2001/01/31

　　【PBA】　PBA National Championship　【Round 2】

　Parker Bohn III rose to the top after the second round of qualifying in the PBA Tour's PBA National Championship at Southwyck Lanes Wednesday.

　Bohn, of Jackson, N.J., averaged 223 through the eight-game round to boost himself from fourth to first. The former PBA Player of the Year (1999), who was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame last year, posted a tournament-high game of 286. The 25-time titlist, whose latest title came earlier this month in the National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles, Reno, Nev. (with Rohn Morton), has a 16-game, 3,644 pinfall total and a 227 tournament average. Bohn, who finished ninth here last year, is looking to win his first PBA major.

　"Even though it is early in the tournament I feel really good," said Bohn. "I have never made a show (telecast) in Toledo, even though I came close last year, and I hope to be sitting in this position Sunday afternoon."

　"It's great to lead any tournament, but especially when you lead a major and have propelled to the top of the field because there is usually a more challenging condition and there is more of a premium on shot-making," said Bohn.

　Climbing from 10th place into second was Tommy Delutz Jr. Delutz, of Flushing, N.Y., opened the round with a high game of 248 and rolled only one game below 200. The 34-year-old, who owns one PBA title, has felled 3,622 pins. He had a high finish of sixth on the National Tour in 2000 (MSN Open, Tucson, Ariz.), and is aiming toward his first championship round appearance of the year.

　Defending champion Norm Duke, of Clermont, Fla., made a considerable move toward the top of the standings, going from 14th to third. The reigning PBA Player of the Year, who won two additional titles last year after winning here to give him a total of 19, has upended 3,606 pins. Duke, who also owns an American Bowling Congress Masters title (Tulsa, Okla., 1993), registered a high game of 267 and did not bowl a game below 201.

　Falling slightly off pace to go from first to fourth was Bryon Smith. Smith, of Winchester, Ore., has knocked down 3,599 pins. The 27-year-old right-hander, who just missed making the telecast last week in Las Vegas, finishing sixth, is targeting his first PBA victory.

　Rounding out the top five is Brian Voss, of Atlanta. Voss, a PBA Hall of Famer, averaged 231 through the round, with high games of 245, 248 and 252 to jump up from 52nd place. The 20-time PBA champion, who is looking for his first win since 1998 (Virginia Beach, Va.), has toppled 3,536 pins.

2001/01/30

　　【PBA】　PBA National Championship　【Round 1】

　Bryon Smith jumped out to an early 34-pin lead after the first round of qualifying in the PBA Tour's PBA National Championship at Southwyck Lanes Tuesday.

　Smith, of Winchester, Ore., opened the year's first major with a 1,905, eight-game pinfall total, good for a tournament leading 238 average. Smith, who finished sixth last week (Las Vegas), is aiming toward his third match play appearance in his fourth tournament this year. He is targeting his first career PBA title.

　Smith's eight games were 256, 239, 213, 257, 247, 245, 224 and 224.

　"Anytime you lead a tournament is great," said Smith, who used an Ebonite Tiger. "You feel good about all the hard work you've put in to get here."

　"I was in a good rhythm tonight," he commented. "I like to see the lanes hooking like they were tonight. My ball gets through the front part of the lanes so easily that I have an advantage over the rest of the field when the heads are dried-up. Today, my target was between the 29th and 32nd board and I was trying not to swing it outside of the 15th board."

　Dennis Horan, of Temecula, Calif., finished in the second spot having felled 1,871 pins. A four-time PBA champion, Horan posted high games of 266 and 256. The 15-year-pro last won in 2000 at the Bayer/Brunswick Touring Players Championship (Akron, Ohio). He is shooting for his second match play appearance in 2001.

　Claiming the third spot was Brian Himmler, of Cincinatti. Himmler, who owns one PBA title (Albuquerque, N.M., 1999), rolled high games of 280, 278 and 265. He has toppled 1,863 total pins.

　Rounding out the top five were Parker Bohn III and Tim Criss, who tied for the fourth spot. Bohn, the most recent PBA Hall of Fame inductee, won just two weeks ago with senior partner Rohn Morton in the National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles, his 25th career title. Criss, of Bel Air, Md., owns five PBA titles, last being the 1999 PBA National Championship in Toledo, Ohio.

2001/01/26

　　【JPBA】　女子上半期トーナメント出場優先順位決定戦　【第２日目・最終成績】

2001/01/25

　　【PBA】　Orleans Casino Open　【Final】

　Ryan Shafer walked away a winner, again, in the PBA Tour's Orleans Casino Open Thursday evening at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center.

　Shafer successfully defended his title as he beat Jeff Lizzi in the title match, 210-200.

　"Being the defending champion automatically made me excited to bowl,"Shafer said. "I obviously bowl great at this center and winning here the second time is just as special as the first."

　Shafer, of Elmira, N.Y., who earned $25,000, found himself in a familiar position as he entered the finals as the tournament leader for the second consecutive year.

　Lizzi, of Sandusky, Ohio, who was going for his second PBA title, started the title match with a trio of strikes, giving him the early lead.

　Shafer, whose win here last year was his first career PBA title, picked up a single pin spare (10-pin) in frame one. Already behind Lizzi, Shafer came up light in the second frame, leaving the 4-8 combination, which he was able to convert. To get back into the game, Shafer managed to string together three strikes (frames three through five).

　In the fourth frame, Lizzi was unable to pick up the 3-10 split, breaking his string and leaving his first open frame of the game. Although he recouped with a strike in the fifth frame, Lizzi left his second open frame in the sixth when he left the 3-6-7-10 split and picked up only the 3, 7 and 10-pins.

　"When Lizzi left the split, I really felt that I would be able to come back and put this one away," said Shafer. "My reaction was great and I was pumped."

　With the door wide open, Shafer spared in the sixth frame and then put together a double (frames seven and eight).

　Trailing by 33 pins, Lizzi converted a 10-pin spare in the seventh and left a solid 9-pin in the eighth frame, which he also converted.

　Shafer, needing two marks going into the ninth frame to win, picked up the 7-pin spare to leave himself a nine count for the win. In his first bad shot of the match, Shafer left the 2-4-8-10 split, giving Lizzi an unexpected chance to win.

　Determined to take advantage of Shafer's misfortune, Lizzi struck on his first ball in the 10th frame. He needed one more strike to win plus eight pins on his fill ball, but came up short with a 4-10 split on his second ball.

　"I couldn't believe that Shafer gave me a chance to win," said Lizzi. "All I needed were three great shots, I bowled well all week and I really thought I could pull it off but my second shot in the 10th frame was too hard and that was that."

　In the semifinal match, Lizzi bested Michael Haugen Jr., 243-170. Haugen, of Mesa, Ariz., who was targeting his first career PBA victory, received a $7,000 check for third place, which is his best finish on the PBA Tour.

　In the second match, Haugen won over John May, Lincolnton, N.C., 228-193. Haugen's 228 game included a converted difficult 6-7 split in the third frame. May, who was also aiming toward his first PBA title, ended in fourth place, earning $5,000.

　May advanced to the second match by defeating PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., in the first match, 216-214. Williams, who leads the PBA in career television appearances (124), took home $4,000 for finishing fifth.

　　【PBA】　Orleans Casino Open　【Round 5】

　Ryan Shafer finds himself in familiar territory after the third round of match play in the PBA Tourﾕs Orleans Casino Open Thursday morning.

　As the tournament leader, Shafer, of Elmira, N.Y., needs only to win tonight's title match versus the survivor of the first three matches in order to claim his third career PBA title. He collected a 42-game, 9,697 pinfall total and racked up a 16-8 match play record. The 15-year pro, who is defending his first career title, won twice last year as the top seed (Orleans Casino Open, Las Vegas, and Wichita, Kan.), his only career appearances as the tournament leader.

　Jeff Lizzi, of Sandusky, Ohio, moved up one spot in the round to claim second and guarantee himself a place in the semifinal match (9,585). The one-time PBA champion is searching for his first title since he claimed the 1992 Brunswick Memorial World Open (Lake Zurich, Ill.). He piled up a 12-11-1 match play record.

　Dropping one spot into third (9,507) is Michael Haugen Jr., of Mesa, Ariz., who will shoot for his first career title. The 1997 PBA Western Region Player of the Year went 15-9 in match play. He has a career high finish of fourth place (Albuquerque, N.M., 1999) in two career championship round appearances. Here last year, he finished 11th which was his high finish in 2000 (also finished 11th in Pasadena, Texas). This year marks Haugen's fourth year as a touring professional.

　John May, of Lincolnton, N.C., earned the fourth position. The 28-year-old will make his second career championship round appearance after posting a field-best 17-7 match play record. In his only other championship round appearance, he lost to Parker Bohn III as the tournament leader (Chattanooga, Tenn., 2000).

　In one of the most drama-filled position round matches in recent times, Walter Ray Williams Jr. squeaked by Bryon Smith, 190-188, to claim the fifth and final spot. Smith, who led Williams by 17 pins going into the final game, needed a strike on his first shot in the 10th frame to have a chance to tie (two strikes to lock up the win). He left a solid 9-pin on the shot, his best effort on a lane both players struggled to match up with.

　Williams, of Ocala, Fla., piled up a 15-9 record and upended 9,336 total pins. The PBA Hall of Famer claimed the last two of his 32 career PBA titles in the fall of 2000 (Canandaigua, N.Y., and N. Brunswick, N.J.).

　　【JPBA】　女子上半期トーナメント出場優先順位決定戦　【第1日目】

2001/01/24

　　【PBA】　Orleans Casino Open　【Round 4】

　Defending champion Ryan Shafer reached the top of the leader board after the second round of match play in the PBA Tour's Orleans Casino Open Wednesday evening.

　Shafer, of Elmira, N.Y., won six of eight games in the round with the field's highest block total, averaging 232. The two-time PBA titlist, making his first match play appearance of 2001, has amassed a 34-game, 7,783 pinfall total (218 overall average) and has collected a 12-4 overall record. Here last year, Shafer captured the top spot after the second round of match play and went on to win his first career PBA title as the tournament leader.

　"It's a different feeling to be the defending champion, a good one," said Shafer about having the distinction for the first time in his 15-year career. "When I was introduced during the pro-am Sunday, heads picked up trying to get a good look at who won it last year."

　Shafer, the newest Storm pro-staff member, feels he is going through a transition period after using nothing but Ebonite equipment for several years.

　"The first few weeks this winter have been a transition for me," he commented. "I've had to build a whole new arsenal with Storm. I knew Ebonite's equipment like the back of my hand. Since, I just signed with Storm two weeks before the Winter Tour, I didn't have a lot of time to experiment."

　"The Storm balls seem to go longer down lane for me and have a little more back end. For me, Ebonite balls rolled early and that's what I got used to. So, these first three weeks, I've had to totally rethink my approach to the game."

　Today, Shafer used a Storm X-It to open a 101-pin lead over Michael Haugen Jr.

　Haugen, of Mesa, Ariz., remained in the second spot for the second straight round. The eight-year pro won five games in the round to run his record to 11-5. Haugen, 34, has two career championship round appearances to his credit, the last being a career high finish (fourth place, Albuquerque, N.M., 1999).

　Third place belongs to Jeff Lizzi, who owns one PBA title, the 1992 Brunswick Memorial World Open (Lake Zurich, Ill.). Lizzi, of Sandusky, Ohio, dropped from the top spot after winning only three games to go along with one tie in the round, 247-247 versus Paul Koehler. He has toppled 7,645 total pins. In 2000, the 35-year-old made a career-best four championship round appearances with a high finish of third place at the U.S. Open (Phoenix).

　John May of Lincolnton, N.C., won seven games and climbed from eighth place into fourth. May, who lost to Parker Bohn III as the tournament leader last year in his only career championship round appearance (Chattanooga, Tenn.), is tied with Shafer with a tournament-best 12-4 match play record (7,606). May, a prolific champion from the PBA's Southern Region, owns 18 PBA Regional titles.

　Rounding out the top five was Bryon Smith, of Winchester, Ore., (7,595, 11-5). Smith, 27, is searching for his first championship round appearance since he finished seventh at last year's Bayer/Brunswick Touring Players Championship (Akron, Ohio). It was his only championship round appearance of 2000.

　　【PBA】　Orleans Casino Open　【Round 3】

　Jeff Lizzi continued to build on his lead after the first round of match play in the PBA Tour's Orleans Casino Open at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center Wednesday afternoon

　Lizzi, of Sandusky, Ohio, who has led the entire tournament, went 4-4 in the round while averaging 224 to remain at the top. The one-time titlist, who made four PBA telecasts in 2000, threw high games of 247 and 279. In the midst of a 225 game, Lizzi converted the difficult, 4-10 split. He has a 26-game, 5,885 pinfall total.

　"I had good and bad games today," said Lizzi. "But during match play you have the opportunity to try new things and find out what works and what doesn't. Despite a few low games, I feel my game is very consistent."

　"I feel confident that I can keep up my pace and make the show, hopefully as the tournament leader," said Lizzi.

　Climbing from ninth place to capture second was Michael Haugen Jr. Haugen, of Mesa, Ariz., posted high games of 245 and 268 while piling up six wins. The seventh-year pro, who is aiming toward his first PBA title, has upended 5,836 pins. The 34-year-old finished 11th here last year, which was his best finish in 2000 (he also finished 11th in Pasadena, Texas). In the last game of the morning, Haugen defeated Lizzi, 257-221.

　Making the biggest move of the day, from 21st (tied) to third, was Robert Smith, of Simi Valley, Calif. Smith, who also won his first two PBA titles last year, including a PBA "major," (U.S. Open, Phoenix; Erie, Pa.), averaged 230 through the round and went 6-2 (5,764). The fourth-year pro, who finished third in the National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles, Reno, Nev., with PBA senior Bob Glass two weeks ago, bowled a solid round with a high game of 267 and a low game of 205.

　Defending champion Ryan Shafer dropped one spot to end in fourth. Shafer, who won his first PBA title here last year, lost the first game in the round but went on to win the rest. The former PBA Rookie of the Year (1987), who went on to win his second title last year as well (Wichita, Kan.), has toppled 5,747 pins. The Elmira, N.Y., resident is looking to make his first championship round appearance of the year as he failed to make match play and cash in the first two tournaments of the year.

　Rounding out the top five was Bryon Smith. Smith, of Winchester, Ore., won five games in the round to move up one spot from sixth. The 27-year-old, who owns no PBA titles, has a 5,732 pinfall total.

2001/01/23

　　【PBA】　Orleans Casino Open　【Round 2】

　Jeff Lizzi shot a 300 game and maintained his lead after the second round of qualifying in the PBA Tour's Orleans Casino Open at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center Tuesday.

　Lizzi, of Sandusky, Ohio, has compiled a 3,969, 18-game pinfall total, good for a tournament leading 220 average. The 17-year pro, earned his first match play appearance of the year with the help of his 23rd career 300 game today. Lizzi, 35, is searching for his second career PBA title. His lone championship came in the 1992 Brunswick Memorial World Open in Lake Zurich, Ill. However, last year Lizzi broke through with four championship round appearances, the most of his career. Prior to 2000, his win in 1992 was his only career championship round appearance.

　"My game is becoming more versatile and I'm becoming a better player because of it," said Lizzi. "This week is a perfect example. I haven't been able to play my "A" game at all, but I've still been able to succeed."

　"The last couple of years I've been working on loosening up my arm swing and grip, rather than muscling shots," he said. "That's helped me take some hand out my shots, which has allowed my carry to increase this week. At the end of last year, I just started to feel comfortable throwing the ball like this and had a great year because of it. Hopefully, I'll continue to improve."

　Climbing seven places into second is Mike Miller of Albuquerque, N.M. Miller, a three-time PBA titlist, trails Lizzi by 27 pins after he averaged 221 during the round with a high mark of 269. His last victory came in 1999 in Dallas over Dave Wodka, who is currently in seventh place. Wodka had the best nine-game block total of the day with a 229 average (2,069).

　Ryan Shafer will make his first match play appearance of 2001 after qualifying in third place (3,924). Shafer, of Elmira, N.Y., posted the second highest block total of the day, averaging 224 (2,024). Here last year, Shafer won his first career title after 14 years as a professional.

　The fourth position belongs to 1999 PBA Rookie of the Year Paul Fleming of Bedford, Texas. Fleming is bowling in only his third tournament since he began suffering tendonitis in his right wrist during last Julyﾕs U.S. Open (Phoenix). He is searching for his first career PBA title.

　Rounding out the top five is four-time PBA champion Ricky Ward, the 1991 PBA Rookie of the Year. Ward, of North Fort Myers, Fla., has now made match play in each of this yearﾕs first three tournaments. He finished eighth last week (Daly City, Calif.).

　　【JPBA】　男子上半期トーナメント出場優先順位決定戦　【第２日目・最終成績】

2001/01/22

　　【PBA】　Orleans Casino Open　【Round 1】

　Jeff Lizzi captured the lead after the first round of qualifying in the PBA Tour's Orleans Casino Open at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center Monday afternoon.

　Lizzi, of Sandusky, Ohio, averaged 226 through the nine-game round to take the top spot. The one-time PBA titlist, who won his lone title in 1992 in Lake Zurich, Ill., rolled a high game of 257 and only one game below 210. The 35-year-old, who made three PBA telecasts in 2000, has a nine-game, 2,035 pinfall total.

　"I picked one ball right out of the gate and stuck with it all round," said Lizzi. "I didn't have to too much transition today, I threw it straight up the gutter and when I needed to hook, I moved way in and I had threw really good shots. "

　"I just missed the match play the past two weeks," Lizzi commented. "I'm coming off a great year and I feel my game is strong right now so my confidence level is high."

　Finishing only two pins behind Lizzi was Danny Wiseman. Wiseman, who is an eight-time PBA champion, registered two high games of 257 during the round. The 14-year pro, a native of Baltimore, won his last PBA title in the 2000 Columbia 300 Open (Austin, Texas).

　Third place belongs to Norm Duke, of Clermont, Fla. The reigning PBA Player of the Year, who owns 19 PBA titles, has upended 2,015 pins. Duke, who was also the 1994 PBA Player of the Year, registered a high game of 289 and is coming off of an 11th place finish last week in Daly City, Calif.

　Ending the round in fourth is Paul Koehler. Koehler threw a high game of 257 while knocking down 1,989 pins. The Stuart, Fla., resident has made one PBA telecast which was the 1995 U.S. Open (Detroit) where he finished second.

　Rounding out the top five is Paul Fleming, of Bedford, Texas. The 1999 PBA Rookie of the Year, who finished third in the 2000 U.S. Open (Phoenix), posted high games of 255 and 257 during the round.

　Don Dupree III, who is in seventh place, has the only 300 game during the round. Both Pete Weber and Mika Koivuniemi had to withdraw from the tournament due to injury.

　　【JPBA】　男子上半期トーナメント出場優先順位決定戦　【第１日目】

2001/01/21

　　【PBA】　Silicon Valley Open　【Final】

　Mike Aulby won his 27th career PBA title Sunday morning in the PBA Tour's Silicon Valley Open at Serra Bowl.

　Aulby, of Indianapolis, defeated tournament leader Jason Couch, of Clermont, Fla., 257-211, to claim the $19,000 top-prize and sole possession of fourth place on the all-time victory list, moving ahead of Don Johnson and Dick Weber.

　"My mom's been after me to pass Johnson and Weber for a while now. So, that was big for her," said Aulby. "But, this is a big win for me simply because I haven't won since 1998 (ABC Masters). The past two weeks I've had more enthusiasm for the game, more than I've felt in a long time."

　Last week, Aulby became the third player in PBA history to surpass $2 million in career earnings (Pete Weber and Walter Ray Williams Jr. are the others). The PBA Hall of Famer has been a model of consistency throughout his career, including 87 television appearances over 22 years.

　However, until today, none of those appearances had come against Couch, the 1992 PBA Rookie of the Year.

　Coincidentally, Aulby was Couch's childhood hero.

　"Growing up, I idolized him," commented Couch. "I wanted to bowl against him for the title. To be considered the best, you have to beat the best. Today was a prime example of why he has 27 titles."

　For Couch, who finished in second place with $10,000, the inability to strike on two key shots kept him from having a chance to claim his ninth career title. In the third frame, he left the 2-4-7 combination. He was unable to convert the spare as he chopped off only the 2-pin. Then, in the sixth frame he left the difficult 2-4-6 split, which he converted in order to stay alive in the match.

　"I just got too aggressive on those two shots and on this week's condition, you just couldn't do that," Couch said. "Conversely, Mike had a very soft hand at the bottom of his swing today and all week. That's what it took to win."

　Aulby, throwing a Columbia Rock, opened the match with the first of his nine strikes followed by a single-pin spare in the second frame. He left a second 7-pin in the fifth, but promptly converted. The only other time he didn't strike in the match was on his fill ball in the 10th frame, upending only eight pins.

　Couch's seven strikes, intertwined between the open third frame and spares in the second, sixth and 10th frames, weren't enough to get past Aulby.

　However, Aulby almost didn't have the opportunity to bowl for the championship. In the semifinal match, Justin Hromek, of Andover, Kan., forced Aulby to throw a strike in the 10th frame for a narrow 246-245 victory. Hromek finished in third place, picking up $7,000.

　In the second match Hromek slid by Dennis Horan Jr., of Temecula, Calif., 201-193. Horan earned $5,000 in the fourth position.

　In the first match Hromek powered past Chris Hayden, of Tampa, Fla., 255-195. Hayden rounded out the group in fifth place with $4,000.

2001/01/20

　　【PBA】　Silicon Valley Open　【Round 6】

　Jason Couch remained strong to take the top spot after the fourth round of match play in the PBA Tour's Silicon Valley Open at Serra Bowl Saturday afternoon.

　Couch, Clermont, Fla., averaged 242 through the round to finish as the tournament leader. The 31-year-old, whose eight titles include three PBA "majors" (1993 Touring Players Championship, 1999 and 2000 Tournament of Champions), rolled high games of 266, 279 and 269 to bring his tournament average to 241. The 1992 PBA Rookie of the Year, who led all but one round of the tournament, has a 48-game 12,207 pinfall total and a 21-11 match play record. He has won six of his eight titles as the tournament leader, including his last title, the 2000 Tournament of Champions, Lake Zurich, Ill.

　"I used to be known for only being able to win from the No. 1 position," said Couch. "But I've won two titles from other positions so I don't think I need to be the tournament leader to win, but it is always an advantage having to win only one game."

　"I drilled a new ball before the last round and was able to make some changes that I didn't make the round before," said Couch. "It was all about making the right adjustments at the right time."

　Finishing 163 pins behind Couch in second place is Mike Aulby, of Indianapolis. Aulby, who led the last round, shot only one game above 237 while compiling a 21-11 match play record. The PBA Hall of Famer, who is targeting his 27th PBA title, is looking for his first win since the 1998 American Bowling Congress Masters, Reno, Nev. Currently, Aulby is tied with Don Johnson and Dick Weber for fourth on the all-time PBA titlists list. With a win tomorrow, he will claim sole possession of the fourth spot, bumping the other two into the fifth position.

　Capturing third place is Dennis Horan. Horan, of Temecula, Calif., a four-time PBA champion, whose last victory was the 2000 Bayer/Brunswick Touring Players Championship, Akron, Ohio, has toppled 11,784 pins. He won half of his games during the round to amass a field-best match play record of 22-10.

　Fourth place belongs to Chris Hayden. Hayden, of Tampa, Fla., went 4-4 in the round to bring his overall match play record to 19-12-1. The 30-year-old, who is aiming toward his first title, has felled 11,697 pins. He is making his second career PBA telecast - he finished fourth in Detroit, Mich., in 1998.

　Shooting a high game of 269 in the last game of the round to grab fifth place was Justin Hromek. Hromek, of Andover, Kan., who owns three PBA titles including the 1994 U.S. Open (Troy, Mich.), has knocked down 11,628 pins and gathered a 19-13 record. The former Wichita State Shocker is making his first championship round appearance since the 2000 PBA National Championship. Hromek began the round 214 pins out of fifth place.

　　【PBA】　Silicon Valley Open　【Round 5】

　Jason Couch reclaimed the No. 1 spot after the third round of match play in the PBA Tour's Silicon Valley Open at Serra Bowl Saturday morning.

　Couch, of Clermont, Fla., climbed one spot in the round after winning seven of eight games. The eight-time titlist, who has registered a 17-7 overall match play record, has compiled a 10,145, 40-game pinfall total (field-best 240.88 avg.). The 1992 PBA Rookie of the Year bowled high games 280, 279 and 269 en route to reclaiming the top spot, which he has held for three of the first four rounds, from Mike Aulby.

　"Aulby and I hook the ball more than the other lefties in the field," said Couch about why he and Aulby have been trading places at the top. "This means our lay-down area is further inside on the lane and as a result we don't see the transitions as early as the rest of the lefties."

　Couch has used five different Ebonite Apex balls this week, each with a different drilling.

　"The ball I used today was designed with a drilling that rolls early with not as much hook at the break point."

　Aulby, of Indianapolis, fell one spot into second after posting a 4-4 record in the round. The 26-time PBA champion, who trails Couch by 91 pins, has collected a 15-9 overall record and is also second to Couch in tournament average at 240.10. Aulby is the only player in PBA history to complete the "Super Slam,"which is a win in all five majors (Tournament of Champions, PBA National Championship, U.S. Open, Touring Players Championship and ABC Masters).

　Dennis Horan remained in the third position after losing only one game in the round (9,927). Horan, who owns four PBA titles, has amassed a field-best 18-6 record. The Temecula, Calif., resident's last win came when he ran the ladder, winning all four matches, in the 2000 Bayer/Brunswick Touring Players Championship in Akron, Ohio.

　Chris Hayden, of Tampa, Fla., sits in the fourth spot for the second straight round (9,822). The 30-year-old, who has a 15-8-1 record, is targeting his second career championship round appearance. He has a career high finish of fourth, losing to Parker Bohn III and Tom Baker, in the 1998 Greater Detroit Open in Taylor, Mich.

2001/01/19

　　【PBA】　Silicon Valley Open　【Round 4】

　Mike Aulby captured the lead after the second round of match play in the PBA Tour's Silicon Valley Open at Serra Bowl Friday afternoon.

　Aulby, of Indianapolis, rolled his second 300 game of the tournament to take over the lead in the second game of the round. The PBA Hall of Famer, who is one of four people in history to win the PBA "Triple Crown" (PBA National Championship, T of C, U.S. Open), has a 32-game 8,138 pinfall total. Aulby, who was the 1979 PBA Rookie of the Year, won half of the games in the eight-game round to compile a total match play record of 11-5. He almost reached perfection for a third time but settled for a 299 game while bringing his overall average to 244. Aulby is looking for his first win since the 1998 American Bowling Congress (ABC) Masters in Reno, Nev.

　"I was able to put together a few decent games this round," said Aulby. "I had to make a few ball changes to get a straighter roll and I forced my feet in deeper."

　"Now I just have to keep winning the matches and bowling at the pace I have been all week," Aulby commented.

　Falling from the lead to finish in second was Jason Couch, of Clermont, Fla. Couch, who led the first three rounds of the tournament, struggled during the round but managed to win the last two games, including a 269-215 win over Aulby in the eighth game. The eight-time PBA champion, who owns two PBA Tournament of Champions titles (1999, 2000), has knocked down 7,897 pins. Couch, who has won at least one title a year since 1998, is 10-6 in match play competition.

　Moving up from fifth place to finish third was Dennis Horan. Horan, of Temecula, Calif., opened the round with a high game of 259 and went on to win all but one game in the round. The 35-year-old, who won the 2000 Touring Players Championship in Akron, Ohio, has upended 7,868 pins. He has amassed an 11-5 match play record and is targeting his fifth PBA title.

　Claiming fourth place was Chris Hayden, of Tampa, Fla. Hayden, who has a high finish of fourth on the National Tour (Detroit, 1998), has gathered a 10-6 match play record with five wins during the round. He posted high games of 269 and 257 and has toppled 7,811 pins.

　Rounding out the top five is Joe Salvemini. Salvemini, of Las Vegas, who has a field-best, 11-4-1 match play record, closed the round with high games of 259 and 268. The three-time PBA champion has felled 7,811 pins.

　Other notable professionals that made the cut are Norm Duke (eighth), Parker Bohn III (ninth) and Danny Wiseman (12th).

　Among those failing to make the cut were Brian Voss (20th), Bob Learn Jr. (21st) and Robert Smith (32nd).

　Jerry Kennedy finished in 23rd place and declined the PBA prize money prior to the tournament in order to keep his amateur status.

　Thus far in the tournament there have been 13 300 games. The PBA record for the most 300 games in one tournament is 24, which happened in 1995 in Peoria, Ill.

2001/01/18

　　【PBA】　Silicon Valley Open　【Round 2】

　Jason Couch amplified his lead after the second round of qualifying in the PBA Tour's Silicon Valley Open at Serra Bowl Thursday afternoon.

　Couch, of Clermont, Fla., missed tying the PBA 16-game scoring record by 50 pins after finishing the round with a 16-game, 4,045 pinfall total (John Mazza holds the record with 4,095, 1996, Las Vegas). The 1992 PBA Rookie of the Year rolled his second perfect game of the tournament while building a 181-pin lead over Mike Aulby, who is in second. Couch, whose eight titles include back-to-back PBA Tournament of Champions (1999, 2000), averaged 254 through the round to bring his tournament average to 252.

　"My game has been very consistent through the whole tournament thus far," said Couch. "My ball had a little more carry today but I was on the second squad so that was to be expected."

　"I am playing the same part of the lanes as I did last week so I am very comfortable," said Couch, who finished 13th last week in Reno, Nev., in the National Bowling Stadium (NBS) National/Senior Doubles with Allie Clarke.

　Moving up from 19th place, with the help of a 300 game, to finish the round in second was Aulby, of Indianapolis. Aulby, who owns 26 PBA titles, added games of 280 and 269 while averaging 255 through the round. The two-time PBA Player of the Year (1985, 1995) is looking for his first win since the 1998 ABC Masters, Reno, Nev.

　Last week, Aulby finished seventh in the NBS National/Senior Doubles, Reno, Nev., and became the 3rd person in PBA history to surpass the $2 million mark in career earnings (Walter Ray Williams and Pete Weber have both surpassed the $2 million mark).
"It was great to reach that milestone," said Aulby, who has recently changed equipment. "My goal now though is to be more consistent week to week. I have really been able to use last week and this week as a learning process and I find I have a renewed enthusiasm for the game."

　Third place belongs to Dennis Horan, of Temecula, Calif. Horan, who started the round in ninth place, shot a high game of 290 to move up in the standings. The four-time PBA champion, who won the PBA Touring Players Championship twice (Akron, Ohio, 1998, 2000), has toppled 2,823 pins.

　Remaining in fourth place was Tim Criss, of Bel Air, Md. Criss, who owns five PBA titles including the 1999 PBA National Championship (Toledo, Ohio), opened the round with a high game of 267. He has knocked down 3,804 pins and is looking to improve on his 14th place finish last week in the NBS National/Senior Doubles.

　Rounding out the top five is Jess Stayrook, of San Diego. Stayrook, who climbed six spots during the round, has a 3,799 pinfall total. He is aiming toward his seventh PBA title and his first since 1996, Wichita, Kan.

　Steve Wilson, who finished 33rd, received the last cash spot since amateur Jerry Kennedy declined receiving PBA prize money. If Kennedy accepted the prize money, he would have to become a PBA member and would lose his amateur status.
While the majority of the state of California is experiencing rolling blackouts, Serra Bowl is located in a "protected area," since it is near a hospital and a police station and will not be subject to blackouts.

2001/01/17

　　【PBA】　Silicon Valley Open　【Round 1】

　Jason Couch jumped out to an early lead after the first round of qualifying in the PBA Tour's Silicon Valley Open at Serra Bowl Wednesday afternoon.

　Couch, of Clermont, Fla., posted an eight-game pinfall total of 2,008, good for a field best 251 first round average. For a while, it looked as if Couch might approach the 33-year-old eight-game pinfall record set by Billy Hardwick at Japan in 1968 (2,165, 270 avg.). Couch, an eight-time PBA champion, sizzled early, starting with games of 243, 259, 223, 268, 300, and 266. However, the 1992 PBA Rookie of the Year finished with games of 214 and 235, and fell 157 pins short of the all-time record.

　"The conditions were very similar pair-to-pair today," said Couch. "In fact, I used the same ball (Ebonite Apex) all day."

　"I had to make few adjustments to stay lined up. I only had to move two boards left or right with my feet along with slight speed adjustments," he said.

　Couch trained hard during the month-long holiday break, bowling at the Kegel Training Center in Sebring, Fla.

　"I worked on lowering my rev-rate from 440 to 350 revolutions per minute. With a lower rev-rate, you see less transition on the lanes. There's no question that's helped me bowl very well during these first two weeks on the Winter Tour."

　As spectacular as Couch was, he couldn't pull away from Parker Bohn III who sits in second place, only 19 pins behind the leader. Bohn, of Jackson, N.J., rolled a pair of 278 games en route to averaging 248 to open the tournament. The 2000 PBA Hall of Fame inductee won his 25th career title just last week with senior partner Rohn Morton in the National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles in Reno, Nev.

　Joe Salvemini, of Las Vegas, finished the day strong with a 279 game and claimed the third spot (1,941). Owner of three PBA titles, Salvemini is looking to claim his first victory since 1989 (Columbia 300 Open, Austin, Texas).

　Tim Criss, who sits in fourth place, is targeting his second match play appearance in two tournaments this year. Criss, of Bel Air, Md., threw a 287 in the sixth game and had only two games below 239. The five-time PBA championﾕs last win came at the 1999 PBA National Championship (Toledo, Ohio).

　Rounding out the top five is Don Dupree II, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., (1,936). The part-time touring player, who owns two PBA Regional titles as a member of the PBA Southern Region, is hoping to break through this week with his first national match play appearance.

2001/01/14

　　【PBA】　National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles　【Final】

　Bohn, Jackson, N.J., and Morton, Vancouver, Wash., overpowered the "international" team of Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, and Junichi Yajima, Tokyo, in the title match, 248-185.

　"I was excited to win the title but I am so much more excited for Rohn to win his first title," Bohn said. "Your first win on Tour means so much and it always stays with you. I'm glad I could have been a part of it."

　Bohn and Morton, who each took home $15,000 for their win, entered the finals as the tournament leaders. To begin the journey to his first PBA title, Morton started the match with a strike. His partner, who now owns 25 titles and ties Pete Weber for seventh on the all-time win list, converted a single pin spare (7-pin) to keep them on track.

　Koivuniemi, Finland, who had struck on every shot in the semifinal match, left the 3-pin in the first frame but was able to convert the spare. Yajima, owner of 41 Japanese Professional Bowling Association (JPBA) titles, struck on his first two shots (frames two and four).

　Morton, who competes on both the National and Senior Tours, struck in the third frame and Bohn followed in the fourth, leaving the team nine pins ahead.

　All four finalists converted single-pin spares in their next shots (frames five and six).

　Morton and Bohn began to pull ahead of their competitors when they both contributed strikes in frames seven and eight. Meanwhile, Koivuniemi and Yajima failed to keep up, both converting 10-pin spares in frames seven and eight.

　"I had to adjust in the middle of the game because I wasn't getting as good of a shot as I did in the first three games," said Koivuniemi, who moved up from the fifth position. "My ball was hooking too early and with the way Bohn and Morton bowled, there was no room for imperfection."

　Morton threw his last shot in the ninth frame and watched his ball ride the edge of the gutter before coming back to strike. Bohn, who was the 2000 PBA Player of the Year, finished the team's game with a string of strikes in the 10th frame, shutting out Koivuniemi and Yajima, who took home $8,000 each.

　"The competition out here was great this week," Morton said. "I feel fortunate to be able to come out on Tour and be successful and I hope this win is the first of many."

　Koivuniemi and Yajima advanced to the title match by defeating the team of Robert Smith, Simi Valley, Calif., and Bob Glass, Lawrence, Kan., 276-176. Smith and Glass, who led the tournament last year and finished second, each took home $7,000 for their third place finish.

　In the second match, Koivuniemi and Yajima defeated Brian Voss, Atlanta, and Ron Winger, Tarzana, Calif., 218-194. The fourth-place finishers earned $5,000 each.

　In the first match, Koivuniemi and Yajima bested Mark Mosayebi, Charlotte, N.C., and PBA Hall of Famer Johnny Petraglia, 204-201. Mosayebi and Petraglia received $3,500 each for fifth place.

　"I was very pleased to be able to bowl with Mika this week," Yajima said. "That was a thrill in itself."

2001/01/13

　　【PBA】　National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles　【Round 6】

　Bohn and Morton will bowl one game in Sunday afternoon's championship round versus the survivor of four other teams in the stepladder final. The duo led for the second consecutive round after posting a 36-game pinfall total of 17,157 and a 10-8, 18-game team match play record. Bohn, Jackson, N.J., will shoot for his 25th career PBA title. A win for the 37-year-old Bohn, would tie Pete Weber for seventh place on the all-time win list. He compiled a 13-5 record in match play. Morton, Vancouver, Wash., is targeting his first career PBA Senior title. Morton, 50, finished second to Bob Glass in last year's PBA Brunswick Senior National Championship. This is his second year competing on the Senior Tour. He also went 13-5 in match play.

　"Rohn's a horse," said Bohn. "I bowled exceptionally well tonight and he was right there with me."

　"We're on top now," he said. "So, we just have to go out and bowl one good game tomorrow. If we do that, we have a real good chance to win."

　Robert Smith and Bob Glass climbed five positions in the round to claim the second spot (16,758, 13-5). In the position round game, Glass defeated John Shreve, 300-204, while Smith held up his end of the deal, knocking out Patrick Healey Jr., 213-191. Last year, Glass and Smith teamed up to lead the tournament and ultimately finished second, losing the title match, 234-233, on Smith's "atomic messenger" 10-pin tap. Later in the year both players claimed two PBA titles, their first. Just last week, Glass (11-6-1) picked up his third senior title, which also happened to be his second straight "major." He won the Brunswick PBA Senior National Championship late last fall. Smith racked up a 11-7 record.

　Aiming for their first titles since 1998 from the third position are Brian Voss and Ron Winger (16,684). Voss, Atlanta, last won at Virginia Beach, Va. The PBA Hall of Famer, who owns 20 career PBA titles, posted an 8-10 record. Winger, Tarzana, Calif., a three-time Senior titlist, recorded a 12-6 record. The 59-year-old was the last senior to shoot a televised 300 game, which he accomplished in 1993 at Wilkes Barre, Pa.

　Sitting in fourth place are Mark Mosayebi and Johnny Petraglia (16,668). Mosayebi, of Charlotte, N.C., won his only PBA title in 1999 at Virginia Beach, Va. He had an 11-6-1 record. PBA Hall of Famer, Petraglia, of Manalapan, N.J., will target his fifth career senior title after going 10-8 in match play.

　Mika Koivuniemi and Junichi Yajima, the first "all-international" team to bowl in the NBS National/Senior Doubles, round out the top five (16,582). Koivuniemi, Finland, who won last year's ABC Masters (Albuquerque, N.M) for his only career PBA title in two years as a professional, piled up a 10-8 record. Yajima, the Japan Professional Bowlers Association's (JPBA) most prolific champion with 41 career titles, is targeting his first PBA title. Yajima, who went 11-7 in match play, finished fifth at this event in 1999 with partner Pete Weber.

　Mike Aulby, Indianapolis, became the third player in PBA history (Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Weber) to surpass the $2 million mark in career earnings. Going into this event, he needed only $135 to reach the milestone. He finished in seventh place with partner Teata Semiz and the team split the $6,200 prize.

　　【PBA】　National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles　【Round 5】

　Bohn, Jackson, N.J., and Morton won four games as a team during the six games round to take over the lead. The duo, who moved up from second place, has a collective, 30-game, 14,120 pinfall total. Bohn, who was the 1999 PBA Player of the Year, finished the round out with high games of 259, 256 and 279 while compiling a 12-game, 7-5 match play record with his partner. The PBA Hall of Famer, whose 24 titles include two doubles (1992 Touring Doubles with Hugh Miller, Beaumont, Texas; 1993 Mixed Doubles with Aleta Sill, Reno, Nev.), has a field-best, 235 tournament average. Morton, Vancouver, Wash., was also responsible for boosting the pair as he posted a high game of 267. The 50-year-old, who finished second last year in the Brunswick Senior National Championship (Jackson, Mich.), is looking for his first PBA title.

　"There is a little bit of added pressure when you are bowling a doubles tournament," said Parker Bohn III. "But you help each other out and in our case, Rohn held me up the first couple games and I was able to add to our lead near the end of the round."

　"There is so much talent out here on both the National and Senior Tours," said Morton, who still competes on both Tours. "I feel grateful that I can bowl with both but I feel, at this time, I am much more competitive on the Senior Tour."

　Falling from the lead and finishing the round in second place are Brian Voss and Ron Winger. The pair won half of the games in the round to bring their total match play record to 8-4. Voss, Atlanta, who owns 20 PBA titles, is looking for his first doubles title and his first win in three years. The former PBA Player of the Year (1988) rolled a high game of 255. Winger, Tarzana, Calif., who is aiming toward his fourth PBA Senior title, contributed with a high game of 258. Together, Voss and Winger have knocked down 13,994 pins.

　Remaining in third place with a 13,917 pinfall total and a 9-3 match play record was the "international" team of Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, and Junichi Yajima, Tokyo. Koivuniemi, who won his one PBA title at the 2000 ABC Masters (Albuquerque, N.M.), registered a high game of 267. Yajima, who holds the record for the most Japanese Professional Bowlers Association (JPBA) titles with 41, helped out his partner with a high game of 257. The two are looking to be the first international pair to win a PBA doubles title and Yajima is looking to be only the third JPBA player to win a PBA title (Ken Taniguchi and Takeo Sakai both won the Japan Cup which counts as a PBA title).

　Steve Wilson and Pete Couture also held onto their spot by finishing fourth with a 13,861 pinfall total. Wilson, Lake Worth, Fla., had a high game of 279, while Couture, Titusville, Fla., threw a 290 to keep the pair near the top and to collect a match play record of 8-4. Couture, who owns five national titles and seven senior titles, is one-half of the defending team from last year. He and Dave Husted beat Robert Smith and Bob Glass by one pin to take the title (234-233).

　Shooting up six spots to round out the top five teams are Mark Mosayebi, Charlotte, N.C., and Johnny Petraglia, Manalapan, N.J. The two have felled 13,811 pins and won all six games to rack up a field-best, 11-1 match play record. Mosayebi is targeting his second PBA title while his PBA Hall of Fame partner is looking for his fifth senior title and his second NBS National/Senior Doubles title (he won the 1999 NBS National/Senior Doubles with Jason Hurd).

2001/01/12

　　【PBA】　National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles　【Round 4】

　The team of Voss and Winger climbed two places during the round, outdistancing the field by 87 pins (11,170 24-game pinfall total). Voss, who owns 20 PBA titles, went 4-2 during the first six-game match play block. The 19-year pro, who had two championship round appearances last year, is searching for his first victory since 1998 (Virginia Beach, Va.). Winger, Tarzana, Calif., lost only one game during the round, to Teata Semiz, 238-202. The three-time PBA Senior champion also hasn't won since 1998 (Sebring, Fla.). Combined, the Voss/Winger duo posted a 5-1 team match play record.

　"We were both real happy about being paired up together," said Winger. "I couldn't have asked for a better competitor and a nicer guy for a teammate."

　"The key so far has been teamwork," commented Winger. "Being able to hold each other up has been huge. It seems like when one of us has an open frame, the other steps in and throws and double. We also seem able to keep each other loose with humor and having fun. It's working out well."

　Parker Bohn III and Rohn Morton remained in the second position having felled 11,083 total pins. Bohn, a 24-time PBA titlist, who is the PBA's most recent Hall of Fame inductee, has recorded a field best 235 tournament average and a 5-1 record. The 37-year-old, of Jackson, N.J., won two titles in 2000, including the prestigious Japan Cup for a record third consecutive year. Morton, Vancouver, Wash., compiled a 3-3 record, which matches his team's record. Morton, who finished second to Bob Glass in last year's Brunswick PBA Senior National Championship, is targeting his first career PBA Senior title. The 50-year-old joined the Senior Tour late last year after competing on the National Tour full-time for two years.

　The first "all-international" team to bowl in the NBS National/Senior Doubles, Mika Koivuniemi and Junichi Yajima, earned the third spot (11,026). Koivuniemi, Finland, went 5-1 during the round en route to helping his team climb from ninth place with a 5-1 team record. He owns one PBA title, the 2000 American Bowling Congress (ABC) Masters (Albuquerque, N.M.) Yajima, Japan, also went 5-1 in the round. Yajima, who has won a record 41 Japan Professional Bowlers Association (JPBA) titles, brings an impressive resume to the table. He has won the JPBA Tournament of Champions four times, he was named JPBA Player of the Year seven times and claimed the JPBA Triple Crown on five separate occasions.

　Leaping three spots to land in fourth are Steve Wilson and Pete Couture. Wilson, who won his only two titles in 1996 (Grand Prairie, Texas and Tokyo), is guaranteed to improve upon a high finish of eighth last year (Chattanooga, Tenn and Latham, N.Y.). The Lake Worth, Fla., resident racked up a 4-2 record. Couture, Titusville, Fla., went 3-3 in the round, but the team still managed to come out ahead with a 4-2 record. A seven-time senior titlist, Couture won this tournament last year with partner Dave Husted.

　Rounding out the top five are Lonnie Waliczek and Steve Neff. Neff, who won the 1999 PBA Senior National Championship, rolled the highest game of the day - 299. The three-time senior champion, of Homosassa Springs, Fla., piled up a 4-2 record. His national partner, Waliczek of Wichita, Kan., didn't fare as well, going 1-5 on the day. Together the duo collected a 4-2 record. Waliczek is aiming toward his first career PBA title.

　Qualifying leaders Bob Glass and Robert Smith fell off their torrid pace as match play began. Glass posted a 2-4 match play record while Smith went 1-5. As a team, the two compiled a 3-3 record.

2001/01/11

　　【PBA】　National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles　【Round 3】

　Smith, Simi Valley, Calif., averaged 236 through the six-game round to regain the lead for the National Tour. The 26-year-old, who is a fourth-year pro, has an 18-game, 4,315 pinfall total and a 239 tournament average. The two-time PBA champion, who won both of his titles in 2000, finished the round with a high game of 260 and had a low game of 219 for the round. Since both Smith and Glass led their respective Tours after 18 games, they will pair up for the second consecutive year and look to improve on their second place finish here last year.

　Moving up one spot to finish second was Parker Bohn III. Bohn, Jackson, N.J., who was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 2000, posted a high game of 279. The former PBA Player of the Year (2000), who owns 24 PBA titles, has upended 4,294 pins.

　Ending the round in third was Brian Voss, Atlanta. The 1988 PBA Player of the year, who is a 20-time PBA titleholder, has a 4,227 pinfall total. Voss, who is a PBA Hall of Famer, rolled a high game of 279 early in the round and later added two 259 games. He is looking for his first win since 1998 (Virginia Beach, Va.).

　Claiming fourth place is Patrick Healey Jr., Mexico City. The 32-year-old, who is aiming toward his first PBA title, has felled 4,218 pins. Healey came close to winning his first title last year when he finished second to Walter Ray Williams Jr. in Canandaigua, N.Y.

　Glass, who has led the seniors for the entire tournament, struggled during the round but managed to keep 41 pins between himself and second-place finisher Rohn Morton. The reigning PBA Senior Player of the Year, who won his third title last week in the ABC Senior Masters, has toppled 4,086 pins. The Lawrence, Kan., resident competed in all 12 of the 2000 Senior Tour events and had a low finish of 11th place.

　Remaining in second place was Morton, Vancouver, Wash. Morton, who is looking for his first PBA title, had a high game of 268. He is competing on the Senior Tour for the second year after touring with the National Tour for two years.

　Also holding onto his spot in third place is Ron Winger. Winger, Tarzana, Calif., has a 4,039 pinfall total. The three-time PBA senior champion, who is looking to make his first championship round appearance since 1999, threw a high game of 270 to stay near the top.

　The reigning PBA Player of the Year, Norm Duke, just missed the cut for match play, finishing in 19th with a 4,060 pinfall total. Also failing to make the cut was Chris Barnes (43rd), Pete Weber (44th) and Ryan Shafer (53rd).

　　【PBA】　National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles　【Round 2】

　Wilson, Lake Worth, Fla., has recorded a field-best 2,905 12-game pinfall total, good for a 242 overall average. The 32-year-old, whose two career titles came in 1996 (Grand Prairie, Texas and Tokyo), averaged 244 during the round with a high game of 268.

　Smith fell one place into second despite bowling games of 257 and 256. Smith, who also owns two titles, both of which came last year (U.S. Open, Phoenix; Erie, Pa.), averaged 233. The Simi Valley, Calif., resident has toppled 2,899 total pins.

　Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., did not bowl a game below 235 and averaged 242 during the round. The PBA Hall of Famer, who sits in the third position, is aiming toward his 25th career title. With a win this week, Bohn would tie Pete Weber for seventh place on the all-time win list.

　Nearly rolling back-to-back 300 games was Brian Voss of Atlanta. But, a stubborn 4-pin forced him to settle for a 299 on the heels of his 40th career perfect game. The PBA Hall of Famer also posted the highest block total of the afternoon, averaging 260. The 20-time titlist finds himself in fifth place, moving up from 39th.

　Mike Aulby posted the second highest block total with a 251 average. The PBA Hall of Famer, who owns 26 titles, climbed 25 spots to claim sixth with the help of a 280 game. The Indianapolis resident's last win came here at the American Bowling Congress (ABC) Masters in 1998.

　Weber, who is bowling in his first PBA event in more than 10 months after serving a suspension, has struggled so far this week. He is averaging 208 for the tournament in the 43rd position. Also not having much fun this week are two of last year's most successful players Chris Barnes (41st, 210 avg.) and Ryan Shafer (54th, 205 avg.).

　On the senior side, Glass widened his lead to 137 pins. Glass, a three-time senior titlist, won his most recent title here in last week's ABC Senior Masters. He finished second in this tournament last year with national partner Smith.

　Rohn Morton, Vancouver, Wash., remained in the second position, having felled 2,713 total pins. He is searching for his first career PBA Senior title.

2001/01/10

　　【PBA】　National Bowling Stadium National/Senior Doubles　【Round 1】

　Smith, who paired with Glass here last year to lead the tournament and finish second, averaged 249 through the six-game round to take the lead for the National Tour. The two-time champion, whose titles both came last year (U.S. Open, Phoenix; Erie, Pa.), rolled high games of 279 and 268, with no games below 203. Smith, Simi Valley, Calif., has a six-game, 1,497 pinfall total.

　Finishing second on the national side was Lonnie Waliczek. The fifth year pro, who is looking for his first PBA title, rolled consecutive high games of 278 and 277. The Wichita, Kan., resident, who had a high finish of eighth last year (Canandaigua, N.Y.), has toppled 1,475 pins.

　Trailing Waliczek by 35 pins to capture third is Steve Wilson, Lake Worth, Fla. The two-time champion, whose last win was in Tokyo in 1996, posted a high game of 279 and did not throw a game below 201.

　In fourth place is Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J. Bohn, who was the 2000 PBA Player of the Year, has upended 1,438 pins. The PBA Hall of Famer, who won two titles last year (Chattanooga, Tenn.; Tokyo), began the round with a high game of 268 and finished with a 265.

　Rounding out the top five for the National Tour with a 1,434 pinfall total is Curtis Woods Jr. The Santa Rosa, Calif., resident closed out the round with high games of 279 and 258. Woods is targeting his first PBA title.

　Leading the Senior Tour with a 242 average is Glass, Lawrence, Kan. Glass, who won the American Bowling Congress (ABC) Senior Masters last week, rolled the first 300 of the tournament and at one point, threw 29 consecutive strikes for an 824 series (268, 300, 256). The three-time PBA titlist has a 1,453 pinfall total.

　Sitting in second on the Senior Tour is Rohn Morton. Morton, Vancouver, Wash., has upended 1,439 pins. The 50-year-old, who finished second to Glass in the 2000 PBA Brunswick Senior National Championship (Jackson, Mich.), is targeting his first PBA title.

　Ending the round in third was Allie Clarke, Zanesville, Ohio. Clarke, who is coming off of a third place finish in last week's ABC Senior Masters, has a 1,410 pinfall total and is aiming toward his first senior title and his first win since 1973 (San Jose, Calif.).

　Fourth place belongs to Ron Winger, Tarzana, Calif. Winger, who owns three senior titles, ended the round with a high game of 247. The 20-year pro has a 1,375 pinfall total.

　Rounding out the top five for the Senior Tour is Pete Couture, Titusville, Fla. The defending champion, who paired with Dave Husted to win the 2000 NBS National/Senior Doubles, has toppled 1,362 pins. The 1998 PBA Senior Player of the Year, who owns five national titles, is looking to add senior title No. 8 to his resume.