2002/01/31

　　【PBA】　PBA Dallas Open　【Round 1】

　Jimmy Johnson averaged 246 to lead the field after the first round of qualifying in the PBA Dallas Open at Don Carter All-Star Lanes - West Thursday evening.

　Johnson set a new nine-game scoring record with a 2,217 pinfall total while grabbing first place. The Columbus, Ohio, resident is son of PBA Hall of Famer Don Johnson and is competing in his seventh PBA event of the 2001-2002 season.

　He competed on tour in the early 1990s and won his only PBA title in his rookie year in Glendale Heights, Ill.

　"I came back on tour full-time three weeks ago and bowled worse than I have in the past three years," he said. "I went home for almost a week after missing the cut in Las Vegas. I used the time to work on getting my hand and elbow in the right position at the release."

　Finishing in second place with a 2,165 pinfall total is Patrick Healey Jr. The 33-year-old right-hander from Mexico is looking for his first PBA title. He has competed on tour full-time since 1998 and has made 14 championship round appearances with three second-place finishes, six second-place, two fourth-place, two fifth-place and one sixth-place finish.

　His most recent final was the 2001 U.S. Open, Fountain Valley, Calif., where he finished second after losing to friend and tour roommate Mika Koivuniemi in the title match.

　Amleto Monacelli is in third place with a 2,084 pinfall total. The PBA Hall of Famer averaged 231 through the round with high games of 256 and 274 with only two games below 214. The 18-time PBA champion is looking for his first win since 1997 in Bay City, Mich. He won his 11th PBA title in nearby Grand Prairie, Texas, in 1991.

　Fourth place belongs to Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y. The four-time PBA titleholder, who joined the PBA in 1988, has knocked down 2,078 pins.

　Rounding out the top five is PBA rookie Mike Machuga. Machuga, Erie, Pa., has upended 2,070 pins. This past November Machuga made the finals in Erlanger, Ky., and finished second after losing to Walter Ray Williams Jr. in the title match, 247-194. He is one of three rookies to make a PBA telecast this season and has the highest finish.

　Other notables making the first cut include Texans Del Ballard Jr., North Richland Hills, (eighth), Paul Fleming, Bedford (12th), Chris Barnes, Dallas, (25th), David Ozio, Beaumont, (30th).

　Those failing to advance include Tim Criss (65th), who missed the cut by one pin, Ryan Shafer (74th), Jason Couch (85th) and PBA Hall of Famer Mark Williams (108th).

2002/01/29

　　【PBA】　News

　Parker Bohn, the only male pro bowler to win three titles in 2001, has been named 2001 Male Bowler of the Year by the Bowling Writers Association of America.

　Fran Deken, BWAA President, announced that Bohn was a runaway choice with 102 first place votes out of 126 cast. The Jackson, N. J., lefty had the highest percentage of tournament cashes with 18 out of 20 events. In addition to his three wins, Bohn was runner-up once and third twice.

　Bohn's victories came in the American Bowling Congress Masters, the Senior Touring Doubles and his own Empire State Open.

　A distant second was Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., who won the Professional Bowlers Association National Championship and the Greater Cincinnati Open. Williams was the tour's leading money winner with $144,500, just beating out Bohn who finished with $143,000.

　Third place went to Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., who won the Great Lakes Classic and the Greater Louisville Open.

　Jason Couch of Clermont, Fla., finished in fourth place. He was the average leader for the tour with 221.49, edging Bohn by less then a pin. Couch won the Villages Open and finished runner-up four times.

　The final voting (based on 5-2-1 points) with first-place votes in parenthesis: 1. Bohn (102) 541; 2. Williams (11) 208; (8) 89; 4. Couch (2) 78; 5. Chris Barnes, Wichita, Kan. (2) 54; 6. Mika Koivuiemi, Finland (1) 20.

2002/01/24

　　【PBA】　PBA Orleans Casino Open　【Final】

　Brian Voss soldiered on for 3 1/2 years - and finally won again Thursday night in the PBA Orleans Casino Open at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center.

　Voss, Atlanta, defeated Ricky Ward, N. Fort Myers, Fla., in the title match, 194-185, and earned the $40,000 top prize.

　"It's been a long haul, three and a half years to get back where I am today," said Voss, who broke his bowling hand in a bicycle accident in 1998.

　"I can appreciate when athletes throw up their hands, or throw in the towel. I never threw up my hands," Voss said as he fought back tears.

　Voss won his third title in his third year on tour, 1987. He won at least one title for the next 12 consecutive years and approached Earl Anthony's record of 14 straight years. Then, he broke his hand just after winning his 20th title in 1998 (Virginia Beach, Va.).

　"I was spoiled winning 20 tournaments in 12 years," said Voss. "I was always experiencing winning. Every year I was winning another title. There have been people that bowled out here for years and never won."

　Voss nearly threw away his 21st win. Against Ward, he missed a 7-pin spare in the seventh frame and knotted the match at 137.
"To be honest, with the way things went this week, I really felt like I was still going to win. But, I felt lucky on the show today. I can't believe he (Ward) missed the spare. That was huge for me."

　Two frames after Voss opened the door, Ward gave the match back with a missed 4-7 spare in the ninth. Voss spared in the eighth and ninth and led by nine pins heading into the final frame.

　"I've been kind of riding the gravy train," said Ward who finished second and first in the previous two weeks, respectively. "One man's nightmare is another man's dream. I made mistakes the last game. But, that's pressure. If you didn't feel pressure, you wouldn't be human."

　Voss spared and threw a strike in the final frame and forced Ward to throw three strikes to win by one pin. Ward struck on his first shot, but left the 7-pin standing on his second ball.

　Ward suffered an early open frame in the second when he left the 6-8 split. He spared in the fourth and seventh and threw strikes in the first, third, fifth, sixth and eighth.

　Voss struck in the first, third, fourth, and sixth and spared in the second and fifth.

　In the semifinals, Ward struck twice in the 10th frame to beat rookie Tommy Jones, 225-215. Jones, Greenville, S.C., finished tied for third and pocketed $10,000. Voss defeated Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 195-167. Couch also finished third with $10,000. In the wild card match, Ward set back Hugh Miller, 194-162. Miller, Seattle, ended in fifth place with $9,000.

　Couch will only need to cash next week to pass Pete Weber as the fastest to reach $1 million in career earnings (252 tournaments). Weber set the mark in 253 tournaments.

2002/01/23

　　【PBA】　PBA Orleans Casino Open　【Round 5】

　Jason Couch has waited for this moment his entire professional career.

　Couch, Clermont, Fla., has a chance to become the fastest in Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) history to reach the $1 million mark in career earnings. If he finishes at least second in Thursday's finals of the PBA Orleans Casino Open, Couch will have reached the milestone in 251 tournaments.

　"That's been on my mind since I stepped out here as a pro," said Couch, who has earned $989,704 in 10 years.

　Only PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber reached the mark faster. He did it in 253 tournaments - also in his 10th year (1989).

　Couch defeated one-time champion Bryan Alpert, 3-0, Wednesday night in the round of eight. He earned his first finals berth in 12 tournaments under the PBA's new tournament format - which includes quicker qualifying cuts and single-elimination match play.

　"I've always been known as a marathoner," Couch commented. "It took me a while to change my strategy, mentally. I think I put a little too much pressure on myself to do too much early on. You begin to doubt yourself when you struggle."

　"Tomorrow, it's a whole different strategy. With a one-game match. I,ll be looking to get a fast start."

　In the semifinals, Couch will face 20-time titleholder and PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss. Voss, Atlanta, finished third earlier this season in Peoria, Ill. His last was in 1998 (Virginia Beach, Va.).

　Rookie Tommy Jones, Greenville, S.C., earned his first finals berth. Jones, 23, beat Ritchie Allen in a close five-game match and needed a 195-193 victory in the deciding game. Jones will await the winner of the wild card match in the semifinals.

　Ricky Ward, N. Fort Myers, Fla., earned his third consecutive finals appearance after beating Amleto Monacelli, 3-0. Ward won his sixth PBA title two weeks ago in Medford, Ore. He will bowl against six-time champion Hugh Miller in the wild card match.

　Miller, Seattle, lost to Voss but advanced as the wild card with the least overall losses of the losers (7-4). His last win on tour was the Beaumont (Texas) Doubles Classic with partner Parker Bohn III in 1992. His last finals appearance came in 1995 (Portland, Ore.) Miller owns 24 PBA Regional titles, a Northwest Region record.

　　【PBA】　PBA Orleans Casino Open　【Round 4】

　Brian Voss ejected fellow PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber in the round of 16 in the PBA Orleans Casino Open at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center Wednesday afternoon.

　Voss, Atlanta, won in a close 3-2 match (228-257, 244-197, 237-222, 230-254, 237-224), over Weber, St. Ann, Mo. The two professionals own a combined 47 titles (Voss, 20; Weber, 27) and have been competing on tour together for over 20 years.

　"That was a nail-bitter," said Voss. "I started getting ready for this match at 5:00 this morning. I got up and went for a two-hour walk."

　"I had to mentally prepare for this match because Pete is one of my best friends and he is one of the best bowlers in the world," said Voss. "It is like when I had to bowl Norm (Duke) in Peoria (Illinois). You have to have a lot of trust in yourself because you know your component is going to bring his best."

　"I enjoy matches like this though," Voss added. "Of course it's even better when you win but the competition is great and we're able to give the fans something to watch."

　Voss made it to the championship round in the first event with the new format, which was in September of 2001 in Peoria, Ill., and finished tied for third. He is looking for his first win since Virginia Beach, Va., in 1998. Voss will face Hugh Miller in the round of 8.

　"I roomed with Miller back in 1983 so this one should be good too," said Voss. "I know I'll bowl well tonight - it's just a matter of whether Hugh bowls better."

　In another 3-2 match (246-217, 206-233, 225-224, 151-192, 218-206), Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., ousted Steve Hoskins, Tarpon Springs, Fla. Couch, who owns nine PBA titles including back-to-back Tournament of Champion titles (1999, 2000), is looking to make his first championship round appearance since the new PBA format was instituted in September of 2001.

　In a 3-1 (238-224, 224-206, 215-279, 244-243) match, Bryan Alpert, Northridge, Calif., defeated defending champion Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y. Shafer, who won two of his three PBA titles here at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center in 2000 and 2001, needed to strike out in the 10th frame of the fourth game to tie and left a weak 10-pin to lose the game by one pin and finish the match. Alpert, who competes on the tour part-time, won his lone PBA title in 1988 in Dublin, Calif.

　The other athletes advancing are Hugh Miller, Tommy Jones, Ricky Ward, Ritchie Allen and Amleto Monacelli. Jones is a rookie on the PBA tour and is looking to make his first career telecast. Ward, who finished third last week in the 2002 ABC Masters, Reno, Nev., won his sixth PBA title two weeks ago in Medford, Ore., and is looking to make his third consecutive championship round appearance.

2002/01/22

　　【PBA】　PBA Orleans Casino Open　【Round 3】

　George Branham III must have felt like he was six years old again Tuesday night in the PBA Orleans Casino Open at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center.

　With his parents watching in the stands, Branham, Indianapolis, defeated No. 1 ranked Parker Bohn III during the round of 32, in three straight games (245-238, 215-205, 235-172).

　"They always come to watch when we're in Vegas," said Branham, whose parents (George II and Betty) moved here from their native Detroit 11 years ago. "Mom's always so nervous. I tell her - calm down or you're going to have a heart attack. Just clap when I strike."

　Tonight that was easy. But, Branham certainly gave mom flutters in game one, throwing a not-so-decisive strike in the 10th frame to win by seven pins.

　"I had to finish the match, and on the right lane - which was tough for me tonight," said Branham. "I almost missed the pocket, but I ended up throwing a shaky strike to win. That relaxed me for the rest of the match."

　Born and raised in Detroit, Branham began bowling when he was six. His father was his coach until he left for the PBA Tour at 23. One year later he became the first African-American to win on the PBA Tour (Chicago, 1986). In the following 10 years he picked up four more titles, including the final Firestone Tournament of Champions (Akron, Ohio, 1993).

　But, the 39-year-old hasnﾕ't won since 1996 and has failed to earn a finals berth in five seasons. He pinpoints his mental game as the culprit.

　"I think it had a lot to do with what the tour was going through," commented Branham about the once-floundering PBA. "It was kind of falling apart. So was I."

　When the PBA was purchased by new owners in 2000, it injected new life into the Tour - and Branham. Tomorrow, in his first round of 16 showing, Branham will bowl against six-time champion Hugh Miller.

　Other matchups include: Ryan Shafer, looking for an Orleans three-peat, against Bryan Alpert; power players Steve Hoskins and Jason Couch; Brian Voss will bowl Pete Weber; Eric Forkel goes against Ricky Ward; Bryon Smith takes on Amleto Monacelli; Tommy Jones and Rudy Kasimakis face-off; and Mike Wolfe challenges Ritchie Allen.

　　【PBA】　PBA Orleans Casino Open　【Round 2】

　Defending champion Ryan Shafer took charge after the second round of qualifying to earn the No. 1 seed in the PBA Orleans Casino Open at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center Tuesday afternoon.

　Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., averaged 223 through the nine-game round to move into the top spot. He has an 18-game, 4,118 pinfall total and a 228 tournament average.

　The three-time PBA champion competed on tour for 14 years before winning his first PBA title here at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center in January of 2000. After his first win here Shafer won his second title a few weeks later in Wichita, Kan.

　In January of 2001, Shafer returned to Las Vegas and accomplished the near-impossible feat of successfully defending his first PBA title.

　After two rounds of qualifying, Shafer finds himself in a comfortable position.

　"I just feel good when I walk into this place," said Shafer. "I wanted to bowl well to prove that the first two here weren't a fluke. I just wanted to make match play so I"m happy with myself that I made it this far."

　Shafer not only contributes his success in Las Vegas to his talent but also thinks it's a little bit of luck.

　"Karma matters" said Shafer, who is known on tour for his numerous superstitions. "It's kind of weird because the first time we bowled here the lanes were oiled to 48 feet, last year it was 37 feet and this year it is right in-between at 42 feet so it's not like I'm bowling on the same exact thing every year so I definitely think I've got something on my side here."

　Shafer will bowl No. 32 seed Chris Barnes in the round of 32.

　Qualifying in the second spot is Eric Forkel, Northridge, Calif. Forkel, who trailed Shafer by only 5 pins, rolled high games of 258, 247 and 253 during the round. The five-time PBA titleholder is looking for his first win since 1999 in Coram, N.Y.

　Third place belongs to PBA rookie Chris Sand, Chesterfield, Mich. Sand had the highest block total of the day, averaging 237 through the nine-games to move up from 39th place to third. The 27-year-old is looking to make his first career PBA telecast and has came close twice this year, being eliminated in the round of eight in two tournaments (North Brunswick, N.J.; Kirkland, Wash.) this season. Sand recently joined the PBA after a successful amateur career in bowling.

　Ending the round in fourth place is PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber. Weber, St. Ann, Mo., is looking for his third win of the season after winning titles No. 26 and 27 earlier this season (Grand Rapids, Mich.; Louisville, Ky.).

　Fifth place belongs to Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J. Bohn, who has the most wins for the season with four, registered high games of 269 and 270 during the round.

　Other notables advancing include Robert Smith (7th), Jason Couch (9th), Steve Hoskins (9th), Brian Voss (13th), Amleto Monacelli (26th) and Barnes, who qualified in the last spot.

　Those failing to make the cut include Tommy Delutz Jr. (48th), Tim Criss (53rd) and Bob Learn Jr. (57th).

　　【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】

　

2002/01/21

　　【PBA】　PBA Orleans Casino Open　【Round 1】

　Three bowlers set a nine-game scoring record, but Steve Hoskins claimed the new standard after a high-scoring first round Monday in the PBA Orleans Casino Open at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center.

　On his 33rd birthday, Hoskins, Tarpon Springs, Fla., posted a 2,214 pinfall total, for a tournament-leading 246 average. Since the inception of the nine-game qualifying format this season, Hoskins has posted the highest nine-game total. The previous high this season was from Paul Koehler, 2,146 (Taylor, Mich.).

　Pete Weber, St. Ann., Mo., trails the leader by 11 pins. Weber rolled one of four 300 games during the round (Wes Godwin, Frank Guccione and Javier Pardi). The 27-time titleholder began the night with an 857 three-game series (280, 277, 300). He led most of the round before finishing with a 181 and 206.

　Third place belongs to Wes Godwin, Monroe, S.C., (2,148). In addition to his round-capping 300 score, Godwin bowled a 277 in the third game. The 24-year-old is searching for his first PBA title.

　Two-time defending champion Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., finished the round in eighth place (2,109). Shafer has won both previous tournaments held here, including his first win on tour, the inaugural Orleans Casino Open (2000). He owns three PBA titles.

　　【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】

2002/01/20

　　【PBA】　ABC Masters　【Final】

　Brett Wolfe became the sixth amateur in 52 years to capture the prestigious ABC Masters at the National Bowling Stadium Sunday afternoon.

　"I'm glad it wasn't close," said Wolfe. "I like blowouts."

　Wolfe defeated Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) star Dennis Horan Jr. in the title match, 269-172, in front of a hometown crowd to capture a record-tying first-place prize of $100,000.

　The 25-year-old was competing in his first ABC Masters event and was the first amateur bowler in history to qualify as the tournament leader in the tournament. Wolfe does not compete in bowling tournaments regularly and took a few days off work to attend the Masters.

　Wolfe bowled a clean game that began with a 3-10 spare in the first frame followed by six consecutive strikes.

　"It was the shot I expected it to be," said Wolfe. "During practice I was pretty confident and my ball was going right where I wanted it to."

　Horan, Temecula, Calif., struggled throughout the match and was unable to pull together a double in the game.

　"I didn't trust the ball off of my hand the entire time and it showed," said Horan, who left two opens as a results of splits (3-7-9, frame five; 6-8-10 frame eight).

　Horan, who received $50,000 for second place, struck in frames one, three, six, nine and on his fill ball and converted spares in the second (6-pin), fourth (2-4-7-8 combination), seventh (10-pin) and 10th frame (5-pin).

　"I was thinking maybe Brett would get nervous being his first telecast and I could catch up," said Horan, who was looking for his fifth PBA win. "But it didn't take long to realize that wasn't going to happen. He deserved that win - I think it's awesome."

　Wolfe, who is the first amateur since 1999 (Brian Boghosian, Syracuse, N.Y.) to win the ABC Masters, has no concrete plans on joining the PBA in the future.

　"Before this event I wondered if I could be competitive with these guys," said Wolfe. "I had more doubt than confidence but now it is the other way around."

　"I'm not sure exactly what'll happen," added Wolfe. "But there is always the future."

　Horan advanced to the title match by defeating Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, Fla., in the semifinal match, 230-224. Ward, who won his sixth PBA title last week in Medford, Ore., earned $25,000 for his third-place finish.

　In the first match Ward won over Steve Jaros, Bolingbrook, Ill., 216-190. Jaros settled for $15,000 for fifth place.

2002/01/19

　　【PBA】　ABC Masters　【Round 7】

　

　Amateur Brett Wolfe will try to cap off a $100,000 victory Sunday - versus one of three pros - in the 52nd ABC Masters at the National Bowling Stadium.

　Wolfe, Reno, Nev., defeated four match play opponents Saturday and survived as the only undefeated player in the double-elimination field (6-0). Subsequently, he will bowl only Sunday's championship match (versus the survivor of two stepladder matches) for a chance to become only the sixth amateur to claim the prestigious title.

　When asked if he ever dreamed of leading the tournament with a chance to bowl for $100,000, Wolfe responded, "Nah, no chance. Certainly, I planned on making a little money, but not $100,000."

　Wolfe, who is bowling in his first ABC Masters, works full-time for Coca-Cola North America as business-development manager in Reno.

　A former Arizona State University collegiate star, Wolfe hasn't bowled many competitive tournaments the past few years. "I decided to bowl this week because I live here, no hotel (was needed) and I could get the time off of work."

　Three-time Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) champion, Steve Jaros, Bolingbrook, Ill., earned the fourth seed. Jaros fought through five losers' bracket matches before earning his spot in the finals against Finland's Petteri Salonen, 650-629. He will bowl against Dennis Horan Jr. in the opening match.

　Horan, Temecula, Calif., had to win six losers' bracket matches to reach the finals. The four-time champion is targeting his first win since 2000. He finished fifth two weeks ago in Kirkland, Wash.

　Ricky Ward, N. Fort Myers, Fla., earned the second seed and will await the winner of Horan/Jaros in the semifinal. Ward won his sixth PBA title last week in Medford, Ore. He won his fourth career title here in 1999.

　Horan owns two major titles (Touring Players Championship, Akron, Ohio; 1998, 2000). Jaros and Ward are targeting their first major.

　　【PBA】　ABC Masters　【Round 6】

　Ricky Ward floated through match play and shoved Norm Duke into the losers' bracket in double elimination match play in the ABC Masters at the National Bowling Stadium Saturday afternoon.

　Ward, North Fort Myers, Fla., defeated Doug Wilcox (599-540) and then Duke (667-642) to remain in the winners' bracket.

　"Somebody pinch me," remarked Ward on his way to the press room following his match with Duke.

　The 33-year-old won his sixth PBA title last week in Medford, Ore., and is one match away from being guaranteed a spot in the championship round of the ABC Masters.

　"It's been amazing these past two weeks," said Ward. "I've been bowling well but it's more than that - I can't explain it. I give myself credit for my bowling but I definitely think lady luck has been on my side as well."

　Ward, who finished third in the 1999 ABC Masters, took off the first event of 2002 (PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic, Kirkland, Wash.), to refocus his efforts in his game.

　"I had been concentrating a lot on my family in the past eight or nine months and bowling wasn't my top priority," said Ward, who has a seven-month-old daughter. "I used that week off to talk to my friends and coach and really fine-tune my game. Now that I have a daughter bowling well to make a living is very important to me as well."

　Ward won his fourth PBA title at the National Bowling Stadium back in 1999. He will face Petteri Salonen, Finland, in the next match Saturday evening.

　Also remaining in the winners' bracket is Jess Stayrook, San Diego, and local Reno favorite Brett Wolfe.

　The four athletes still alive in the losers' bracket are Danny Wiseman, Dennis Horan Jr., Chris Sand and Steve Jaros.

　Wiseman, Baltimore, eliminated former ABC Masters champion (1993) Duke, 590-567.

　In an earlier match in the losers' bracket, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, defeated PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber, 723-621.

　During the first matches of the day, Jaros, Bolingbrook, Ill., won over Robert Smith, Simi Valley, Calif., 687-684. Smith, who was looking for his third career title, needed a double in the 10th frame of the third game to defeat Jaros and left a nine count to lose.

　No. 1 seed Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., was ousted by Horan, 729-711, earlier in the day as well.

　The ABC Masters is one of three PBA majors. The other two majors are the U.S. Open and the PBA World Championship, which is worth $120,000 for first place.

2002/01/18

　　【PBA】　ABC Masters　【Round 5】

　Cathy Dorin-Lizzi "dead-nutted" her two most important shots against Chris Barnes in their final match game Friday night in the ABC Masters at the National Bowling Stadium.

　What she didn't deserve was a ringing 10-pin in the eighth frame and the 7-9 split in the ninth. But, that's exactly what she got.

　Dorin-Lizzi, only the second female in ABC Masters history to make match play (Dana Miller-Mackie, 2000), lost the three-game total pinfall match to Barnes, 658-622. Barnes, ranked fifth in the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) World Point Rankings, advances in the losers' bracket and will face highly-seasoned amateur Tim Mack at 9 a.m. (PT) Saturday.

　Dorin-Lizzi, a one-time Professional Womenﾕs Bowling Association (PWBA) champion, will go home. But, not without her pride.

　"I think I had to make my opponents work to beat me," she said. "I had a few bad breaks against Steve Jaros (her first round opponent) and lost a good match (736-675)." She won her first match in the losers' bracket against Riga Kalfas, 698-587. "Then, against Barnes, if I carry those two shots at the end of the game, things could've flipped. That would have put a little more pressure on him."

　Heading into the last game, Dorin-Lizzi trailed the three-time PBA champion and 1998 PBA Rookie of the Year by only 21 pins. She was working on four consecutive strikes heading into the eighth frame and only trailed Barnes by one pin in the game - then disaster struck. First the 10-pin, then the 7-9 split.

　"I could hear everyone behind me gasp when I left the 7-9," said Dorin-Lizzi. It took the wind out of my sails. I was shocked that such a bad break could've happened at such a crucial point in the game."

　"But, I'll be back. Absolutely - without a doubt. As long as they (ABC) keep letting us come back," she added.

　"She gave me about all I could handle," said Barnes. "I wasn't real happy about losing that first match (Joe Ciccone defeated Barnes, 606-600, in the first round of the winners' bracket). But, it did focus me. I needed that because Cathy was bowling well."

　Saturday's winners' bracket matches include: Ryan Shafer vs. David Traber, Jess Stayrook vs. Kimmo Lehtonen, Mike Scroggins vs. Brett Wolfe, Bryon Smith vs. Joe Salvemini, Chris Sand vs. Joe Ciccone, Petteri Salonen vs. Michael Mullin, Ricky Ward vs. Doug Wilcox and Norm Duke vs. Hugh Miller.

　Defending champion Parker Bohn III, seeded directly into match play, was eliminated in two consecutive matches. In the losers' bracket match, Bohn and David Haynes tied at 616. Haynes won the one-game roll-off, 212-193.

　　【PBA】　ABC Masters　【Round 4】

　Following a first round match play loss in the 52nd American Bowling Congress (ABC) Masters, Parker Bohn III had one thing to say to Ricky Ward - "I'll see you again."

　Ward, N. Fort Myers, Fla., beat the defending champion, 726-653, in a three-game total pinfall match Thursday at the National Bowling Stadium.

　"He might have taken a step back," said Ward, who won his sixth Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) title last week in Medford, Ore. "But, you can bet he's going to take two steps forward. He's a dangerous person."

　Bohn, a 28-time PBA champion, won this tournament here last year. It was his first career major title. But this year, Bohn will have to fight his way through the losers' bracket if he hopes to repeat.

　Ward is searching for his first major title.

　2000 ABC Masters champion Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, lost his match against Mike Faliero, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 640-639. Koivuniemi enters the losers' bracket.

　Cathy Dorin-Lizzi, only the second female to make match play in ABC Masters history (Dana Miller-Mackie, 2000), lost her match with PBA pro Steve Jaros, 736-675. Dorin-Lizzi, Sandusky, owns one Professional Womenﾕs Bowling Association (PWBA) title (Pittsburgh, 1999). Her first opponent in the losers' bracket is Riga Kalfas, Florence, Ky.

　　【PBA】　ABC Masters　【Round 3】

　Ryan Shafer started the day with a near perfect game move to the top of the leader's board after the third round of qualifying in the ABC Masters at the National Bowling Stadium Friday afternoon.

　Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., begun the day in third place and rolled a 297 in game one to take over the lead. He has a 15-game, 3,403 pinfall total and a 226.86 tournament average.

　"I left a split on my 12th ball in the first game," said Shafer. "I didn't want to squeeze it and I hit the target but I just didn't catch it. But, that was enough to put my near the top so it was good enough for me."

　The three-time PBA champion has been competing in the ABC Masters since 1988 and has only missed competing in the event once. His best finish is third, which was in the 1995 ABC Masters at the National Bowling Stadium where he lost to Mike Aulby in the championship round finals.

　"I have always done pretty well in this event but I didn't even consider leading this week," said the former PBA Rookie of the Year (1987). "I was just happy to make the cut."

　Standing only two pins behind Shafer in second place is Chris Sand. Sand, Chesterfield, Mich., also has a third place finish in the ABC Masters, which was in 1998 in Reno, Nev. The PBA rookie is looking to make his first championship round appearance as a PBA member.

　"I just keep on looking forward and try not to move backwards," said Sand. "I used a stronger ball today and was able to adjust accordingly and hopefully I can do the same tonight in match play."

　Third place belongs to 2000 ABC Masters champion Mika Koivuniemi. Koivuniemi, Finland, has felled 3,353 pins. The right-hander won his second PBA title this past December when he captured another PBA major, the U.S. Open, Fountain Valley, Calif., also worth $100,000 for first place.

　Rounding out the top four is Rudy Kasimakis. Kasimakis, Gouldsboro, Pa., has knocked down 3,344 pins. The stocky right-hander, who has been competing full-time on the PBA Tour since 1999, is looking for his first PBA win.

　Professional Women's Bowlers Association (PWBA) star Cathy Dorin-Lizzi is the second woman in history to qualify for the match play portion of the ABC Masters. She qualified as the No.34 seed. The first woman to do so was Dana Miller-Mackie, who qualified in 2000in Albuquerque, N.M., for the match play portion of the ABC Masters. She defeated John May, Tommy Delutz Jr., and Brian Voss and lost twice to Rick Steelsmith who eventually eliminated her.

2002/01/17

　　【PBA】　ABC Masters　【Round 2】

　Finland's Kimmo Lehtonen is so mixed up, he doesn't know what's going on.

　But this week at the 52nd American Bowling Congress (ABC) Masters, that's been a good thing. The 33-year-old led the 456-man field after the second round of qualifying at the National Bowling Stadium Thursday, with a 2,353, 10-game pinfall (236 average).

　On Sunday, Lehtonen won Finland's only all-international tournament, the Ball Master in his hometown of Helsinki. Then, after only 20 minutes of sleep, he hopped a plane to the United States and arrived in Reno 26 hours later - only one day before starting the ABC Masters.

　"Sleeping for only 20 minutes is a good way to get used to the time difference," Lehtonen joked. "Because you're so mixed up, you don't know what's going on."

　"Everything feels good," he referred to his bowling game. "My style is very simple. I just take it one frame at a time. It's a new start everyday. It's much easier for me to play like that." He rolled a pair of 267 games during the round.

　Lehtonen, an amateur, has been a member of the Finland National Bowling Team since 1985. He has won "about" 15 Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) medals in his career.

　Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, trails the leader by 31 pins. The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Hall of Famer last won in 1997, it was his 18th title. Monacelli finished the day with his two highest games of the five-game block, 259 and 248.

　Of the six women entered in the event, three made the cut to 115 (top 25%). Cathy Dorin-Lizzi, Sandusky, Ohio, is the highest female qualifier, in 41st.

　"I'll be totally honest," said Dorin-Lizzi. "I've bowled so aggressive and so relaxed because we're (women) the underdogs and we have nothing to lose. I wouldn't mind capping this tournament off with a win. It would be great for women's bowling."

　Dorin-Lizzi added, "The guys have been very supportive and the level of competition is awesome. It has only inspired me to bowl better. You're only going to run faster if you're running against someone faster than you."

　Dorin-Lizzi's sister, 2001 Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) Player of the Year Carolyn Dorin-Ballard sits in 106th, while Kendra Gaines advances in the 111th spot. Missing the cut were fellow PWBA bowlers: Tish Johnson (234th), Ann-Marie Duggan (269th) and Tammy Turner-Boomershine (279th).

2002/01/16

　　【PBA】　ABC Masters　【Round 1】

　PBA regional player Jeff Smith averaged 237 to lead after the first round of qualifying in the ABC Masters at the National Bowling Stadium Wednesday.

　Smith, Little Falls, Minn., started the five-game round with a 248 game and would later post a high game of 269 to finish with a 1,186 pinfall total. The 38-year-old, who owns three PBA regional titles in competing in his second ABC Masters event. His first ABC Masters appearance was in Salt Lake City in 1996 where he made the cut to the top 64 and went 1-2 in double-elimination match play.

　"I'm excited to be here and this is a great beginning," said Smith. "I have been thinking about going out on Tour for 10 or 12 events a year and my performance here could really make a difference."

　"I know it is still extremely early in the tournament but I'm going out there with a positive attitude so hopefully that will help."

　Smith joined the PBA when he was 19 years old and shot a 300 game and finished second in his first regional event. Shortly thereafter, Smith attended St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn., where he earned a degree in social work.

　Smith, who is married with four children, currently bowls about 60% of the PBA regionals in his region and works full-time as an interior/exterior decorator. He also does some counseling part-time and volunteers at Big Brothers.

　"I stopped drinking about two years ago and since then I've been enjoying my life so much and my bowling game has really improved," said Smith. "I'm bowling three straight events on Tour and if all goes well I would love to be able to compete out here more."

　Second place belongs to an international player from Finladn, Kimmo Lehtonen. Lethonen has a 1,183 pinfall total and closed the round with a high game of 269.

　Doug Wilcox, Sacramento, Calif., is in third place with a 1,165 pinfall total.

　Rounding out the top four is PBA Rookie Chris Sand. Sand, Chesterfield, Mich., registered a high game of 257 during the round. He finished 10th last year in the ABC Masters. Sand joined the PBA shortly after last year's event and has been enjoying a successful career on the Tour thus far. In his 12 events, he has cashed eight times and made match play six times.

　The entire 456-man field will return Thursday for an additional five games of qualifying. A first cut will then be made to the top 25% of the field. Those athletes will compete in one more five-game round of qualifying.

2002/01/13

　　【PBA】　PBA Medford Open　【Final】

　Ricky Ward won his sixth PBA title Sunday in the PBA Medford Open at Lava Lanes.

　Ward, North Fort Myers, Fla., struck on the final ball of the title match and defeated Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., 215-214. He claimed the $40,000 top prize along with the winner's Rolex watch.

　A closely-shaved 7-pin on his first shot in the 10th that nearly cost Ward the match.

　"That shot? I kind of pumped it," said Ward, about nearly whiffing the 7-pin spare. "Instead of trusting the shot and really stroking through it, I kind of guided the ball to the seven. It almost got me."

　"Most of the time, I know off my hand if I've missed the shot. And, when that shot (10th frame) came off my hand, it thought it was marginal. And, when it got down the lane, it was looking like... really marginal," Ward joked. "I'm just glad the week didn't end that way... missing a 7-pin. I practiced as much shooting the corners as I did getting lined up. For me not to come through in that situation would have been disappointing."

　Shafer left seven single pins in the match (frames one, two and six-10). He struck in every other frame.

　"I thought he missed that shot," said Shafer of Ward's 7-pin spare in the 10th. "After that, I was surprised he carried the final shot. I though he was going to leave another 7-pin. I was hoping for a tie and a one-ball roll-off. But, he made a great shot under pressure and won. That's all there is to it."

　But, for Ward, this win began last week when he skipped the tournament in Kirkland, Wash., to clear his mind.

　"I was looking for balance. I have a job to do and I have a family." Just seven months ago, Ward and wife Lisa gave birth to their first child, Hannah. "In the beginning, my priorities were weighted more toward family," said Ward about this season. "But, you still have to pay the bills. You have to compete at 100 percent out here. You can't beat these guys on tour under that. So, I took a week off to focus on bowling. I sacrificed a week to make the rest of the season beneficial."

　After five frames, Ward left four single-pins and struck only once (third frame). When he left a 7-pin in the fifth, he said aloud, "stick and move," as he was walking back from the foul line. This was coming on the heels of a three-bagger by Shafer. Ward told himself, "It's now or never."

　Ward responded with three strikes in-a-row of his own and a spare in the eighth, setting up the 10th frame dramatics.

　In the semifinals, Shafer defeated Rob Rice, Sunnyside, Wash., 204-169. Ward beat Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 203-190. Bohn and Rice tied for third, both earning $10,000. In the wild card match, Rice excused Kevin Mitchell, Tulsa, Okla., 205-191. Mitchell, bowling in his first career finals appearance, earned $9,000.

2002/01/12

　　【PBA】　PBA Medford Open　【Round 5】

　Parker Bohn III is set to try for back-to-back wins after ousting Jason Couch in the round of 8 in the PBA Medford Open at Lava Lanes Saturday evening.

　Bohn, Jackson, N.J., won 3-1 (223-170, 235-225, 196-237, 214-211) over fellow left-hander Couch to qualify for the championship round. The PBA Hall of Famer, who won his 28th PBA title last week in the PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic, Kirkland, Wash., finished the tournament with the best overall match play record, 9-1.

　"It was a tough match all night," said Bohn. "We went back and forth a lot and each shot made the difference between a win and a loss."

　After being up 2-0 to Couch, Bohn lost the third game by 41 pins.

　"I wasn't able to double that game and I had to make some adjustments," said Bohn. "I just hope that's the only game I lose this tournament."

　The former PBA Player of the Year (1999) is looking for his fifth win in the 2001-2002 season. He will face Ricky Ward in the first semi-final match.

　Couch, Clermont, Fla., was looking to make his first championship round appearance since June of 2001.

　Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, Fla., came back from being down 0-2 to Steve Hoskins and won, 3-2 (169-189, 161-189, 215-202, 203-195, 238-190). Ward, who was the 1991 PBA Rookie of the Year, is making his first championship round appearance since he won his fifth PBA title in February of 2001 in Burlington, N.C.

　In a 3-1 (257-210, 222-166, 218-219, 234-194), match Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., bested Blaise Bedolla, Sutherlin, Ore. Shafer, who has been competing full-time on Tour since 1987, is looking for fourth PBA title. The former PBA Rookie of the Year (1987) won his last title earlier this season in Las Vegas, Nev. He will face the winner of the wild card match.

　Rob Rice, Sunnyside, Wash., defeated Kevin Mitchell, 3-2 (183-187, 170-174, 203-171, 234-205, 192-178). Rice, who owns three PBA regional titles, is looking for his first National Tour win. He will face Mitchell in the wild card match. Mitchell, Tulsa, Okla., is also searching for title No. 1.

　　【PBA】　PBA Medford Open　【Round 4】

　Parker Bohn III and Kevin Mitchell advanced as the only unbeaten players after the round of 16 in the PBA Medford Open Saturday afternoon at Lava Lanes.

　Both bowlers racked up 6-0 records through the first two rounds. Bohn, Jackson, N.J., swept his round of 16 match against Brian LeClair, 3-0, with a 773 three-game series. The 28-time champion is averaging 247.5 in match play. Mitchell, Tulsa, Okla., defeated Bryon Smith, 3-0 (216-188, 238-228, 230-181). Mitchell, in his third year on tour, is targeting his first finals appearance. He is guaranteed his career high finish this week.

　Mitchell will face Rob Rice, Sunnyside, Wash., (6-3) in the round of eight. Rice, predominantly a regional player in the PBA, is bowling his third tournament of the season.

　Crowd favorite Blaise Bedolla, Sutherlin, Ore., (6-2) advanced after turning back Michael Haugen Jr., 3-1 (198-212, 238-186, 254-198, 223-193). Bedolla finished 56th last week (Kirkland, Wash.) in his first career tournament. The 22-year-old, who became a PBA member in October, plans to bowl the entire second-half of the season. He will bowl three-time champion Ryan Shafer (6-2) in the round of eight.

　Other match ups tonight include: Parker Bohn III against Jason Couch (6-3) and Steve Hoskins (6-3) against Ricky Ward (6-3).

2002/01/11

　　【PBA】　PBA Medford Open　【Round 3】

　Jason Couch unleashed his talent against the equally-tough Pete Weber to stay alive after the round of 32 in the PBA Medford Open at Lava Lanes Friday evening.

　Couch, Clermont, Fla., took it to five games before besting PBA Hall of Famer Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 3-2 (192-214, 244-238, 267-218, 193-247, 256-221). The former PBA Rookie of the Year (1992), who led the first two rounds of qualifying, has the highest tournament average thus far with a 227.17 for 23 games.

　"I didn't line up the first game so I made a ball switch before the second game and had to play the lanes straighter than I did this morning," said the nine-time PBA champion. "It worked for two games and then I started to push a little in the fourth game and got ahead of myself."

　"It was more mental error than physical mistakes," commented Couch, referring to the fourth game. "The fifth game I had no choice but to try not to think too much and let my muscle motion take over and get the job done - it was do or die as it usually is against Pete."

　"Weber and I are the same kind of bowlers," said Couch. "We both want to stomp our competition into the ground and before the match even started I asked him were the cage was because I knew this was going to be a grueling one."

　Couch, who won his last title in The Villages, Fla., in February of 2001, is looking to make his first championship round appearance since the new format began in September of 2001. This is his third appearance in the round of 16 and he has yet to make it past the next round.

　"I'll definitely think about that a little tonight and before I bowl," said Couch, who will face Randy Pedersen in the round of 16. "But I can't let it bother me and I'll just have to find a way to win."

　Pedersen, Hollywood, Fla., won in a 3-0 (247-162, 206-141, 203-196) match against John Gaines, Sebring, Fla.

　In another taxing 3-2 (232-209, 189-130, 192-200, 211-215, 248-248, 10-8) match, Joe Ciccone defeated Chris Barnes. 　

　Ciccone, who was the 2000 PBA Rookie of the Year, tied with the three-time PBA champion in the fifth game and rolled a strike in a sudden-death, one-ball roll-off to beat Barnes' eight-count and advance. This is Ciccone's first time making it to the round of 16. He has a high finish of 17th (tied, Peoria, Ill.) for the 2001-2002 season and is searching for his first PBA title.

　In a 3-0 (237-236, 227-187, 248-214), set, Parker Bohn III defeated Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas. Bohn, Jackson, N.J., who won his 28th PBA title last week in Seattle, Wash., will face Brian LeClair in the round of 16.

　LeClair, Chatham, N.Y., ousted Chris Hayden, Tampa, Fla., 3-1 (193-226, 198-175, 238-205, 223-216). LeClair is looking to make his first championship round appearance since the National/Senior Doubles, Reno, Nev., in January of 2000, and is searching for his first PBA title.

　Other PBA notables advancing to the round of 16 include PBA Hall of Famer Dave Husted, Steve Hoskins and Ryan Shafer.

　Those failing to advance include Walter Ray Williams Jr., Danny Wiseman and Brian Voss.

　　【PBA】　PBA Medford Open　【Round 2】

　Jason Couch reacquainted himself with the No. 1 spot after the second round of qualifying in the PBA Medford Open Friday at Lava Lanes.

　Couch, Clermont, Fla., earned the top match play seed for the first time in the PBA's new tournament format (12 tournaments). The nine-time champion posted a field-best 226.28 average over the 18-game qualifier (4,073).

　But, soon after the round was completed Couch's focus quickly turned to tonight's round of 32 match play draw.

　"All my low games this week have been on the low end of the house," he said about lanes 5-12. "My ball wants to pick up a little more on that end. When I find out what pair I'm bowling on, that's when I can begin to mentally prepare myself."

　Couch will face No. 32 seed Pete Weber, on lanes 21 and 22, in the night's marquee matchup. Couch bowled one game in qualifying on the pair, a 245. Weber crossed the pair today in game four and rolled a 235. The rounds of 16 and eight will be contested on lanes 27-30.

　Early in the final game, Weber electrified the crowd with a "Greek Church," 4-6-7-9-10 split conversion and wound up in the cut by two pins, bowling a 217.

　Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., was out of the cut by 29 pins entering the last game but managed to break in as the 24th seed with a 269 game. Bohn, who won his 28th career title last week (Kirkland, Wash.), will face No. 9 Mike Scroggins.

　Other match ups include: five-time PBA Player of the Year Walter Ray Williams Jr. against five-time titleholder Eric Forkel; One-time champion Patrick Allen against the only local touring pro, Bryon Smith; the all-Oregon match pits PBA Hall of Famer Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore., against amateur Jason Taylor. Taylor, Klamath Falls, Ore., is the first amateur to make the round of 32 this season.

2002/01/10

　　【PBA】　PBA Medford Open　【Round 1】

　Jason Couch shot to the top of the field after the first round of qualifying in the PBA Medford Open at Lava Lanes Thursday evening.

　Couch averaged 229 through the nine-game round to take a five pin lead over second-place finisher Chris Hayden.

　"I haven't led a tournament for about two or three months so it feels really good to get back to the top even if it is still early in the event," said Couch. "The scores were a little low tonight and there was a premium on shot-making."

　The Clermont, Fla., resident posted a high game of 267 and rolled only two games under 227.

　"I have been working on my timing these past couple weeks and tonight I worked out some problems and got my feet a little slower which really helped a lot," said Couch.

　Couch's nine titles include back-to-back Tournament of Champions wins (1999, 2000) and his most recent being in The Villages, Fla., in February of 2001.

　The former PBA Rookie of the Year (1992) is looking to make his first championship round appearance since the PBA instituted the new format in September of 2001 and his seventh of the 2001-2002 season. He has made it to match play five times in the format and has been eliminated in the round of 16 twice and the round of 32 three times.

　This is Couch's 11th year on Tour and should he win the event, he would surpass the $1 million mark in career earnings. Currently, the 32-year-old left-hander has earned $979,504 and needs $20,496 to achieve the feat.

　Finishing in second place is Chris Hayden. Hayden, Tampa, Fla., ended the round with a high game of 268 to move near the top of the leaders' board. The 31-year-old, who joined the PBA in 1997, is looking for his first PBA title. He has had three fifth places in the 2001-2002 season, two being in PBA majors (PBA National Championship, Toledo, Ohio; ABC Masters, Reno, Nev.).

　Third place belongs to Michael Haugen Jr. The right-hander registered only two games under 200 during the round and knocked down 2,011 pins. Haugen, Victorville, Calif., is also searching for his first PBA title. He has a high finish of second on the Tour, which came in November of 2001, in a 289-279 title match against Pete Weber in Louisville, Ky.

　Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, Fla., captured fourth place. Ward, who won his fifth PBA title in Burlington, N.C., last year, has toppled 1,990 pins.

　Rounding out the top five is Dennis Horan Jr. Horan, Temecula, Calif., has felled 1,984 pins.

　Other professionals advancing include Walter Ray Williams Jr. (11th place), Parker Bohn III (24th place), Danny Wiseman (26th place), Brian Voss (34th place), Tommy Delutz Jr. (35th place), Medford's local favorite Marshall Holman (43rd place), Norm Duke (58th) and Pete Weber (59th place).

　Notables failing to make the cut include Robert Smith (79th place), Del Ballard (88th place) and Steve Wilson (104th place).

2002/01/06

　　【PBA】　PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic　【Final】

　Parker Bohn III persevered with a little help to capture his 28th PBA title in the PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic at TechCity Bowl Sunday afternoon.

　Bohn, Jackson, N.J., defeated Patrick Healey Jr., 235-215, to become the second-most winning left-hander in PBA history, second only to the event's namesake who passed in August of 2001.

　"There were two people looking down on me today, one no one has ever met and the other was the best friend bowling ever had - Earl," said Bohn, who earned $40,000 for first. "All week I had lucky breaks right when I needed them and I can't help but think Earl was behind one or two of them."

　Healey, who was looking for his first PBA title, started the title match on a bad note with a 4-6-7 split in the first frame. Unable to convert the split, Healey, Mexico, did not let the open frame shake him and the fourth-year pro struck in the next three frames.

　Bohn started strong with a single-pin (7-pin) conversion in the first frame and a trio of strikes. In the fifth frame Bohn threw a game-changing 7-10 split, which he was unable to convert.

　"It was a bad break but I immediately put it out of my mind and moved on to the next frame," said Bohn. "Throughout the whole championship round I had a look but it wasn't the premier look - I made three or four ball changes throughout the day and had to try and keep it firm and on line."

　Healey, who finished second three weeks ago in the U.S. Open (Fountain Valley, CA), took advantage of Bohn's split with a successful single-pin spare in the fifth frame (8-pin) and a double in the sixth and seventh frames.

　Bohn quickly recuperated from the open and kept on his opponent's heels with strikes in frames sixth through nine. Meanwhile, Healey began to fall behind with two nine counts (7-pin eights frame; 4-pin ninth frame), which he was able to convert but not without giving Bohn a chance to get ahead.

　"I manufactured my shots the best I could," said Healey, who received $20,000 for finishing second. "My shots weren't all flush and it wasn't the best game I've ever bowled. Parker deserved to win, he did everything right."

　Bohn finished the match first and with his strike in the ninth frame he needed only a mark and a pin in the 10th frame to secure the victory. The PBA Hall of Famer got the mark and struck on his fill ball to take home the trophy.

　The win puts Bohn one title ahead of Mike Aulby and Pete Weber and makes him fourth on the PBA's all-time win list. Aulby and Weber move to fifth.

　"I still have a long way to go," said Bohn when asked if he thought he could catch Anthony's 41 titles. "I don't know if I'll do it or if anyone can but even if someone does, Earl will still be the greatest bowler of all time."

　The win is Bohn's fourth of the 2001-2002 PBA season, which includes the regular 20 season events (September 2001 - March 2002) and nine events from the beginning of 2001 which will be added due to a transition from a yearly schedule to a seasonal schedule. This title puts Bohn ahead of the race for earning 2002 PBA Player of the Year Honors.

　Bohn advanced to the title match by defeating Mike DeVaney in the semifinal match, 200-181. DeVaney, Escondido, Calif., took home a check worth $10,000 for finishing tied for third.

　Healey, who is now 5-14 in 14 championship round appearances, won over Patrick Allen in the semifinal round, 232-225. Allen, who was shooting for his second career title, also received $10,000 for third place.

　In the wild card match, Bohn bested Dennis Horan Jr., 216-202. Horan, Temecula, Calif., settled for $9,000 in fifth place.

2002/01/05

　　【PBA】　PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic　【Round 5】

　Parker Bohn III will be sure to thank the "messenger" after the round of eight in the PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic at TechCity Bowl Saturday night.

　Bohn, Jackson, N.J., qualified for his seventh finals appearance of the season after excusing fellow lefty Dennis Horan Jr., three games to two (210-225, 225-215, 258-235, 192-234, 226-213). The 27-time champion threw the final five strikes in the deciding game to dump all the pressure on Horan.

　"I got a messenger strike on that first shot in the 10th frame," said Bohn who benefited from a headpin that bounced off the sideboard and bounced across the pin deck before taking out the 7-pin.

　Horan finished the match and needed two strikes and a nine count for the win. With the second ball in the 10th, he rolled through the middle of the headpin and left the 2-4-7-8 combination.

　Friday night, Bohn benefited from a similar "messenger" strike on the first shot in the 10th frame against Chris Hayden. The carry allowed Bohn to string six strikes together in the deciding game and advanced him to Saturday's rounds.

　Bohn has three wins this season, including his first major (American Bowling Congress Masters, Reno, Nev.).

　Horan, owner of four titles, managed to qualify for the finals as the wildcard with the least overall losses of the losers (8-5). He will get a chance for revenge against Bohn in the wildcard match. Bohn had the most overall losses of the semifinal qualifiers (9-4).

　Patrick Allen, who won his first PBA title earlier this season (Taylor, Mich.), earned his second career finals appearance after beating Chris Sand, 3-0. The only undefeated player in the field (9-0), Allen will bowl Patrick Healey Jr. (9-3) in the semifinals.

　Healey, Mexico, will shoot for his first PBA title in his third finals berth this season. He knocked off Rick Steelsmith, 3-0. The former All-American at Wichita State is in his fourth year on tour.

　Advancing to his second consecutive finals appearance is Mike DeVaney, Escondido, Calif., (9-3). DeVaney, bowling only his second tournament this season, is searching for his first career PBA title. He defeated Chris Barnes, 3-2, and will face the winner of the wildcard match in the semifinals.

　　【PBA】　PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic　【Round 4】

　PBA rookie Chris Sand beat friend, fellow rookie and roommate Mike Wolfe in the round of 16 to advance to the round of 8 in the PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic at TechCity Bowl Saturday afternoon in Kirkland, Washington.

　Sand, Chesterfield, Mich., beat Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 3-1 (268-245, 245-213, 185-235, 214-202). In the round of 32, Sand defeated 19-time PBA champion Norm Duke before facing Wolfe.

　"It wasn't fun bowling against Mike but it almost made it a little bit easier especially with both of us being rookies," said Sand. "I practice with Mike and have bowled against him so that gets rid of a lot of the distractions you face with other guys like Duke."
The two professionals joined the PBA this past summer after spending a few years in the amateur ranks of bowling.

　"We decided we were going to do this together, me, Mike and Brian Kretzer," said Sand. "The timing was perfect for us. I always told myself before I retire, I had to try it out here on Tour - I never wanted to say "what if."

　This is Sand's fifth single-elimination match play appearance since the new format was instituted in September of 2001.

　"I love this format," said Sand. "I always tell people it gets back to one thing - bowling. The single-elimination takes away a lot of the equipment aspects and worrying about how the lane is going to break down in the morning and throughout the day. You just have to go out there and bowl well and you're rewarded."

　Sand will met Patrick Allen in the round of 8.

　Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., ousted Ryan Shafer, 3-0 (207-186, 268-179, 236-181), to be the only professional to advance to the round of 8 with a 6-0 record. The left-hander is guaranteed a spot in the championship round finals - should he lose to Sand in the round of 8 he would enter the finals as the wild card. He is looking for his second career title in his fourth year on Tour after winning his first title earlier this season in Taylor, Mich.

　Barnes, Dallas, discarded PBA Hall of Famer Mike Aulby, 3-2, (228-258, 225-194, 201-216, 217-208, 234-222), in the final frames of the fifth game in the Round of 16. In the fifth and deciding game, Barnes had the opportunity to shut out the 27-time PBA titleholder in the 10th frame and struck on his first ball but then left a 4-pin standing on his second ball, to finish with a 234. Aulby, Indianapolis, could strike out for a 236 but left a seven-count on his first ball to advance Barnes to the round of 8.

　Barnes, who was the 1998 PBA Rookie of the Year, won his third PBA title earlier this season in Hendersonville, Ky., this past September. He is aiming toward his sixth championship round appearance of the season. Barnes will face Mike DeVaney in the round of 8.

　DeVaney, Escondido, Calif., won over David Traber, Woodstock, Ill., 3-1, (211-202, 241-248, 268-257, 204-179). DeVaney, who recently re-joined the PBA, is looking to make his second consecutive telecast. The 29-year-old finished a career-high fourth three weeks ago in his first career PBA telecast after losing to Walter Ray Williams Jr. in the opening match of the U.S. Open, Fountain Valley, Calif.

　In a 3-0 match, PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., defeated Bob Davidson, Seattle (257-205, 259-224, 279-239). Bohn, who won the first of his 27 PBA titles in Seattle in 1987, averaged 265 for the three-game match. The former PBA Player of the Year (1999) has three wins for the season (National/Senior Doubles with Rohn Morton, Reno, Nev.; Latham, N.Y.; American Bowling Congress Masters, Reno, Nev.). He will face Dennis Horan Jr. in the round of 8.

　Horan, Temecula, Calif., also won in a 3-0 match, (192-160, 258-141, 232-153), against Del Ballard Jr. Horan is a four-time PBA titleholder, has not made a championship round appearance since January of 2001 in Daly City, Calif.

　Also advancing to the round of 8 is Patrick Healey Jr. and Rick Steelsmith. Healey, Mexico, defeated Mike Scroggins, 3-1, (248-193, 203-205, 213-186, 278-233). The fourth-year pro is looking for his first PBA title. Steelsmith, Wichita, Kan., won over Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 3-1 (188-226, 290-191, 267-192, 247-235). The two-time PBA titleholder rolled 19 consecutive strikes (second and third games) to get ahead of Lawrence.

2002/01/04

　　【PBA】　PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic　【Round 3】

　Chris Barnes joked he spared millions of bowling fans and saved ESPN after the round of 32 in the PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic at TechCity Bowl Friday.

　Barnes, of Dallas, defeated ESPN bowling color analyst and 12-time champion Randy Pedersen, 3-2, after trailing two games to none.

　"I'm just doing my part to help out the fans," Barnes quipped. "He's a better broadcaster than me."

　"But seriously, he was bowling a lot better than me after the first two games. He was playing further right and was matched up better. He was just killing me." Barnes lost games one and two, 216-155 and 237-201. During the stretch, the three-time champion changed balls four times and threw six splits on the right lane. He realized a line change was necessary.

　"I moved 22 boards left with my feet, 12 boards right with my eyes and slowed my ball speed by one and one-half miles per hour. I was able to steal the third game (224-214). But, Randy should have won."

　Nevertheless, Barnes evened the match in game four with a 266-228 trouncing. In the deciding game, Pedersen lost his ball reaction and Barnes won the grindout, 184-162. Barnes advances to face PBA Hall of Famer Mike Aulby in Saturday morning's round of 16 marquee matchup.

　Seattle resident Bob Davidson advanced after defeating Jason Duran, 3-1 (246-191, 255-191, 168-246, 252-190). Davidson, a part-timer bowling in his first tournament this season, will bowl PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III. Bohn, tied for fourth all time with 27 titles, won his first championship in Seattle (1987).

　The event is named after the late PBA legend Earl Anthony, who is first on the all-time win list with 41 PBA titles. All participants this week will wear a "41" patch in memory of Anthony.

　　【PBA】　PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic　【Round 2】

　PBA Hall of Famer Mike Aulby earned the No. 1 seed after the second round of qualifying in the PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic at TechCity Bowl Friday afternoon.

　Aulby, Indianapolis, averaged 231 through the round with high games of 289 and 269 to steal the lead from first-round leader Bob Davidson. The two-time PBA Player of the Year (1985, '95) has an 18-game, 4,164 pinfall total and a 231 tournament average.

　"I wasn't concentrating on the scoreboard," said Aulby. "I was just focusing on my own game and fortunately it led me to the top. Although it is not that important to be the tournament leader, it is definitely a confidence booster."

　Aulby, whose last title was a year ago this week in Daly City, Calif., is tied with Parker Bohn III and Pete Weber as fourth on the PBA all-time win list with 27 titles.

　"It's only been a year since my last title and I still love the competitiveness out here," said Aulby, who is in his 23rd season on Tour. "Although I know I'm not in the prime of my career, I still learn out here everyday. If anyone thinks that they can stay out here for 20 years and have it all figured out they're dead wrong - and that's what keeps it fun."

　Aulby will face the No. 32 seed, Mike Edwards, in the first round of single-elimination, best-of-five game match.

　Second place belongs to Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas. The left-hander posted an impressive nine-game round including high games of 256, 258, 279 and 257. Scroggins owns one PBA title, which he won in 1992 in Sacramento, Calif.

　Patrick Allen captured third place with a 4,108 pinfall total. Allen, of Tarrytown, N.Y., won his first PBA title earlier in the season in Taylor, Mich. The 31-year-old, who joined the Tour full-time in 2000, is well known on the lanes for his "trash talking" to the pins and can usually be heard throughout the bowling center when he's bowling well.

　Seattle-local Davidson fell three spots to finish in fourth place. Davidson, who competes regularly on the PBA regional circuit, registered all nine games between 180-235. Davidson won the 2000 National Resident Pro Championship, Reno, Nev., which is the "Super Bowl" of the regional program. He is searching for his first PBA title.

　Rounding out the top five is Jason Hurd. Hurd, of Titusville, Fla., posted the highest block of the day, averaging 238 for the nine games. The 26-year-old, who has a 4,062 pinfall total, has a high finish of third this season, which was in Taylor, Mich., this past October.

　In the ninth game of the round, Jason Duran shot the first 300 of the event to make the cut and qualify in the 29th spot.

　Other notables advancing to head-to-head competition include Parker Bohn III (13th), Ryan Shafer (14th), Randy Pedersen (16th), Chris Barnes (17th), Norm Duke (22nd) and Tommy Delutz Jr. (25th), who is the only professional to make it to the round of 32 in every event since the PBA instituted the new single-elimination format in September of 2001.

　Those failing to advance include Danny Wiseman (38th), Brian Voss (43rd), Jason Couch (44th) and Brian Himmler (57th).

2002/01/03

　　【PBA】　PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic　【Round 1】

　Seattle local Bob Davidson was stunned when he led the first round of qualifying in the inaugural PBA Earl Anthony Memorial Classic at TechCity Bowl Thursday.

　Davidson, 39, toppled 2,109 pins over the nine-game round for a tournament-best 234.22 average. He finished the round with games of 269 and 235.

　"I was surprised," said Davidson. "I didn't even know I had the lead until everybody started clapping. I thought (Mike) Aulby had the lead."

　When asked if he felt any pressure being the hometown favorite, Davidson answered, "Not yet, not until I get to match play. At least I hope not. My boss was in the crowd tonight. Now I have to remember to leave his name at the gate tomorrow morning."

　Davidson, bowling in his first tournament this season, works full-time at Art Craft Printing in Seattle. He admits it's hard to find time to do what he loves. "This was the first chance I had to bowl this year. It might be my last if I don't win. It's hard for me to get time off work. Plus, I have a wife and three kids."

　Davidson's high finish on tour came in 1992 at the Brunswick Memorial World Open (Lake Zurich, Ill.). He finished 13th.

　Trailing the leader by nine pins is Rick Steelsmith, of Wichita, Kan. The two-time champion rolled high games of 287 and 277. His last win on tour was the 1997 PBA National Championship (Toledo, Ohio).

　Third place belongs to PBA Hall of Famer Mike Aulby, Indianapolis (2,084). Aulby, who averaged 231.56, bowled a pair of 279 games. With 27 career titles, he ranks tied for fourth all-time with Parker Bohn III.

　Others who made the cut to 64 include: ESPN Bowling color analyst and 12-time champion Randy Pedersen (10th) Bohn (17th), 19-time titleholder Norm Duke (39th) and long-time Tacoma resident PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss (52nd).

　Notables that missed the cut are: Robert Smith (65th) and Walter Ray Williams Jr. (100th).

　This is the first of 10 events in the second-half of the 2001-2002 PBA season and it is the first time the PBA has held an event in Seattle since it was purchased by three former Microsoft executives in April of 2000.

　The event is named after the late PBA legend Earl Anthony, who is first on the all-time win list with 41 PBA titles. All participants this week will wear a ﾒ41ﾓ patch in memory of Anthony.