Back To Back In Birmingham

Patrick Allen

Patrick Allen became the first Professional Bowlers Association PBA Tour player since 2000 to win back-to-back titles after defeating Mike DeVaney, 218-216, Sunday in the 2005 PBA Birmingham Open at Lightning Strikes.

Allen, who won last week's 2005 PBA Dallas Open, moved into the top spot in the PBA World Point Rankings this week, overtaking Danny Wiseman, who defeated Allen in the title match of the season's first event, the Miller High Life Masters presented by the American Bowling Congress.

DeVaney, Escondido, Calif., had a chance to win with a double in the 10th, but after striking on his first shot, he left a 10 pin to give Allen the narrow victory.

"It would have been nice to make a better shot in the 10th," said Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., who is the first left-hander since Parker Bohn III in 1997 to win back-to-back titles. "He made a good shot but it just didn't fall. I'm just getting the breaks."

Chris Barnes, Flower Mound, Texas, fell for the eighth straight time on TV as he lost to DeVaney, 213-183, in the second semifinal. DeVaney was up by 31 pins after the 6th frame when he left back-to-back open frames giving Barnes the opportunity to strike out to tie. Barnes struck in the 9th but had a six count with his first shot in the 10th. DeVaney then marked twice in the 10th to advance to the final for the first time since 2003.

In the first semifinal, Allen defeated Tore Torgersen, 221-189. Allen lead by 20 pins after eight frames when Torgersen, Vanersborg, Sweden, left a 2-4-10 split in the 9th, opening the door for Allen. Allen converted a spare in the 9th and struck with his first shot in the 10th to advance.

Allen won $40,000 while DeVaney won $20,000 for his 2nd place finish. Torgersen and Barnes won $10,000 for 3rd place.

Torgersen Terrific

Tore Torgersen

Tore Torgersen, Norway, became the second consecutive foreign-born player to make his first career televised finals as he swept Danny Wiseman, four-games-to-none, Friday in the 2005 Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Birmingham Open at Lightning Strikes.

Torgersen follows Patrick Girard, Jonquiere, Quebec, who made the championship round last week in the 2005 PBA Dallas Open, his first career televised finals.

Torgersen, one of six exempt international bowlers on the PBA Tour, shot 248-248-248-249 in his four wins over Wiseman, Baltimore, who came into this week as the leader in the PBA World Point Rankings.

"I'm surprised I stayed so calm. My pulse never really raced," said Torgersen, who is in his second season on the PBA Tour, but was the 2000 World Amateur Bowler of the Year and a seven-time Norwegian Bowler of the Year. "When I'm sick I seem to bowl better. I've been weak so I have saved my energy. I felt harmonic."

Torgersen came back from an 0-3 deficit to win his round of 32 match against Tom Baker, Buffalo, 4-3, and will face Patrick Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., in the semifinals on Sunday. Allen, who won last week's 2005 PBA Dallas Open, defeated Chris Johnson, Garland, Texas, 4-2. He will try to become the first bowler since Walter Ray Williams Jr. in 2000 to win back-to-back titles.

Also advancing to Sunday's finals was Chris Barnes, Flower Mound, Texas, who defeated Tommy Jones, Mauldin, S.C., 4-2. Barnes will face Mike DeVaney, Escondido, Calif., who had not made the televised finals in his last 40 events. DeVaney defeated Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., 4-3.

Wiseman Storms Lightning Strikes

Danny Wiseman

Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, averaged 251 over his last four games to finish with a 3,282 14-game pinfall, leading qualifying in Thursday's round of 64 in the 2005 PBA Birmingham Open at Lightning Strikes.

Wiseman shot a 184 in game 10, but shot 268 and 265 in his next two games to move up to 2nd place. His 216 in game 13 gave him the lead and he held on to the lead with a 255 in game 14.

"After the 10th game I made a ball change and a timing adjustment and shot 268-265," said Wiseman, who won the season's first event, the Miller High Life Masters presented by the American Bowling Congress. "The last two games I changed from throwing a straight ball to more of a hook and that made a big difference."

The top 32, based on total pinfall, advance to Friday's round of 32, which features single elimination, best-of-seven games match play. The 32 bowlers will be seeded based on point totals from the last 20 PBA Tour events.

Tore Torgersen, Norway, one of five international bowlers on Tour, finished 2nd with 3,231. Michael Haugen Jr., Las Vegas, was 3rd with 3,230.

Last week's 2005 PBA Dallas Open winner, Patrick Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., finished 8th with 3,190. Allen is the only bowler to finish in the top 10 in the round of 64 qualifying session in each of the last four weeks.

Rising Above the Rest

Patrick Allen

Patrick Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., battled a tight left shoulder and won his 3rd career PBA Tour title as he knocked off Brad Angelo, 267-183, in the 2005 PBA Dallas Open at Don Carter's All Star Lanes Dallas West on Sunday.

The left-handed Allen, currently 2nd in the PBA World Point Rankings, won the $40,000 top prize and an exemption for the 2005-06 season by striking on six straight shots from frames 2-7 against Angelo.

"Brad threw a great shot in the 7th frame, but left a solid 9-pin," said Allen. "Then he struck in the 8th frame, and I needed to strike in the 9th frame...I threw a good shot to seal it."

Angelo had defeated three left-handers in match play earlier in the week, but struggled to find his groove against Allen, alternating between single pin conversions and strikes from frames 3-9.

Allen advanced to the title match by defeating Robert Smith, 226-170, in their semifinal match. Smith suffered three open frames while Allen sealed the match by striking in frames 6-9.

Angelo defeated Patrick Girard in the first semifinal, 222-216, as Angelo converted a 1-2-4-10 washout in the 10th frame to help seal the victory. Girard was making his first career telecast and was looking to become the first Tour champion from Canada.

Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., earned $20,000 for his 2nd place finish while Smith, Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Girard, Jomquiere, Quebec, tied for 3rd and earned $10,000 apiece.

Notes: Angelo had defeated left-handers Chris Hayden, Jason Couch and Mike Scroggins in match play this week prior to his loss against Allen in the finals.

Oh, Canada!

Patrick Girard

Patrick Girard will make his first career televised finals appearance as he defeated Mike Machuga, four-games-to-two, Friday in the round of 8 in the 2005 Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Dallas Open at Don Carter's All Star Lanes Dallas West.

Girard, Quebec, is the youngest of the 58 exempt bowlers on the PBA Tour at 21 years old. He was making his first career appearance in the round of 8 and now advances to his first show in just his second season on Tour.

"I worked with (Brunswick ball representative) Rick Benoit in Medford on my tempo," said Girard, whose previous best finish was 22nd in the 2004 PBA Orange County Classic presented by Storm, the week after the 2004 PBA Earl Anthony Medford Classic. "This morning I bowled well but in the night matches I got too fast again. He said ﾔrelax and stay calm." I did that and it worked. I have struggled so much all year, it is such a relief to win."

Girard, one of two bowlers on Tour from Canada, will face Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., in the first semifinal. Angelo, who led the 2003-04 PBA World Point Rankings but will be looking for his first career title, defeated Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 4-3.

Also advancing to the finals was Robert Smith, Thousand Oaks, Calif., who made his second televised finals in a row. Smith, who finished 2nd in last weekﾕs PBA El Paso Classic, defeated Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 4-2. He will face Patrick Allen, Tarrytown N.Y., in the second semifinal. Allen defeated Tim Criss, Bel Air, Md., 4-3, and moved up to 2nd on the 2004-05 World Point Rankings with the win.

Couch Heads to the Top

Jason Couch

Left-hander Jason Couch, looking to extend his streak of six straight seasons with at least one title, took the top spot with a 3,192 14-game pinfall Thursday in the 2005 PBA Dallas Open round of 64 at Don Carter's All Star Lanes Dallas West.

Couch, an 11-time Tour title winner, shot games of 238 and 237 to end his first seven-game session before switching bowling balls for the next seven-game set. The move paid off, as he shot no worse than 217 and rolled a 289 in his 5th game of the evening to take the lead.

Couch, Clermont, Fla., moves into the best-of-seven games, round of 32 match play, and will take on Tom Baker, Buffalo, N.Y., on Friday. Match play opponents are based on point totals from the 20 prior PBA Tour tournaments.

"It's all the same. I'm just trying to bowl the pins," said Couch, who has an 11-9 match play record this season. "I haven't had much success in match play this season, so I'm just going to bowl the pins."

Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, attempting to become the first woman to make the round of 32 in a standard PBA Tour event, finished 41st, with 2,848. Dorin-Ballard, North Richland Hills, Texas, was just 34 pins shy of 32nd place and a spot in the next round.

Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., was 2nd with 3,144. With 40 career PBA Tour titles, Williams is just one title shy of tying Earl Anthony's all-time PBA Tour titles record.

Finally!

Parker Bohn III

Parker Bohn III reached another milestone in his storied career Sunday, becoming just the fifth bowler to collect at least 30 PBA Tour titles when he defeated Robert Smith, 288-235, in the title match of the PBA El Paso Classic at Oasis Lanes.

Bohn, the PBA Hall of Famer from Jackson, N.J., earned the $40,000 top prize and an exemption for the 2005-06 season by striking on his first 10 shots against Smith, who failed to convert an 8-10 split in the opening frame.

After striking to start the 10th frame, Bohn left the 3-9 spare on his next shot. All told, he struck on 20 of 24 frames on the day.

"[Today's win] is a big monkey off my shoulders," said Bohn, who was winless in his past 51 events. "Everyone in life wants to say that they're 29 and holding. I've been saying '29 and holding' for too long. I've upped it a notch and got to 30."

Bohn beat Chris Barnes, Dallas, in their semifinal match, 279-258, as the PBA Hall of Famer struck on nine consecutive shots from frames 2-10 to advance to his second title match in as many weeks.

Smith defeated Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y., in the first semifinal, 268-247. Smith matched Ciccone shot-for-shot through eight frames with both bowlers striking seven times. Smith struck in the 9th frame while Ciccone converted single-pin spares in the 9th and 10th frames.

Smith, Thousand Oak, Calif., collects $20,000 for his 2nd place finish while Barnes and Ciccone tied for 3rd and take home $10,000 apiece.

Bohn Back On Track

Parker Bohn III

Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III will get a chance to win his 30th career title for the second consecutive week as he defeated Michael Fagan, Greenlawn, N.Y., four-games-to-none in the round of 8 Friday in the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) El Paso Classic at Oasis Lanes.

Bohn, Jackson, N.J., comes into the championship round having won 10 games in a row as he also swept top seed Walter Ray Williams Jr. in the round of 16. He averaged 263.30 in those 10 games.

"This week I felt that the confidence I gained from last week definitely carried over," said Bohn, who finished 2nd in last week's PBA GEICO Open. "Last week I was happier than a lark to be there because that was the longest stretch I went without making a show since before my first telecast. All the momentum from last week just carried forward."

Bohn, who would become just the fifth bowler ever to win 30 titles, has not won a title in his last 51 events.

Bohn will face Chris Barnes, Flower Mound, Texas, in Sunday's second semifinal. Barnes defeated Patrick Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., 4-1, and will be making his second television show in the last three events.

Advancing to his first championship round this season and the second of his career was Joe Ciccone, Buffalo, N.Y. Ciccone defeated last week's PBA GEICO Open champion Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 4-0. Ciccone will face Robert Smith, Thousand Oaks, Calif., in the first semifinal. Smith defeated Dennis Horan Jr., Temecula, Calif., 4-2, and will be looking for his 7th career title.

McCune Perfect...Times Two

Eugene McCune

Eugene McCune saved his best for last, tossing his second 300 game of the day in his final game of qualifying to lead the 64-bowler field with a 3,647 14-game pinfall Thursday in the PBA El Paso Classic at Oasis Lanes.

McCune, Munster, Ind., averaged a staggering 260.50 on the day. The 19-season pro averaged 262.57 in his first seven-game qualifying block and 258.43 in his second seven-game set.

"I was lucky I got off to good start, so I could coast a little and switch balls during the second block," said McCune.

McCune, seeded 23rd for match play, will face 11-time Tour title winner No. 10 Danny Wiseman in the round of 32. Bowlers are seeded based on point totals from the last 20 tournaments.

Hugh Miller, Seattle, held a two-pin lead heading into the final game and shot 290 to finish 2nd with 3,639. Four-time title winner David Traber, McHenry, Ill., was 3rd with 3,574.

Just behind Traber was Walter Ray Williams, Jr., Ocala, Fla., with 3,511. Williams has been sitting on 40 career PBA Tour titles since mid-November and is looking to tie bowling legend Earl Anthony's record of 41 titles.

Amateur Bobby Stives, the Oasis Lanes General Manager who led after the first qualifying session, finished 10th with 3,429.

The scoring was high on Thursday with 12 perfect games on the day, already giving the PBA El Paso Classic a season-high 13 300-games with two days of bowling remaining.

Return to Form

Mika Koivuniemi

Mika Koivuniemi, the 2004 PBA Player of the Year, returned to form Sunday, defeating PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III, 200-196, in the title match of the 2005 PBA GEICO Open at Brunswick Zone Mesa.

Koivuniemi, who took home $40,000 in his first U.S. television appearance of the season, avoided early disaster by converting a difficult 3-4-6-7 split in the 3rd frame. Bohn, the left-hander with 29 career titles, still held a 6-pin lead through seven frames, but an open 8th frame opened the door for Koivuniemi, who struck out in the 10th to clinch his 5th career title.

"I was just thinking about my next shot. It was a grind the whole day," said Koivuniemi, who made seven finals appearances last season. "I made certain I stayed with my routine the best I could...I made sure that I felt good and knew what I was doing."

In his semifinal, Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., defeated Mike Machuga, Erie, Pa., 192-177. Machuga had a chance to win with a double in the 10th frame, but instead suffered his third open frame of the game, giving Koivuniemi his 8th career trip to a title match.

In the other semifinal, Bohn overcame an open 1st frame to defeat 21-time title winner, Norm Duke, 236-206. Bohn struck in frames 2-6 and held off a late charge from Duke, Clermont, Fla.

Bohn, Jackson, N.J., wins $20,000 for 2nd while Duke and Machuga tied for 3rd and take home $10,000 apiece.

Notes: Koivuniemi is now 11-0 against left-handers on television for his career. Prior to the start of the show, Duke pleased the fans by tossing a shot with a towel.

Koivuniemi is sponsored by GEICO in this season's PBA Sponsor Competition Championship.

The Big Finn is Back

Mika Koivuniemi

He's had a tough start to the 2004-05 season, but the "Big Finn" is back.

2004 Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Player of the Year Mika Koivuniemi will be looking to capture his first title of the 2004-05 season as he defeated Mike Edwards four-games-to-two Friday in the round of 8 to advance to the finals of the PBA GEICO Open at Brunswick Zone Mesa.

Koivuniemi, originally from Finland, won two titles and made seven television shows last season. In the first seven standard PBA Tour events this season, however, he had failed to advance past the round of 16.

"I've been bowling well the whole season, but the guys I have been bowling against have been striking when they need to strike," said Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., who led the Tour in strike percentage and was 3rd in average in the first half of the season. "I knew that if I kept bowling well I would get to the show eventually. I would have only been worried if I had not been bowling well."

Koivuniemi will face Mike Machuga, Erie, Pa., in the first semifinal. Machuga defeated Patrick Allen, Tarrytown, N.Y., 4-3, winning the final game by one pin, 224-223. Machuga, looking for his first career title, is making his second consecutive television appearance.

Also making the finals was PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., who is looking to become just the fifth bowler to capture 30 career titles. Bohn, who is winless in his last 50 events, defeated Jason Hurd, Titusville, Fla., 4-2. He will face 21-time titlist Norm Duke, Clermont Fla., in the second semifinal. Duke, who defeated Danny Wiseman 4-3, will be making his third television show in his last four events.

Bohn Beats Competition

Parker Bohn III

Looking to snap a 50-event winless streak and become just the fifth bowler to reach the 30-title plateau, Parker Bohn III led qualifying with a 3,230 14-game pinfall, averaging 231.29 in his second seven-game block Thursday evening, in the PBA GEICO Open at Brunswick Zone Mesa.

Bohn, Jackson, N.J., started off strong in the second session, shooting 229, 280, 226 and 268 in his first four games after averaging 230.14 over his first seven-game block Thursday afternoon.

"I haven't quite figured out yet what I have to do to put it all together," said Bohn, who was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1999. "The last two weeks of the first half, things started to come together."

With match play rankings based on point totals from the 20 prior PBA Tour tournaments, Bohn will be seeded 21st and will take on fellow left-hander No. 12 Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., in Friday's round of 32. Couch was 3rd in qualifying with 3,147.

The 2004 PBA Rookie of the Year Chris Johnson, Garland, Texas, was 2nd with 3,175 while the 2004 PBA World Championship winner, Tom Baker, Buffalo, N.Y., was 4th with 3,135.

Walter Ray Williams Jr., looking to tie Earl Anthony for the all-time record with 41 Tour titles, missed the cut to the round of 32, finishing 48th with 2,861.

Former Major League pitcher Tom Candiotti, who was awarded the Commissioner's Exemption into the event, finished 64th with 2,634.