 3,366, $900.
38, Steve Stein, Staten Island, N.Y., 3,359, $900.
39, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 3,344, $900.
40, George Patel, England, 3,343, $900.
41, Vince Mazzanti Jr., Levittown, Pa., 3,341, $900.
42, George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C., 3,337, $900.
43, Danny Weikel, Dallas, N.C., 3,335, $900.
44, Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., 3,332, $900.
45, Dale Eagle, Tavares, Fla., 3,319, $900.
46, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 3,314, $900.
47, Roy Buckley, New Albany, Ohio, 3,303, $900.
48, Guppy Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 3,290, $900.
49, Jeff Bellinger, Columbia, S.C., 3,289.
50, ss-Marc Lineberry, Camanche, Iowa, 3,287, $700.
51, Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa., 3,286.
52, (tie) Frank Gallo Jr., Jacksonville, Fla., and Vince Honeycutt, Buford, Ga., 3,283.
54, Tommy Reeves, Gastonia, N.C., 3,273.
55, Christopher Keane, New City, N.Y., 3,269.
56, ss-Dave Bernhardt, Romeo, Mich., 3,268, $700.
57, Larry Popp, Marion, Ohio, 3,267.
58, Mike Hastings, Millsboro, Del., 3,265.
59, ss-Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 3,263, $700.
60, Tom Howison, Chillicothe, Ohio, 3,257.
61, Ernest Lukacs, Manville, N.J., 3,254.
62, ss-Ron Woods, Hudson, Fla., 3,252, $700.
63, Dick Gran, Hartville, Ohio, 3,247.
64, David Kneas, Annapolis, Md., 3,241.
65, Jim Price, Harrrisburg, N.C., 3,234.
66, Greg McMahan, Dandridge, Tenn., 3,232.
67, Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., 3,227.
68, Gary Morgan, Marietta, Ga., 3,224.
69, ss-Richard Hunt, Valparaiso, Ind., 3,223, $700.
70, Brian Cooper, Visalia, Calif., 3,207.
71, ss-Ray Johnson, Battle Creek, Mich., 3,206, $700.
72, Bob Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 3,196, $700.
73, (tie) Todd Wilson, Summerfield, N.C., and ss-Paul Mielens, Menomonie, Wis., 3,191, $700.
75, Doug Arden, Newport, N.C., 3,189.
76, Mark Glover, Woodbridge, Va., 3,187.
77, Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 3,171.
78, Nick Panicaro, Naples, Fla., 3,170.
79, William Banks, Laurel Hill, N.C., 3,169.
80, Thomas Ream, Tampa, Fla., 3,136.
81, Andy Anderson, Falls Church, Va., 3,133.
82, Emilio Mora Sr., Defiance, Ohio, 3,131.
83, Randy Robertson, Evansville, Ind., 3,128.
84, Marty Berke, Allentown, Pa., 3,126.
85, Chris McGee, Townvilel, S.C., 3,124.
86, Rod Michael, Florissant, Mo., 3,122.
87, Charlie Tomey, Spartanburg, S.C., 3,119.
88, Harv Pallas, Stevensville, Mich., 3,118.
89, (tie) Darrell Adams, Flintstone, Ga., and Dave Flemming, Fairborn, Ohio, 3,109.
91, David Hull, Lexington, N.C., 3,107.
92, Dennis Amato, Pine Brook, N.J., 3,104.
93, Ron Garr, Ridgedale, Mo., 3,101.
94, Ken Shealy, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 3,099.
95, Terry Metzner, Kentwood, Mich., 3,097.
96, Michael Chrzanowski, Shepherd, Mich., 3,088.
97, Randy Shewmake, Ft. Worth, Texas, 3,085.
98, (tie)Steve Easterday, Strasburg, Ohio, and Steve Fuhrman, Fort Worth, Texas, 3,074.
100, Chuck Gardner, Charlotte, N.C., 3,068.
101, Rich Giragosian, Charlotte, N.C., 3,066.
102, Ken Gibson, Greenville, S.C., 3,057.
103, William Keenan, Jr., Orlando, Fla., 3,056.
104, George Lord, Lakeland, Fla., 3,053.
105, Gene Morrison, Spring Lake, N.C., 3,042.
106, (tie) Terry Wellman, Marengo, Ohio, and Michael Truitt, Orland Park, Ill., 3,041.
108, Ross McDonald, Clarksville, Md., 3,039.
109, Todd Kjell, Roscoe, Ill., 3,028.
110, Bill McCorkle, Westerville, Ohio, 3,017.
111, Bill Argenbright, Fisherville, Va., 3,009.
112, Phil Gessner, Spring, Texas, 3,008.
113, (tie) James Souder, Greeneville, Tenn., and Mark McNutt, Alpharetta, Ga., 2,997.
115, Teata Semiz, North Brunswick, N.J., 2,987.
116, Daniel Miner, East Moline, Ill., 2,986.
117, (tie) James West, Catonsville, Md., and Steve Bova, Massapequa, N.Y., 2,970.
119, Bob Andersen, Forest City, N.C., 2,941.
120, Donald Breihan, Columbia, S.C., 2,936.
121, Dave Paquin, Kannapolis, N.C., 2,934.
122, Kevin Murray, Concord, N.C., 2,926.
123, Jim Lesiuk, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 2,898.
124, Rusty Huggins, Concord, N.C., 2,891.
125, Darryl Traber, Waterford, Wis., 2,879, $50.
126, Frank Manley Jr., Fletcher, N.C., 2,876.
127, John Hunt, Grayling, Mich., 2,875.
128, Larry Swain, West Columbia, S.C., 2,874.
129, Bill Carpenter, Middletown, Ohio, 2,872.
130, Jack Howell, Lyons, N.Y., 2,848.
131, Larry Graybeal, Elizabethton, Tenn., 2,841.
132, Richard Felten, Rockville, Md., 2,839.
133, Wayne Garren, Candler, N.C., 2,838.
134, Dave Rossi, Morgantown, W.Va., 2,837.
135, Bill Ursillo, Bluffton, S.C., 2,822.
136, Matty Robinson, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 2,818.
137, Larry Felts Jr., Moore, S.C., 2,811.
138, Mike O'Barr, Anderson, S.C., 2,776.
139, Bobby Dunn, Augusta, Ga., 2,753.
140, Brian DiCicco, Ridgefield, Conn., 2,750.
141, Larry O'Neill, Alexandria, Va., 2,639.
142, Mike Walden, Stony Point, N.Y., 2,607.
143, J. Wayne Shank, Winter Park, Fla., 2,453.
Charlie Toney, Oak Hill, W.Va., 1,923 (WD)
Jim McGee, Townville, S.C., 1,473 (WD).

300 Games - Wayne Webb, Brian Gottry

Walter Ray Williams Jr Tops Senior Don Carter Memorial Open

2012-05-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

Rebounding from a tough 2011-12 Professional Bowlers Association Tour

season and coping with the emotions resulting from his father’s recent passing,

Walter Ray Williams Jr. persevered to win the PBA Senior Don Carter Memorial

Open presented by Ebonite Wednesday for his third career Senior Tour title.

Williams defeated Bo Goergen of Sanford, MI, in the championship at Carter

Family Bowl, 247-217, marking his first Senior Tour win since the Senior Mark

Roth Allentown Open in May of 2011.

In the 2011-12 Tour season, the 52-year-old Hall of Famer’s record streak of 26

consecutive years making at least one TV finals appearance came to an end and

he had a best finish of only 17th in the Shark Open. On Tuesday his father

passed away after a lengthy illness.

“I’m not an emotional person but I’ll have to admit this was an emotional week

for me,” said Williams. “It helped a great deal to have my family here not only

for my dad but also to be here to watch me bowl.”

Even though the scores showed that Williams was dominant in match play, he

felt fortunate to win all four of his matches Wednesday.

“On paper it looked easy but I can tell you that in a few of those matches my

opponents bowled better than they scored,” said the PBA Tour all-time titles

leader with 47 wins. “An example was Bo in the title match when he started with

the first five (strikes) but then had a split in the sixth frame which gave me an

opening.”

Williams’ win in the second tournament of the 2012 season comes off a

fourth-place finish in last week’s season-opening Senior Sun Bowl In The Villages

in The Villages, Fla.

“It was a great tournament and nice to win again,” Williams said. “It’s a

confidence builder and now I just hope I can keep some momentum going and

hope for a good Senior Tour season.

“The lanes play a little differently out here than they do on the regular tour but

you still have to make good shots and when you don’t, you have to make the

right adjustments. I just wasn’t throwing enough good shots last season on tour.”

In the semifinals, Williams defeated fellow Ocala resident Brian Brazeau, who

was trying for his second Senior Tour title, 246-213.  In the other semifinal,

Goergen, who was trying for his first Senior Tour title, defeated Tim Kauble of

Marion, Ohio, 190-165.

The next stop for the PBA Senior Tour will be the Senior Mooresville Classic

presented by Columbia May 6-9 at George Pappas Victory Lanes in Mooresville,

N.C.

Turbo Tech Collegiate Expo Deadline Looms

2012-04-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

The Early Bird Registration Deadline for the Turbo 2n1 Grips "Turbo Tech Collegiate Expo" expires this Monday, April 30th. Don't miss your chance to save $30 for this exciting event.

Again, registration includes 1 year paid subscription to the Bowlers Journal International, Sport Shirt, Welcome Dinner, lunch both days, chance to meet brand experts from leading ball companies like Brunswick, Columbia 300, DV8, Ebonite, Hammer, Motiv, Storm, Track and 900 Global and demo the latest equipment.

Registered students will get 2-full days of on-lane and classroom instruction with some the best coaches in the business including 2012 USBC Queens Champion, Diandra Asbaty.

The Collegiate Expo wraps up with a Scholarship Tournament sponsored by Ebonite where college coaches from around the country will be on-site to watch and evaluate the competition. For students traveling to the USBC Junior Championships immediately following the Collegiate Expo, you will get your chance to bowl on previous tournament patterns as well as WTBA patterns used by many collegiate tournaments. Ebonite will award $250 in scholarships to the leading male and female bowlers.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the Collegiate Expo is the opportunity for students and parents to meet face to face with the collegiate coaches following the tournament competition. Students and parents will be able to gather information on various bowling programs and explore scholarship opportunities.

The Turbo Tech Collegiate Expo is arguably one of the best opportunities for young bowling talent in America. The Expo brings together top manufacturers, professional bowlers, aspiring high school bowlers, parents, and top college coaches in an effort to showcase talent, teach practical bowling knowledge, and inform attendees about scholarship opportunities around the country.

Currently bowlers from Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Massachusetts are registered. Cost for the entire week is only $359 per student if registered before April 30. May 1st - May 31, 2012 registration $389 per student. Registration is limited to ONLY 168 students and spots are filling up fast. For detailed information, schedules and registration forms, visit www.turbogrips.com or call 800 530-9878.

Sponsors include: 900 Global, Bowlers Journal International, Brunswick, Columbia 300, Dexter, DV8, Ebonite, Hammer, Innovative Bowling Products, Kegel, Michigan Junior Masters Association, Motiv, OnTheBall Bowling, Roto Grip, Storm, the Detroit Sports Commission, Track and USBC Metro Detroit Association.

PBA Summer Shootout Returns to Chicago

2012-04-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Four of the top 2012 PBA Chris Schenkel Player of the Year candidates—Jason Belmonte, Mike Fagan, Sean Rash and Pete Weber — are among the star-studded players who will return to upscale 10pin bowling lounge in downtown Chicago May 27-29 for the 6th annual PBA Summer Shootout.

The made-for-TV event will once again feature a battle of bowling stars representing bowling ball manufacturers in a fast-paced PBA Summer Shootout series for telecast on ESPN.

The PBA Summer Shootout weekend will get underway with a special pro-am event at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 27. Eight Eliminator Round tapings will be conducted Monday, starting at noon. On Tuesday, the final two Eliminator Rounds get started at 1 p.m., followed by the Eliminator Doubles Shootout and four Baker Doubles stepladder finals matches.

The preliminary Shootout telecast schedule begins on ESPN Saturday, July 7 and continues Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15. ESPN2 will carry re-airs of Shootout telecasts on Sunday, July 8, Saturday, July 21, Saturday, July 28, Saturday, Aug. 4, and Sunday, Aug. 5.

Telecast times will be announced at a later date.

“It’s great to get to come back to downtown Chicago for Memorial Day weekend,” said PBA Commissioner Tom Clark. “The city has a rich bowling history and last year's event had one of the best pro-ams I've ever seen in 10pin's cool surroundings with 20 of the top players in the world.”

The 2012 installment of the PBA Tour’s post-season special will include the sport’s most accomplished players representing nine of the bowling industry’s best-known bowling ball franchises in a series of elimination and Baker doubles contests along with a pro-am event for Chicagoland grassroots league bowlers.

Teams must include a minimum of two players and teams with more than two players on their roster may substitute at their discretion: Teams and players competing are:

Storm: Jason Belmonte, Osku Palermaa and Pete Weber

900 Global: Robert Smith, Missy Parkin and Brian Voss

Roto Grip: Wes Malott, Brian Kretzer and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard

DV8: Mike Machuga, Ronnie Russell and Brian Valenta

Brunswick: Sean Rash, Ryan Ciminelli and Chris Loschetter

Track: Mike Fagan and Mika Koivuniemi

Columbia 300: Dan MacLelland and Chris Barnes

Hammer: Mike Wolfe and Bill O’Neill

Ebonite: Tommy Jones and Jason Couch

The 2012 PBA Summer Shootout will get underway with one member of the nine ball-brand teams bowling in each of 10 “Eliminator Rounds.”

In the Eliminator Rounds, each player will throw one shot, with the low score in each frame eliminated. In cases of ties, the players involved will bowl sudden-death until one survivor remains.

“Make no mistake, while this event is guaranteed to be fun and exciting for fans to watch on site and as it plays out over the summer months on ESPN, the radical format means it will be a unique tightrope walk for players that will have them on edge fighting for survival from the first ball,” Clark said.

“Players who represent the top bowling ball brands will be fighting for bragging rights and the prize money is significant, so it figures to be intense competition.”

In each Eliminator Round, players will earn points for their respective teams based upon how long they survive. The winner of each round will earn 12 points, second place eight points, third seven points, etc., down to one point for the first player eliminated (ninth place).

There will be 10 Eliminator Rounds, each resulting in a half-hour show for delayed telecast on ESPN. At the conclusion of the 10 shows, teams will be seeded for the Summer Shootout finals based upon their points totals. The top four teams automatically advance to the Baker Doubles stepladder finals.

Teams seeded five through nine will then bowl in an “Eliminator Doubles Shootout” with the winning team claiming the fifth spot in the stepladder finals).

In the Eliminator Doubles Shootout, both members of each team will throw one shot and their scores will be combined for the frame. The low doubles score each frame will be eliminated until one team remains.

The final four half-hour shows will feature Baker format matches where one member of each team will bowl five frames per game. The No. 5 team will take on Team No. 4 in the first show. The winner will take on Team No. 3 in the second match. The match two winner will bowl Team No. 2 in the semifinal contest, and the semifinal match winner will meet Team No. 1 for the title.

Admission will be free for the entire weekend. For pro-am entry information, visit pba.com and look for the PBA Summer Shootout logo.

Rookie Boresch Wins Opening PBA Tour Event

2012-04-25T11:37:00.002-07:00

This week will be one not soon forgotten for Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Senior Tour rookie Lennie Boresch Jr. of Kenosha, Wis.

In his Senior Tour debut, Boresch defeated 2011 Senior Rookie of the Year Ricky Beck of Box Elder, S.D., 278-266, to win the PBA Senior Sun Bowl In The Villages presented by Storm Tuesday at Spanish Springs Lanes. Then, it’s on to Arlington, Texas, where Boresch will be inducted into the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame on Thursday.

“This is a dream week and kind of weird the way it’s all playing out,” said Boresch, who just turned 50 on April 19 to become eligible for the Senior Tour. “I can’t believe it’s happening all so fast.”

In the championship match Beck struck on the first nine shots but opened in the 10th allowing an opening for Boresch who was able to string his last eight strikes to clinch the win.

“If he strikes on the first ball in the 10th it’s over but when he didn’t, I thought to myself, well, here’s my chance,” Boresch said.

Boresch is known for his success in PBA regional competition where he has won 25 PBA regional titles. His top finishes on the PBA national tour are a fifth and two sixth-place finishes. He also owns three USBC Open Championships titles.

“I was really hoping to just make the cut and get my feet wet out here,” Boresch said. “I still feel I can be competitive at a high level but never thought I’d win right out of the box on the Senior Tour.”

The road to the championship match wasn’t easy for Boresch, just squeaking out a win in the Round of 8 against Tom Carter of Rockford, IL, 2-1 in the three-game match. He then faced four-time Senior Player of the Year and PBA Hall of Famer Tom Baker of King, NC in the semifinal, winning that single-game match, 238-227. Coincidentally, Baker, who was trying for his 10th Senior Tour title, will also be inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame on Thursday.

“Tom is such a great bowler and I had to remind myself to stay cool, Boresch said. “But I kept telling myself to keep my footwork slow and just enjoy the experience.”

In the other semifinal match Beck squeaked by Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr., 258-257, to advance to the championship match.

The next stop for the Senior Tour will be the PBA Senior Don Carter Memorial Open presented by Ebonite April 28-May 2 at Carter Family Bowl in Winter Garden, Fla.

PBA SENIOR SUN BOWL IN THE VILLAGES PRESENTED BY STORM
Spanish Springs Lanes, The Villages, Fla., Tuesday
Final Results
Championship Match
Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis. ($7,500) def. Ricky Beck, Box Elder, S.D. ($4,000), 278-266.

Semifinal Round (one-game matches, losers earn $2,700)
Beck def. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 258-257.
Boresch Jr. def. Tom Baker, King, N.C., 238-227.

Round of 8 (best-of-three games, losers eliminated, $1,700 each)
W.R. Willams def. Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 2-1.
Beck def. Dale Eagle, Tavares, Fla., 2-0.
Boresch Jr. def. Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., 2-1.
Baker def. Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 2-1.

Round of 16 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,300 each)
Mohr def. Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 3-2.
W.R. Williams def. Johnny Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 3-1.
Eagle def. Gary Hiday, Indianapolis, 3-1.
Beck def. Fred Kaczmarczyk, Martinez, Calif., 3-0.
Carter def. Peter Knopp, Germany, 3-1.
Boresch Jr. def. Randy Shewmake, Fort Worth, Texas, 3-0.
Kenny Parks def. Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 3-1.
Baker def. Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 3-1.
Round of 24 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,150 each)
Learn def. Randy Robertson, Evansville, Ind., 3-2.
W.R. Williams def. Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa., 3-2.
Eagle def. Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 3-1.
Beck def. Paul McCordic, Sugarland, Texas, 3-2.
Knopp def. Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., 3-1.
Shewmake def. Amletto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3-2.
Sullins def. Kent Wagner, Palmetto, Fla., 3-2.
Carlson def. Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 3-2.
Round of 32 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,025 each)
Robertson def. Brodowski, Hyde Park, N.Y., 3-1.
W.R. Williams def. Emilio Mora, Defiance, Ohio 3-2.
Eagle def. Chuck Richardson, The Villages, Fla., 3-1.
McCordic def. Neff, Homosassa Springs, Fla., 3-1.
Knopp def. Keith Sharp, Orlando, 3-0.
Monacelli def. Dave Sill, Titusville, Fla., 3-2.
Wagner def. Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 3-2.
Traber def. Bruce Hall, Los Altos Hills, Calif., 3-2.

2012 USBC Queens Final Frame

2012-04-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

Will Ron Mohr Dominate For 2012 Senior PBA Tour Season?

2012-04-25T09:19:00.001-07:00

For reigning Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Senior Player of the Year Ron Mohr, his domination during the 2011 season will be a tough act to follow in 2012, but he’s up to the challenge.

Mohr, of Eagle River, Alaska, will begin defense of his 2011 Senior Player of the Year title when the 2012 Senior Tour season begins April 21-24 with the Sun Bowl In The Villages presented by Storm at Spanish Spring Lanes.

Mohr won a record-tying four titles in the 10 PBA Senior Tour events he entered in 2011, supported by a 67-30 record in his head-to-head matches and an equally impressive qualifying record.

In 10 tournaments, Mohr was the leading qualifier twice, No. 2 twice and he qualified lower than seventh only one time. In what was probably his worst event in 2011, after finishing in 77th place after the first eight qualifying games in the Senior Decatur (Ill.) Open, Mohr moved up 53 places over the next eight games to make the cut to match play by four pins, qualifying 24th.

“I’m really fighting the notion that it was a career year and can’t be repeated,” Mohr said. “But on the other hand it’s unrealistic to expect to have a year like that again.”

In addition to his four titles – including his first major championship in the Senior U.S. Open – Mohr finished out of the top four only one time. He was second twice, third twice, fourth and had a 13-place finish in Decatur. The only tournament he didn’t enter was the USBC Senior Masters which he missed in order to attend a family wedding.

“The real expectation is that over time things even out but I’ve kept a winning attitude and feel as well prepared if not better than last year going into this season,” he said. “Last year was something I never expected and I admit I had a lot of things go my way. I just need to keep that winning attitude and let everything else take care of itself.”

Tom Baker (2006), Bob Glass (2001), Dale Eagle (1999) and Pete Couture (1998) also had four-title seasons, but only Baker’s was in a comparable number of events (nine).

In 2006, Baker finished second, third, fifth, seventh and 24th in his other five events. Eagle won four times in a 15-tournament schedule while Glass and Couture won their titles in 14-event seasons. No one had a perfect 11-for-11 cashing record in 2011, but of the nine players who cashed in 10 events, Mohr, Baker, Peter Knopp and Henry Gonzalez were 10-for-10 while Walter Ray Williams Jr., Harry Sullins, Mike Henry, Kenny Parks and Eagle cashed in 10 of 11 events.

The only statistical category where Mohr fell short was in scoring average which was led by Williams with a Senior Tour record 229.56 and Mohr finished second with 225.98. Defending champion Sullins of Chesterfield, Mich., defeated Williams, 248-239, to win last year’s Sun Bowl In The Villages for his second career Senior Tour title.

The Bowling Swing and Release

2012-04-24T13:42:00.002-07:00

New Columbia Freeze Balls

2012-04-23T13:39:00.001-07:00

Sean Rash Puts It All Together To Win PBA Tournament of Champions

2012-04-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

Sean Rash now living in Suburban Chicago (Montgomery), IL, won the PBA Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Sunday, ending a five-year, 14-tournament television drought with a 239-205 victory over Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, NY.

Rash, who hadn’t won a title since the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Masters, started the title match with four strikes and bowled an almost error-free game to win the $80,000 first prize and the fifth title of his career.

“This one ranks right up there with the most important titles I’ve ever won,” Rash said. “Your first title is always special, and so is your first major, but this tournament is special because everyone who bowls in it is a champion. The other guys in the finals are all great young players."

“The biggest thing is learning from your failures. I learned that a long time ago, and I’ve worked hard to overcome my mistakes,” the 29-year-old said.

“The great thing about winning a title like this is we’re all family out here. Every other player wants the other guy to succeed. It really feels good.”

With his title, Rash also inserted himself into the PBA Player of the Year chase. He unofficially led the Tour in earnings, average and competition points while finishing in the top 10 in 11 of 14 tournaments.

Ciminelli had nothing but praise for Rash’s performance after eliminating two PBA Player of the Year candidates in his first two matches.

“I’m disappointed I didn’t win, but Sean bowled a great game. He earned it,” Ciminelli said. “Getting to the title match was another step in my career. I won by far the biggest check I’ve ever gotten ($40,000), I qualified for the Japan Cup and I’ll get to bowl in the PBA Summer Series, so it was a big week for me.

“And I think I handled the pressure well,” the 26-year-old left-hander said. “I usually beat myself up, but this week I’m proud of myself. There are going to be many, many more opportunities. I’m very young.”

In the semifinal match, Ciminelli missed a 7 pin in the first frame but raced away to a 257-223 victory over Australia’s Jason Belmonte, striking on nine of his next 10 shots. Belmonte couldn’t solve the right lane until the 10th frame and by then it was too late. Belmonte came into the finals with three victories during the 2011-12 PBA Tour season and was considered a leading contender in the PBA Player of the Year race.

In the opening match, Ciminelli defeated another Player of the Year contender, Mike Fagan of Dallas, 190-182, in a mistake-filled match. Fagan opened in three of his first five frames before rallying with a late turkey.

Ciminelli also survived a pair of unconverted splits, throwing the first string of three strikes in the match to protect his slim lead and converting a 7 pin in the 10th frame to lock up the win. Fagan had won a pair of 2011-12 titles including the United States Bowling Congress Masters, one of the PBA Tour’s four major championships.

With Ciminelli’s loss, the PBA Tour completed its first season since 1962 without a left-handed title winner.

While the PBA Tour’s regular season ended with the Tournament of Champions, a special post-season PBA Summer Shootout is planned for Memorial Day weekend in Chicago. Details will be announced soon.

PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, Sunday

FINAL STANDINGS

1, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., one game, 239 pins, $80,000.

2, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., three games, 652 pins, $40,000.
3, Jason Belmonte, Australia, one game, 223 pins, $20,000.

4, Mike Fagan, Dallas, one game, 182 pins, $12,000.

STEPLADDER RESULTS

Match One: Ciminelli def. Fagan, 190-182.

Semifinal Match: Ciminelli def. Belmonte, 257-223.

Championship: Rash def. Ciminelli, 239-205.

Fagan Leads PBA Tournament of Champions Into Round of 18

2012-04-13T11:07:00.002-07:00

Mike Fagan of Dallas made another statement in his bid to become Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Player of the Year, averaging 240.22 in building a 119-pin lead over defending champion Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland, MI, after 18 qualifying games in the PBA Tournament of Champions Thursday at Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, NV.

Fagan finished Thursday’s Round of 36 qualifying with a total of 4,324 pins. Koivuniemi had a 4,205 pinfall total.

The 18 players who survived Thursday’s qualifying will bowl another 18 games of head-to-head match play Friday to decide the four players who will compete for the $80,000 first prize in the ESPN stepladder finals Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

The Tournament of Champions is the final event of the PBA Tour’s 2011-12 season.

Fagan, who had won only two titles in nine previous seasons as a PBA Tour player, is seeking his third title of the 2011-12 season, including his second major championship after winning the United States Bowling Congress Masters in January. He also finished second in the U.S. Open, another major, losing that title to Pete Weber by one pin in February, and the 31-year-old Long Island, NY, native won the Brunswick Euro Challenge in March for his fourth career PBA title.

Australia’s Jason Belmonte and Norm Duke of Clermont, FL, are the only players who have won three titles during the 2011-12 season. Finland’s Osku Palermaa has won twice. Belmonte and Palermaa remained in title contention. Duke finished 25th and missed the cut to match play.

Koivuniemi, who snuck into the Round of 36 by a single pin in a four-player roll-off at the close of Wednesday’s Elite Field round, bowled with Fagan throughout Thursday’s qualifying, advancing from third place to second during Thursday’s evening round while cutting Fagan’s early lead in half. Rhino Page of Dade City, FL, finished qualifying in third place with 4,172 pins followed by Belmonte in fourth place with 4,148 pins and Sean Rash of Suburban Chicago (Montgomery, IL), in fifth with a 4,124 total.

Bowling fans can follow the final 18 games of match play today through the PBA’s exclusive coverage on Xtra Frame, the PBA’s online bowling channel; through live scoring on pba.com, and through the Professional Bowlers Association on Facebook and Twitter. Subscriptions to Xtra Frame are available on the pba.com home page.

PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, Thursday

ROUND OF 36 STANDINGS (after 18 games; top 18 advance to Round of 36 match play finals on Friday):

1, Mike Fagan, Dallas, 4,324.
2, Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, 4,205.
3, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 4,172.
4, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 4,148.
5, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 4,124.
6, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 4,105.
7, Osku Palermaa, Finland, 4,093.
8, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 4,086.
9, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 4,044.
10, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 4,034.
11, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 4,027.
12, Robert Smith, Los Angeles, 4,016.
13, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 4,003.
14, Stuart Williams, England, 3,975.
15, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 3,965.
16 (tie), Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., and Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 3,957.
18, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 3,953.

Failed to advance:
19, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 3,940, $5,500.
20, Mitch Beasley, Clarksville, Tenn., 3,914, $5,200.
21, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 3,896, $5,000.
22, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3,887, $4,900.
23, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 3,862, $4,800.
24, Mike DeVaney, Hemet, Calif., 3,854, $4,700.
25 (tie), Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., and Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3,853, $4,550.
27, Dan MacLelland, Canada, 3,847, $4,400.
28, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 3,806, $4,300.
29 (tie), Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., and Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 3,805, $4,150
31, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 3,801, $4,000.
32, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 3,754, $3,900.
33, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 3,730, $3,800.
34, Dom Barrett, England, 3,687, $3,700.
35, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 3,646, $3,650.
36, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 3,539, $3,600.

300 Games: Osku Palermaa, Stuart Williams.

Mike Fagan Leads Round of 36 at PBA Tournament of Champions

2012-04-13T10:41:00.000-07:00

Mike Fagan of Dallas continued to build his Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Player of the Year credentials, averaging 265 while racing into a 239-pin lead after the first nine qualifying games in the PBA Tournament of Champions (TOC) Round of 36 Thursday at Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, NV.

Fagan rolled games of 238, 299, 268, 258, 299, 201, 290, 269 and 264 for a total of 2,386 pins.

Fagan, who had won only two titles in nine previous seasons as a PBA Tour player, is seeking his third title of the 2011-12 season, including his second major championship after winning the United States Bowling Congress Masters in January. He also finished second in the U.S. Open, another major, losing the title to Pete Weber by one pin in February, and the 31-year-old Long Island, NY, native won the Kuwait International Open for his second PBA title of the season in March.

“I just felt comfortable today,” Fagan said. “My tempo’s good, my speed control is good, my ball reaction is good. It’s probably something that’s never happened to me like this before."

“Things are just clicking this year,” he added. “I’m getting smarter with equipment, adjusting faster. The difference between me and top players last year was probably one shot a game, and I’m fixing that."

“I know things aren’t over,” he continued. “I’m just going to try to keep doing the same things. I’ve learned in tournaments like this, when you have a good shot, you’d better take advantage because it might not be there the next round.”

Trailing Fagan was Australian two-handed star Jason Belmonte, who had won three titles this season. Belmonte had 2,147 pins for nine games. Third was defending champion Mika Koivuniemi, who snuck into the Round of 36 Thursday night, claiming his spot by a single pin in a four-player roll-off for the 25th spot in the Elite Field.

Competition for the TOC title and the $80,000 first prize continues Thursday night with nine more qualifying games. After 18 games, the field will be cut to the top 18 who will advance to two nine-game rounds of head-to-head match play on Friday. The top four players after 36 games of qualifying and match play will advance to the ESPN stepladder finals Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Bowling fans can follow Round of 36 progress through the PBA’s exclusive coverage on Xtra Frame, the PBA’s online bowling channel; through live scoring on pba.com, and through the Professional Bowlers Association on Facebook and Twitter. Subscriptions to Xtra Frame are available on the pba.com home page.

PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, Thursday

ROUND OF 36 STANDINGS (after 9 of 18 games; top 18 advance to Round of 36 match play finals on Friday):

1, Mike Fagan, Dallas, 2,386.
2, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 2,147.
3, Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, 2,121.
4, Osku Palermaa, Finland, 2,116.
5, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 2,113.
6, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 2,079.
7 (tie), Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., and Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,078.
9, Mike DeVaney, Hemet, Calif., 2,058.
10, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 2,044.
11, Robert Smith, Los Angeles, 2,043.
12, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 2,041.
13, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 2,019.
14, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 2,011.
15, Mitch Beasley, Clarksville, Tenn., 2,007.
16 (tie), Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., and Andres Gomez, Colombia, 2,004.
18, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 1,997.
19, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 1,990.
20, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 1,987.
21, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 1,947.
22, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 1,946.
23, Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 1,945.
24, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 1,935.
25, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 1,923.
26, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 1,919.
27, Stuart Williams, England, 1,901.
28, Dan MacLelland, Canada, 1,899.
29, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,897.
30, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,883.
31, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 1,882.
32, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 1,860.
33, Dom Barrett, England, 1,837.
34, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 1,830.
35, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 1,805.
36, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 1,791.

300 Game: Osku Palermaa.

Rash Leads 24 Into TOC Championship Round

2012-04-12T13:20:00.000-07:00

Sean Rash of west suburban Chicago (Montgomery, IL), completed the Elite Field qualifying portion of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA)Tournament of Champions (TOC) Wednesday at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas, NV with a 20-game total of 4,845 pins, leading a group of 25 players who will join 11 current-season title winners for the final dash toward Sunday’s live ESPN stepladder finals starting Thursday morning.

Competition for the TOC title and the $80,000 first prize starts fresh Thursday with two nine-game qualifying rounds. After Thursday’s 18 games, the top 18 will advance to two nine-game rounds of head-to-head match play on Friday. The top four players after 36 games will advance to the finals Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Rash, a four-time PBA Tour title winner, averaged 242.25 to finish 43 pins ahead of 2011 TOC runner-up Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, MI.

Leading the group of Elite Field qualifiers was no more meaningful than finishing 25th as far as Rash was concerned, other than giving him an opportunity to get his game fine-tuned for the 36-game dash to the finals.

“My tempo is what I’ve worked on all year and that’s what I worked on,” Rash said. “Leading right now doesn’t matter. There’s no added prize money, no points. We drop pins and start over. The goal was just to survive these two days.

“Tomorrow is when the tournament starts. It’ll be a lot different tournament tomorrow - different players, a different level of talent, different approach.”

The final five games in the Elite Field resulted in an intense battle for the final spots. With one game to go, nine players were within 33 pins of the 25th spot. After 20 games, four players wound up tied for 24th place, resulting in a one-game roll-off with two of the four advancing. In the roll-off, Eddie VanDaniker of Essex, MD (256) and defending champion Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland, MI, with a strike on his final ball in the 10th frame (226), advanced. Kelly Kulick of Union, NJ, who became the first woman ever to win a PBA Tour title in the 2010 Tournament of Champions, lost by a pin to Koivuniemi with a 225. Jim Pratt of Glendale, AZ (213) also was eliminated.

Joining the Round of 36 field Thursday are three-time 2011-12 titlists Jason Belmonte of Australia and Norm Duke of Clermont, FL; U.S. Open champ Pete Weber of St. Ann, MO; two-time winners Osku Palermaa of Finland and Mike Fagan of Dallas, TX; England’s Stuart Williams and Dom Barrett; Colombia’s Andres Gomez; Wes Malott of Pflugerville, Texas; Eugene McCune of Munster, IN, and Scott Newell of Deland, FL.

Two of the longest-running streaks of television appearances in PBA history ended Wednesday night when PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, FL, missed the cut to the Round of 36, assuring that his PBA record streak of 26 consecutive years of TV appearances has ended. Steve Jaros of Yorkville, IL, also saw his streak of 20 consecutive years with at least one television final come to an end.

Bowling fans can follow progress in the Tournament of Champions through the PBA’s exclusive coverage on Xtra Frame, the PBA’s online bowling channel; through live scoring on pba.com, and through the Professional Bowlers Association on Facebook and Twitter. Subscriptions to Xtra Frame are available on the pba.com home page.

PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, Wednesday

ELITE FIELD STANDINGS (after 20 games; top 25 advance to Round of 36):

1, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 4,845.
2, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 4,802.
3, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 4,784.
4, Mitch Beasley, Clarksville, Tenn., 4,766.
5, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 4,691.
6, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 4,688.
7, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 4,662.
8, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 4,660.
9, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 4,631.
10, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 4,614.
11, Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 4,600.
12, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 4,599.
13 (tie), Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., and Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 4,595.
15, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 4,593.
16, Dan MacLelland, Canada, 4,569.
17, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 4,567.
18, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 4,555.
19, Mike DeVaney, Hemet, Calif., 4,543.
20, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 4,524.
21, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 4,521.
22, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 4,512.
23, Robert Smith, Hong Kong, 4,510.
24 (tie), x-Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., and y- Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, 4,509.

x-VanDaniker (256) and y-Koivuniemi (226) won a one-game roll-off over Kulick (225) and Pratt (213) to advance to the Round of 36.

Did not advance:

26 (tie), Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., and Jim Pratt, Glendale, Ariz., 4,509.

28 (tie), Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., and Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 4,501.
30, Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, Calif., 4,497.
31 (tie), D.J. Archer, Port Arthur, Texas, and Josh Blanchard, Gilbert, Ariz., 4,486.
33, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 4,483.
34, Lee Vanderhoef, Greenville, S.C., 4,480.
35, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 4,463.
36, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 4,458.
37, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 4,452.
38, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 4,444.
39, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 4,430.
40, PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 4,416.
41, Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., 4,405.
42, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 4,399.
43, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 4,395.
44, Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., 4,390.
45, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 4,386.
46, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 4,379.
47, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 4,361.
48, Wayne Webb, Columbus, Ohio, 4,360.
49, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 4,349.
50, Bryan Alpert, Northridge, Calif., 4,343.
51, Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 4,341.
52, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 4,340.
53, Kerry Painter, Henderson, Nev., 4,336.
54, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 4,292.
55, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 4,285.
56, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 4,284.
57, David Haynes, Las Vegas, 4,269.
58, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 4,268.
59, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 4,251.
60, Chris Hayden, Las Vegas, 4,250.
61, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 4,246.
62, Eric Forkel, Henderson, Nev., 4,243.
63, Tyler Jensen, Ft. Worth, Texas, 4,219.
64, Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 4,209.
65, Mike Bailey, Frisco, Texas, 4,205.
66, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 4,201.
67, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 4,187.
68, Michael Steil, Wheeling, Ill., 4,182.
69, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 4,166.
70, Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 4,156.
71, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 4,146.
72, Jason Poli, West Des Moines, Iowa, 4,132.
73, Missy Parkin, Lake Forest, Calif., 4,118.
74, Joe Paluszek, Bensalem, Pa., 4,113.
75, Joe Salvemini, Henderson, Nev., 4,067.
76, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 4,003.
77, Carmen Salvino, Schaumburg, Ill., 3,791.

300 Games: PJ Haggerty, Dick Allen, Dan MacLelland.

Rash Tops TOC Elite Field Round 2

2012-04-11T11:03:00.001-07:00

Sean Rash of Montgomery, IL, averaged 243.6 Tuesday to take a two–pin lead over Nathan Bohr of Wichita, KS, after two rounds of Elite Field qualifying in the Professional Bowling Association's (PBA) Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas, NV.

Rash, a four-time PBA Tour title winner who is trying to win his first title since the 2007 United States Bowling Congress Masters, posted a 10-game total of 2,436 pins to lead the field of 77 Elite Field players. Bohr, who is seeking his first PBA Tour title, for a total of 2,434 pins.

The Elite Field consists of 77 players – 21 who survived Monday’s 14-game Champions Field qualifying and 56 PBA Tour title winners and exempt players. The Elite Field will bowl 10 more games Wednesday to determine the 25 who will join 11 current season title winners for the Round of 36 on Thursday and Friday. The top four players at the end of the 36-game Round of 36 will advance to the ESPN stepladder finals Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Rash has had the best year of his seven-year career with 10 top-10 finishes, seven television finals and three second-place finishes in 13 events. But he is still trying to end a streak of 14 consecutive television appearances without a title.

After 20 games, defending TOC champion Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland, MI, was 24th and 2010 winner Kelly Kulick of Union, NJ, the only woman ever to win a PBA Tour title, was tied for 33rd. Champions Field top qualifier Tom Daugherty of Wesley Chapel, FL, had one of the three 300 games rolled Tuesday to advance from 48th place to 14th.

"The scoring pace seems to be pretty high, but that really doesn't matter," Bohr said. "I like to play on whatever (condition) is out there.

“I'm coming into this tournament feeling pretty good. I'd have to say that I'm bowling better than average,” Bohr said. “I had good finishes in the (USBC) Masters (seventh) and the PBA World Championship (14th) earlier in the season.”

The Masters and PBA World Championship, like the Tournament of Champions, are major championships in PBA competition and they represent Bohr’s two highest finishes of the season.

"Going forward I plan to just start from scratch and not get caught up on what happened the last block,” Bohr said.

PBA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas, Tuesday

ELITE FIELD STANDINGS (after 10 of 20 games; top 25 advance to Round of 36):

1, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 2,436.
2, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 2,434.
3, Mitch Beasley, Clarksville, Tenn., 2,426.
4, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 2,401.
5, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 2,374.
6, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 2,373.
7, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 2,367.
8, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 2,356.
9, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 2,355.
10, Mike DeVaney, Hemet, Calif., 2,342.
11, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 2,340.
12, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 2,330.
13, Wayne Webb, Columbus, Ohio, 2,329.
14, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,322.
15, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 2,312.
16, Scott Norton, Costa Mesa, Calif., 2,309.
17, Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 2,307.
18, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 2,303.
19, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,302.
20 (tie), Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., and Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 2,301.
22, Dan MacLelland, Canada, 2,296.
23, Martin Larsen, Sweden, 2,285.
24, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 2,277.
25, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 2,271.
26, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 2,263.
27, Lee Vanderhoef, Greenville, S.C., 2,262.
28, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 2,255.
29, Jim Pratt, Glendale, Ariz., 2,243.
30, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 2,239.
31, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 2,232.
32, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 2,224.
33 (tie), Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., and Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 2,222.
35, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 2,218.
36, Robert Smith, Hong Kong, 2,214.
37, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 2,207.
38, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 2,201.
39, Josh Blanchard, Gilbert, Ariz., 2,197.
40, Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, 2,195.
41, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 2,193.
42, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 2,186.
43 (tie), Michael Steil, Wheeling, Ill., and Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 2,185.
45, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 2,173.
46, D.J. Archer, Port Arthur, Texas, 2,169.
47, Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 2,167.
48, Eric Forkel, Henderson, Nev., 2,163.
49, Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., 2,162.
50, David Haynes, Las Vegas, 2,160.
51 (tie), Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., and Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 2,156.
53 (tie), Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, and Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 2,153.
55, PJ Haggerty, Roseville, Calif., 2,147.
56, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 2,143.
57, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 2,139.
58, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 2,138.
59 (tie), Lonnie Waliczek, Wichita, Kan., and Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 2,136.
61, Tyler Jensen, Ft. Worth, Texas, 2,135.
62, Jesse Buss, Wichita, Kan., 2,132.
63, Mike Bailey, Frisco, Texas, 2,113.
64, Bryan Alpert, Northridge, Calif., 2,111.
65, Kerry Painter, Henderson, Nev., 2,098.
66, Missy Parkin, Lake Forest, Calif., 2,093.
67, Chris Hayden, Las Vegas, 2,085.
68, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 2,079.
69, Jason Poli, West Des Moines, Iowa, 2,074.
70, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 2,070.
71, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 2,067.
72, Joe Salvemini, Henderson, Nev., 2,046.
73, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 2,028.
74, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 2,027.
75, Joe Paluszek, Bensalem, Pa., 2,021.
76, Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 1,998.
77, Carmen Salvino, Schaumburg, Ill., 1,942.

300 Games: Michael Machuga, Tom Hess, Tom Daugherty.