Jason Couch has done just about everything in his 15-year Denny's PBA Tour career, but he can now add back-to-back titles to his already impressive resume.

Couch defeated 41-year-old rookie Billy Oatman, who was attempting to become the second African-American in history to win a Denny's PBA Tour title, 236-228, Sunday at Strike Zone at Sunset Station in a match that came down to the final shot.

Couch, who earned his 15th career Denny's PBA Tour title, captured his second title in as many weeks after winning last week's Dick Weber Open, becoming the first since Tommy Jones in 2005 to win back-to-back. A four-week hot streak has seen Couch go from 27th in the PBA World Point Rankings to 1st.

"I don't think I've ever had a run like this. In 1999 I made a show and two weeks later won my first Tournament of Champions, but never have I gone third, sixth, win, win," Couch said. "I had an opportunity to put a lot of heat on (Oatman) in the 7th frame and I left a 6-pin. Either way, I knew I'd have to get up in the 9th and 10th and do something big. Billy is a phenomenal talent and I have no doubt in my mind he'll end up in the winner's circle."

Couch trailed early against Oatman, a Cinderella story who earned an exemption for this season only after exempt bowler Ritchie Allen deferred his exemption due to an injury. Oatman had finished 11th at the Denny's PBA Tour Trials, one spot shy of an exemption.

He showed a lot of poise in the title match, striking four consecutive times in frames 6-9 while Couch had a nine-spare in the 7th to let Oatman take over the lead by two pins. Showing why he's a future PBA Hall of Famer, Couch stepped up and struck twice in the 10th to put the pressure back on Oatman. Needing two strikes to win, Oatman struck with his first shot, and hit the pocket with his second shot, but the 10-pin stood up, giving Couch the win.

Couch advanced to the title match with a 238-230 win over Mike Scroggins. Couch struck in five of the first six frames to take an early lead but Scroggins struck three times in frames 6-9 to force Couch to double in the 10th for the win.

Oatman advanced to the title match with a 207-181 win over Brad Angelo. Oatman took the early lead with three strikes in the first four frames while Angelo had 2-10 splits in the 1st and 4th frames. Oatman left a pocket 7-10 split in the 5th frame giving Angelo an opening, but he could not capitalize and Oatman struck with his first ball in the 10th to clinch the win.

Couch (Clermont, Fla.) earned $25,000 for the win, while Oatman (Chicago) took home $13,000 for second. Angelo (Lockport, N.Y.) earned $6,500 for third and Scroggins (Amarillo, Texas) earned $5,500 for fourth.

In his rookie season as the first African-American exempt bowler on the Denny's PBA Tour, Billy Oatman claimed earlier in the week that this was his week.

Oatman advanced to the finals of the 2007 Motel 6 Classic Friday night at Strike Zone at Sunset Station by outlasting seven-time titlist Chris Barnes (Double Oak, Texas) in the best-of-seven games match up, four-games-to-three, winning the final match, 236-205.

"I couldn't think about getting on to the TV finals Friday. I had to focus at what was at hand," said Oatman (Chicago). "The only thing I could think of was to get the strike and get the next one. The only thing I was focused on was letting the ball come off my hand, watching it hit the pocket, hearing a loud explosion and seeing all the pins fall down."

Oatman, who finished 11th in the Denny's PBA Tour Trials, one spot away from gaining an exemption, was given a second chance when Ritchie Allen deferred his exemption on the 2007-08 Denny's PBA Tour due to an injury.

Barnes wasn't the first major name that Oatman faced Friday as he knocked off all-time Tour titles leader, Walter Ray Williams Jr. (Ocala, Fla.), 4-1, in the Round of 16.

Oatman will face the lone right hander in the final four in Brad Angelo. Angelo (Lockport, N.Y.) advanced to his 12th career final, but is still looking for his first career Tour title.

Angelo rolled over Andrew Cain (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 4-1, in the Round of 8 to win his third consecutive match over a bowler who qualified from the Denny's PBA Tour Qualifying Round.

The winner of the Angelo-Oatman match will face a left hander for the crown as Jason Couch takes on Mike Scroggins.

If Couch had a New Year's resolution of changing his ways on the 2006-07 Denny's PBA Tour, the left hander is certainly following through with that resolution.

Couch, who was 27th in the PBA World Point Rankings before the two-week holiday break, has not finished below sixth in the first four events of the second half, including last week's win in the 2007 Dick Weber Open.

"I'm having a stellar run. I've caught fire in the second half," said Couch (Clermont, Fla.). "This is my fourth top 10 in a row. I'm riding a wave of confidence. You can see how quick a match can turn around. You have to have the confidence to overcome any obstacles."

Scroggins (Amarillo, Texas) was a participant in Friday night's other seven-game match, defeating Patrick Allen, 4-3. Scroggins won the first game over Allen (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) as the two left handers traded games before Scroggins won the seventh and final game, 237-225.

Not that he needs any luck, but finishing Thursday's Round of 64 at 777 pins over par in Las Vegas was enough of an omen that this may be Jason Couch's week again on the Denny's PBA Tour.

The lucky sevens helped Couch maintain his lead with a 3,577 14-game pinfall in the 2007 Motel 6 Classic at Strike Zone at Sunset Station. Par in bowling is based on an average score of 200 for 14 games.

Last week's 2007 Dick Weber Open champion, who has finished in the top six in all three events in the second half this season, is looking to win back-to-back titles for the first time in his career. Earlier in the day, Couch tied the Denny's PBA Tour seven-game scoring record of 1,853, equaling Bobby Stives record from the 2005 El Paso Classic.

"I'm just riding the momentum and a lot of confidence," said Couch (Clermont, Fla.), who owns 14 Denny's PBA Tour titles. "It wasn't really that big of an adjustment on today's oil pattern from last week's. We've bowled on this pattern a couple of times so I know what equipment to use and how to play the lanes. All I did today was make speed adjustments and small moves with my feet. I've thrown the same ball all day."

Couch earned the top seed for Friday's Round of 32 where he will face No. 32 Jack Jurek (Lackawanna, N.Y.), who was 50th after seven games but averaged 225.43 over the final seven games - including a 300 in game 10 - to make the match play cut.

Finishing second was Danny Wiseman (Baltimore) with 3,526. He will face No. 31 Dino Castillo (Carrollton, Texas) who currently leads the non-exempt points race.

Billy Oatman (Chicago), the Tour's first-ever exempt African-American, finished third and will face No. 30 Brian Himmler (Cincinnati). Last week's Dick Weber Open runner-up Patrick Allen (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) finished fifth and will face No. 28 Mike Edwards (Tulsa, Okla.).