プロボウリング情報
2015/08/29

 

LIZ JOHNSON CONQUERS PWBA DETROIT OPEN

Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, became the first two-time winner this season on the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour as she overcame a tough lane condition Saturday to claim the 2015 PWBA Detroit Open title.

Johnson took down PWBA Tour points leader Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, 193-158, in the championship match at Super Bowl.

Competing on the season's toughest lane condition, which measured 35 feet in length and was nearly flat, Liz Johnson cruised past Stefanie Johnson in the final frame after Stefanie Johnson left a split for an open in the ninth frame.

It was the second title of the season for Johnson, who captured the United States Bowling Congress Queens championship in May.

"It means a lot to win a second title this season because there are so many talented women out here and they are hungry to win titles," said Johnson, a USBC Hall of Famer who won her 13th career PWBA title. "You have to really stay on top of your game physically and mentally to be competitive out here."

The stepladder finals capped off a low-scoring event in which only three players averaged better than 200 for the tournament.

"You would think with a short pattern the scores would be a little lower anyway but they were just ugly this week," Liz Johnson said. "I like it when it is more of a grind like this, but with the start I had in qualifying this week I didn't even think I'd make the show."

Johnson, who earned $10,000 for the victory, took down Team USA member Josie Earnest of Nashville in the highest-scoring match of the stepladder finals, 235-202, to advance to the title match. In the opening match, Earnest topped Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, 169-153.

 

 

Stefanie Johnson

 

2015/08/28

 

KULICK TACKLES TOUGH LANE CONDITION TO LEAD PWBA DETROIT OPEN

Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, earned top qualifier honors on the toughest lane conditions of the season Friday at the 2015 Professional Women's Bowling Association Detroit Open.

Kulick finished qualifying with 2,586 (215.5 average) to top the field of 120 of the best female bowlers in the world at Super Bowl on the 35-foot nearly flat lane condition.

The top 16 players in the qualifying standings Friday advanced to Saturday's round-robin match play, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Central. The event concludes with the stepladder finals at 6:30 p.m. Central on Saturday. All rounds are being broadcast live on Xtra Frame.

"I got off to a really poor start but then I found something and got matched up," Kulick said. "When the scores are this low, spares are really the key to extending play. When you go nine-spare that is a good frame on a pattern like this."

T'Nia Falbo of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, led most of the day but Kulick topped her in the final game. Falbo finished second with 2,564, while Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, was third with 2,464. Heather Melvin of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, took fourth with 2,448, and Lindsay Boomershine of Perry, Utah, was fifth at 2,443.

Summer Jasmin of Beckley, West Virginia, earned the final spot in match play, qualifying in 16th place with 2,324 (193.67 average).

The remaining players will bowl 16 games of match play Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Central. Match play will conclude with a position round to finalize the top four for the stepladder finals.

 

2015/08/23

 

Ryan Shafer Ends 12-Year Title Drought, Wins PBA Xtra Frame Gene Carter Pro Shop East Classic

Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, N.Y., ended a 12-year title drought Sunday, defeating Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash., 254-144, to win the PBA Xtra Frame Gene Carter Pro Shop East Classic at Mid-County Bowling and Entertainment.

Shafer, who turned 49 five days earlier, started the title match with seven strikes and ran away with the match when Kent ran into split trouble, leaving four and failing to convert any of them. Shafer, a 29-year PBA Tour veteran and a 26-time PBA Regional title winner, earned $15,000 along with his fifth PBA Tour title and first since the 2003 Empire State Open in Latham, N.Y.

“It’s been a long time, 12 years. I’m glad it’s over. It really feels good,” Shafer said.

“I’ve been through a rough few years. You start to feel like the young guys are really taking over,” Shafer said. “You lose ball speed. The only thing you can do is practice a lot and make your spares, and grind it out. That’s the kind of tournament I prefer. I like a lot of games.

“They were a little toasty, the second eight games today,” Shafer said, referring to the lane conditions that got burned out during Sunday’s 16-game match play competition leading up to the stepladder finals. Without re-oiling the lanes, conditions became difficult, but, he noted, “That’s what I’m best at. I’m a grinder.”

Shafer qualified seventh for Sunday’s match play and then won 10 of his 16 matches, averaging 221 for the tournament to earn the top berth for the stepladder finals.

After rolling a 279 in the final game of match play to advance from eighth place to capture the third berth in the stepladder finals, Kent defeated No. 4 qualifier John Szczerbinski of N. Tonawanda, N.Y., 225-189, ending Szczerbinski’s bid for his first PBA Tour title.

In the semifinal match, Kent continued his hard loft-shot to the first arrow, throwing the final five strikes to edge PBA East Region veteran Tommy Gollick of Oberlin, Pa., 244-242. Gollick, a 38-year-old lefthander, also was trying for his first PBA Tour title in his first stepladder finals appearance, but when he left the 1-3-4-7 washout in the fifth frame and failed to convert, Gollick gave Kent a lead he was never able to overcome.

The PBA Tour’s next event will be the Xtra Frame PBA Iowa Midwest Open from Thunderbowl in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Oct. 9-11. The tournament will be covered live from start to finish, exclusively on PBA’s Xtra Frame online bowling channel. For subscription information, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame link.

 

谷合貴志、初優勝・初タイトル！

一年越しの宿願を果たして晴れ晴れとしたガッツポーズ！

プロデビューから3年間しか参加資格がないプロボウリング男子新人戦。その貴重さもさることながら、ベテランの大先輩や脂の乗った中堅らがおらず、同期や身近なライバルだけでの戦いなだけに新人達としては喉から手が出るほど欲しいタイトルの一つ。自分と年齢やプロとしての経歴の長さもそう変わらないライバルが新人戦のタイトルを手に入れるのを見て、「次は俺だ！」と決意を新たにする者も少なくありません。

なかでも52期生・谷合貴志の物語は、昨年の大会で藤井信人が優勝した瞬間から始まっていました。

2013年のプロテストで最後まで髙田浩規と実技トップを争った谷合と、実技免除で合格した藤井は同じ神奈川県出身で年齢も近いことから仲の良い二人なだけに、藤井の次に優勝するのは自分だと心に誓った谷合。

その誓いを勝利の女神は愛でたもうたか、今大会は谷合が得意とする全日本コンディションのロングパターン。さらに予選も「朝イチはレーンが暴れるから午後からがいい」と希望していたBシフトに入り、予選・準決勝と首位を独走します。

最終ステージの決勝ラウンドロビンでも出だしの1G目、水本有希との対戦で263ピンのビッグゲームを打ち、このまま向かうところ敵無しで最後まで突っ走るかと思われましたが、勝利の女神もそこまで甘くはなく、2G目にして谷合に試練が立ちはだかりました。

レーンコンディションの難しいボックスに入った2G目、対戦相手は準決勝でパーフェクトを達成し波に乗る勝間田 翔。ここで谷合は今大会の自己最低スコアを更新する173ピンを打ってしまい、黒星をつけられてしまいます。さらに続く3G、4G目もこのロースコアを引きずり、柳生清光・浮田健吾に勝利するものの今一つスコアが伸びません。さらには谷合が足踏み状態にいるなか、4G目で今大会の台風の目、アマチュアの坂本和幸選手が279ピンのビッグゲームを打って首位に踊り出て来て谷合を引きずり下ろしました。

しかし一年越しの優勝への誓いが谷合を折れたままにはしておきませんでした。今季デビューの54期生で唯一決勝ラウンドロビン進出を果たした入口　光司との5G目で258ピンを打って息を吹き返すと、続く6G目でアマチュア時代からの朋輩・渡邊雄也も打倒。

そして7G目、最終ゲームのポジションマッチを前にした大事なゲームで、谷合は坂本選手と対戦します。

プロとアマチュア、立場は違うものの谷合と坂本選手はジュニア時代からの顔見知り。お互い同じようなラインを使うボウラーとして意識していた上に、一度は首位を奪われた相手。さらに7G目の投球ボックスは相性の良いレーンだったこともあり、ここで勝たなければ優勝が難しくなると考えた谷合は「絶対に勝つ！」と気合いも新たにゲームに臨みます。

両者ともスペアでスタートした7G目、2フレーム目からのターキーで谷合が一旦リードを取りましたが、坂本選手も負けてはおらず、なんと3フレーム目から7連続ストライクに成功。

谷合も中盤はスペアが続きましたが7フレーム目からストライクを繋ぎ、10フレ勝負に持ち込みます。

逃げ切りたい坂本選手でしたが、10フレーム1投目が2・4・5・8番を残す6本カウント。これをカバーし、3投目でストライクを決められることを考えると、谷合が勝利するには10フレーム2投目までストライクを続けることが絶対条件となりましたが、心は熱く燃えていても頭は冷静だったという谷合はプレッシャーに負けることもなくストライクに成功。7フレーム目からの5連続ストライクを決めて256対253という激戦を制します。

そして最後のポジションマッチでは、2位の勝間田と約90ポイント差、3位の坂本選手とは約100ポイント差と余裕がある状態でも谷合は油断することもなく、勝間田に勝利してさらにポイント差を広げ、新人戦ラストチャンスを見事ものにしました。

今季は自身初のシード入りも果たし、シーズントライアルでも連続優勝、5月のグリコセブンティーンアイス杯では4位入賞とめきめき頭角を現してきた谷合、レギュラーツアー初優勝もそう遠いことではないでしょう。

どうぞ今後の活躍にご期待ください！

 

堂々2位でベストアマ獲得！

坂本和幸選手

 

 

谷合貴志

 

2015/08/22

 

Two-Hander Kyle Troup Leads Qualifiers in PBA Xtra Frame Gene Carter Pro Shop East Classic

Kyle Troup of Taylorsville, N.C., averaged 245.7 for seven games Saturday to lead the field of 24 finalists into Sunday’s match play finals in the PBA Tour Xtra Frame Gene Carter Pro Shop East Classic at Mid-County Bowling and Entertainment.

Troup, a 23-year-old two-handed player, won his only PBA Tour title in the PBA Wolf Open during the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort Summer Swing earlier this year in Shawnee, Okla. Saturday he posted a 1,720 total to easily pace the sold-out field of 180 bowlers. In second place, 62 pins behind in the race for the $15,000 first prize and a PBA Tour title, was PBA rookie A.J. Johnson of Oswego, Ill., with a 1,658 pinfall total.

Johnson, who is trying for his first PBA title, finished second in the USBC Masters earlier in the season while still an amateur completing his senior year at Lindenwood University. Defending champion Jason Couch of Clermont, Fla., was among the 24 players who advanced to match play, qualifying in 15th place with 1,533 pins.

The top 24 will begin the modified 16-game round-robin match play finals Sunday at 9 a.m. Based upon combined 23-game pinfall totals, including 30 bonus pins for matches won, the top four will compete in a stepladder finale at the conclusion of match play.

All of Sunday’s competition will be video-streamed live, exclusively on PBA’s Xtra Frame online bowling channel. To subscribe, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame link.

 

ZAVJALOVA TAKES PWBA MINNESOTA OPEN TITLE

Latvia's Diana Zavjalova delivered four clutch strikes in the championship match Saturday to win the 2015 Professional Women's Bowling Association Minnesota Open.

Zavjalova, the 2013 United States Bowling Congress Queens champion, defeated Rocio Restrepo of Colombia, 216-208, in a pressure-packed title match at Island Xtreme Bowl.

Finishing the match first, Zavjalova struck in the ninth frame and threw all three strikes in the 10th frame to put the pressure on Restrepo. Needing a double and nine pins in the final frame to win, Restrepo struck on her first shot but left a 7 pin on her second shot to lose.

"I just had a feeling this was going to be my week and it was," Zavjalova said. "I feel like I have been so close and to finally break through and win feels great."

Trailing in the match at the halfway point, Zavjalova made the decision to make a ball change that ended up paying dividends down the stretch.

"I didn't use that ball all week," Zavjalova said. "I was struggling with the transition and I had to figure out a way to strike. So I tried something different and it worked. Go big or go home."

Zavjalova entered the stepladder finals the No. 3 seed and had to win three matches to take the title. In the opening match, she started with the front nine in a 279-205 victory over Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey. In the semifinal, Zavjalova blew past Kayla Bandy of Salisbury, Maryland, 247-209.

Zavjalova earned $10,000 for the title and a spot in the season-ending PWBA Tour Championship presented by GoBowling.com, which will be contested in Arlington, Texas, next month.

 

 

Rocio Restrepo

 

 

谷合貴志

 

 

浅尾慎詞

 

2015/08/21

 

PLUHOWSKY AVERAGES 245 TO LEAD PWBA MINNESOTA OPEN QUALIFYING

Left-hander Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, averaged better than 245 a game to take the lead after qualifying Friday at the 2015 Professional Women's Bowling Association Minnesota Open.

Pluhowsky, a 15-time Team USA member, fired 2,941 for 12 games at Island Xtreme Bowl to top the field heading into match play.

The top 16 players in the qualifying standings Friday advanced to Saturday's round-robin match play, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Central. The event concludes with the stepladder finals at 6:30 p.m. Central on Saturday. All rounds are being broadcast live on Xtra Frame.

"Things just carried forward from last week," said Pluhowsky, who finished second at the PWBA Lincoln Open last week. "I threw it really well in Lincoln and bowling is such a momentum game. Once things get going in the right direction you just keep trying to keep it going."

Missy Parkin of Laguna Hills, California, took the second spot after qualifying with 2,831, while Rocio Restrepo of Louisville, Ohio, was third with 2,814. Mexico's Sandra Gongora sits in fourth place with 2,779, and Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, rounds out the top five with 2,767.

In the battle for the last spot to advance, Lindsay Boomershine of Perry, Utah, and Clara Guerrero of Pflugerville, Texas, finished qualifying tied at 2,597 forcing a one-game roll-off for the last spot. Boomershine defeated Guerrero, 246-234 to advance to match play.

The remaining players will bowl 16 games of match play Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Central. Match play will conclude with a position round to finalize the top four for the stepladder finals.

 

2015/08/16

 

Henson Defeats Petraglia to Win PBA60 Dick Weber Super Senior Open For First PBA50 Tour title

In a back-and-forth championship match, Bill Henson defeated PBA Hall of Famer Johnny Petraglia, 244-233, to win the PBA60 Dick Weber Super Senior Open presented by Pro Bowl West and Hammer for his first career PBA50 Tour title.

Henson, whose previous best finish was second in the 2010 PBA Senior Decatur Open, needed at least a strike and then nine-spare in the 10th frame, but was able to throw a double to seal the win at Pro Bowl West.

Qualifying fourth for the finals, Henson, of Westerville, Ohio, had to win three consecutive matches to meet top qualifier Petraglia in the title match of the final tournament of the PBA50 Tour season.

In the opening stepladder match, Henson defeated Dale Csuhta of Wadsworth, Ohio, 247-214, and then went on to beat Mike Henry of Brunswick, Ohio, 256-225. In the semifinal match, he beat Kerry Painter of Henderson, Nev., in another 256-225 match to advance to the title match.

“That stepladder final was tall and steep,” said the 63-year-old Henson. “There was a lot of great talent ahead of me. I had no choice but to take it one shot at a time.”

In the title match, Henson got off to a shaky start with an open in the second frame but then recovered with a string of strikes. Petraglia nearly left the door wide open in the ninth frame when he left the 1-3-7-9 washout, but he was able to make the spare to keep the match close.

“I had all the confidence in the world in my equipment and the way I was throwing the ball,” Henson said. “I just needed to keep my mental game together. When I stepped up in the 10th, I just kept telling myself I’ve done this before, I can do it again.”

The 68-year-old Petraglia, who has won 14 times on the PBA Tour and eight times on the PBA50 Tour, would have been the oldest player to win a PBA50 Tour title with a victory.

 

2015/08/15

 

GREENE VICTORIOUS AT PWBA LINCOLN OPEN

After leading to wire-to-wire in qualifying and match play, Amanda Greene of Romney, West Virginia, held on to win her first career title Saturday at the 2015 Professional Women's Bowling Association Lincoln Open.

Greene watched as Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, failed to double in the final frame and locked up the title, 214-205, at Sun Valley Lanes.

A former collegiate standout at Lindenwood, Greene led from the start of qualifying all the way through match play to earn the top seed for the stepladder finals.

"I don't even know what just happened," said Greene. "I'm kind of in shock. I have worked my whole life thinking about winning a title, and I finally got the chance to and wanted to take advantage of it."

Finishing the match first, Greene had a chance to step up and throw a double to win the title but instead left the bucket on her first shot in the final frame. She converted the spare and struck on her fill ball, which forced Pluhowsky to get the first two in the 10th to win. Pluhowsky threw the ball through the face, leaving a single pin to lose.

"I led the whole tournament and I just wanted to seal the deal," Greene said. "All I could think about while watching Shannon was the bad shot I threw in the 10th frame because it was probably my worst shot of the game."

Pluhowsky advanced to the championship match by defeating Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, 226-207. Kulick won the opening match of the four-player stepladder, 233-214, over Erin McCarthy of Omaha, Nebraska.

Greene earned $10,000 for the title and a spot in the season-ending PWBA Tour Championship presented by GoBowling.com, which will be contested in Arlington, Texas, in September.

 

 

Amanda Greene

 

2015/08/14

 

GREENE DOMINATES QUALIFYING AT PWBA LINCOLN OPEN

Amanda Greene of Romney, West Virginia, put together the highest 12-game qualifying block on the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour this season Friday to lead the PWBA Lincoln Open.

Greene totaled 2,863 (238.58 average) for 12 games at Sun Valley Lanes as she dominated the field of 80 of the best female bowlers in the world.

The top 16 players in the qualifying standings Friday advanced to Saturday's round-robin match play, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Central. The event concludes with the stepladder finals at 6:30 p.m. Central on Saturday. All rounds are being broadcast live on Xtra Frame.

Greene, who was a three-time first-team collegiate All-American at Lindenwood, led the field by more than 180 pins after qualifying.

"The lanes matched up to my game very well," Greene said. "I could move left and open up the lane, which is my A game, which is why I bowled really well today. The lanes will probably be a little different tomorrow but hopefully not too much. I just have to keep playing my game and make my spares to keep my momentum going."

Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, qualified second with 2,682, while Erin McCarthy of nearby Omaha, Nebraska, was third with 2,680. Left-hander Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, was fourth with 2,651, and Shannon O'Keefe of O'Fallon, Illinois, was fifth with 2,641.

Samantha Schaden of Baltimore struck out in the final frame to sneak in as the last player to make the cut to match play with 2,531 (210.92 average).

The remaining players will bowl 16 games of match play Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Central. Match play will conclude with a position round to finalize the top four for the stepladder finals.

 

2015/08/12

 

Scroggins Wins PBA50 DeHayes Insurance Group Championship for Third Title of the Season; Weber Earns PBA50 Player of the Year

PBA50 Tour rookie Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, won his third PBA50 Tour title of the season and Pete Weber clinched PBA50 Player of the Year honors Wednesday in the PBA50 DeHayes Insurance Group Championship presented by Pro Bowl West and Ebonite.

Scroggins, who returned to PBA competition in April after a year-long absence because of a serious foot ailment, defeated 10-time PBA Tour winner and finals top qualifier Bryan Goebel of Shawnee, Kan., 278-221, in the title match at Pro Bowl West to become the season’s only three-time winner.

With his three wins Scroggins was the runaway winner for PBA50 Rookie of the Year honors.

“I just wanted to be in the running for rookie of the year when the season started,” Scroggins said. “Winning one tournament would have been icing on the cake. I didn’t know what to expect this season but to have the year I had was much more than I expected.”

Scroggins, who qualified third for the finals defeated Ed Silva of Manteca, Calif., in the second stepladder match, 227-217, and then beat Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Fla., in the semifinal 248-212, to reach the championship match against Goebel.

In the finals Scroggins had to use two different balls, one for each lane, to attack the challenging finals lane condition.

“When I was practicing I was surprised by the ball reaction on the left lane so I had to use a different ball there,” Scroggins said. “It’s something I’ve done before because I prefer to make my adjustments with my equipment rather than moving left or right on the lane.”

In the opening stepladder match, Silva, making his first finals appearance, defeated Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III of Jackson, N.J., 186-184. Bohn, who left a pocket 7-10 split in the 10th frame to lose the match, was also trying for a third PBA50 Tour title this season.

Weber’s seventh-place finish in the tournament was enough to secure PBA50 Player of the Year, his first player of the year crown of any kind during his more than three-decade-long PBA Hall of Fame career.

“It took me 35 years to do it but I’ve got a Player of the Year title – PBA Tour or PBA50 Tour I don’t care – I’ll take it,” said Weber, who owns 37 PBA Tour titles including a record-tying 10 major wins. “I didn’t have a lot of wins this season, but I had a lot of top finishes and did well in the majors which was good enough to achieve another goal in my career.”

Weber earned PBA50 Player of the Year in large part because of his performances in the Suncoast Senior U.S. Open and USBC Senior Masters, the season’s two majors. He won the Senior U.S. Open and finished second in the Senior Masters. He had other top finishes of second in the Treasure Island Resort & Casino Open and Johnny Petraglia BVL Open, and a third-place finish in the PBA50 Miller High Life Classic.

Hall of Famer and four-time PBA50 Player of the Year Tom Baker of King, N.C., earned his first PBA60 Player of the Year award for players 60 and over.

The top eight players in competition points also earned berths in the PBA Challenge Finals qualifier which is part of the GEICO World Series of Bowling VII this December in Reno, Nev. The qualifier will determine two finalists who will compete in the PBA50 title match which will be televised by ESPN. Advancing will be Weber, Scroggins, Bohn, Williams, Amleto Monacelli, Brian LeClair, Jack Jurek and Bob Learn Jr.

The PBA50 Tour season will wrap up with the PBA60 Dick Weber Super Senior Classic presented by Pro Bowl West and Hammer, Friday through Sunday for players 60 years and older. Fans can catch all the action on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. For subscription information click on http://www.xtraframe.tv/pba/.

 

2015/08/09

 

姫路 麗、2度目の東海制覇！

何度勝っても、勝利の瞬間にこみ上げる涙

男女共催、決勝シュートアウトと今季初勝利を挙げたグリコセブンティーンアイス杯と似たところが多かった今年の東海オープンは、姫路 麗にとっても好相性だったと言えるでしょう。

男子と同様に予選前半と後半で順位の変動が大きい状況の中、姫路は5位から首位につくと独走状態に突入。岸田有加や時本美津子、2013年のジャパンオープンでアマチュア優勝を果たした竹川ひかる 選手、長縄多禧子、川口富美恵といったいずれ劣らぬ強敵を次々と撃破し、決勝シュートアウトに進出します。

決勝グループラウンドロビンでパーフェクトを達成した本間由佳梨、安定した実力派のベテラン・近藤文美、そして姫路が今季2勝目を挙げたJFEカップ千葉女子オープンで初ステップラダー進出を果たして頭角を現した鶴井亜南らとの決勝シュートアウト・セミファイナルでは、姫路は3フレーム目をイージーミスでオープンとしたもののすぐに切り替えて5連続ストライクを決めて一抜け。

近藤と本間はリオイルして変化が早いレーンに捕まり、スプリットに泣いてスコアを伸ばせません。そんな中、姫路はファイナリスト4名中もっとも若く、ただ一人のレフティである鶴井に勢いを感じ、優勝決定戦には鶴井が来ると見てからはその投球を見ないようにした、と語ります。

そんな姫路の予想通り、ファイナルステージは姫路と鶴井の対戦に。きりりと引き締まった表情の鶴井は、7番ピンタップでオープンスタートとなるも動揺した様子もなく、その若さに似ず終始落ち着きのある態度でゲームに臨みます。対する姫路はというと、姫路によく見られる鬼気迫るほどに集中して淡々と投げる姿は今回見せず、いつもよりも声を張りボディアクションも大きな”動”の姿を見せました。

というのも女子優勝決定戦に先駆けて行われた男子優勝決定戦で原田招雄が落ち着いた”静”を見せ、田形研吾が大きなボディアクションで”動”の姿を見せたことにより、グリコセブンティーンアイス杯で一緒に優勝した田形と同じく”動”の姫路を見せようと意識したとのこと。

さらにその田形が先に優勝を決めたことにより、グリコセブンティーンアイス杯の再現を強く心に決めた姫路は5フレーム目から5連続ストライクを決め、一気に鶴井を引き離します。

鶴井もまだプロ入り2年目の新人とは思えない落ち着きと気迫で女王・姫路を追いますが、8フレーム目に再び7番ピンをカバーミスしたことが響いてその背中に届かないまま終了。姫路二度目の東海制覇となりました。

今季6試合中3勝を挙げる絶好調の姫路ですが、故障や試行錯誤がないわけではありません。先の六甲で右足をひねりすぎて腰を痛め、現在もまだ完治はしていないという姫路は、今大会は腰に負担をかけない投げ方に専念したところ、あまりボールを曲げない形となり、それが当たった結果になったと語ります。

さらに自分のボウリングを貫くよりもその時々のレーンに自分を合わせて行くことを意識していると言い、相性の良さや運もただ与えられるものではなく、努力と研鑚を怠らない者が掴み取っていくのだと思わされました。

しかし今回は敗れた鶴井も次の目標は優勝ときっぱり宣言するなど、後進も順調に育っている女子プロボウリング界。ビッグタイトルが目白押しとなる今季後半戦がまた一段と楽しみになって参りました！

 

総合5位入賞、ベストアマ獲得！

竹川ひかる選手

 

田形研吾、東海地区所属プロ悲願の東海制覇！

優勝インタビューでは男泣き！

男女共催で夏祭りのような賑やかさも感じられた今年の東海オープンも、本日いよいよフィナーレを迎えました。

2日間にわたった予選、続くシュートアウトにグループラウンドロビンと、実力もさることながら運や相性といった部分も勝敗の重要な鍵となるこの東海オープンで、今年一番相性の良かった男子選手は田形　研吾だったと言えるのではないでしょうか。

予選前半と後半から徐々に順位を上げていった田形は、準々決勝をトップで勝ち抜けすると、そこからグループトップを譲らず決勝シュートアウトへ進出します。

田形と同じく勝ち抜けてきたのは予選前半2位から後半16位、準々決勝では2位通過と運を拾って勝ち上がってきた中村　太亮に、生けるレジェンド・矢島　純一。そして決勝グループラウンドロビンのポイント上位者として、原田　招雄の4名が出揃いました。

そんな重厚な面子が揃った決勝シュートアウト・セミファイナルでは、プロ入り6年目、32歳の中村にとって59歳の田形、64歳の原田、69歳の矢島らの壁は厚すぎたか、ここまで勝ち抜いて来た運も尽きたか。7番ピンタップやスプリットに泣いて敗退となります。

ここで勝てば最年長優勝記録とJPBA優勝最多記録を同時更新できる矢島も2度のオープンフレームでスコアを伸ばせません。

矢島と同じく10番ピンをカバーミスして2つのオープンを出した原田でしたが、ダブルで繋いで矢島を追い抜き、一人ノーミスを守った田形との頂上決戦となりました。

よくプロボウラーの間では「2勝を挙げてこそ本物」と言われますが、とくに田形はその言葉が心の底にわだかまっていました。

というのも、今年5月にグリコセブンティーンアイス杯で14年ぶりの2勝目を挙げた田形でしたが、グリコセブンティーンアイス杯は出場選手の数も限られるB公認大会。「B公認でもレギュラーツアーでも優勝に変わりはない」と親交の深い矢島からかけられた言葉に逆に背を押され、多くの強豪が集まるレギュラーツアーでなんとかもう1勝を挙げたいと考えます。

そしてまたよくプロボウラーの間では、「親友と優勝決定戦で戦いたい」とよく言われます。今回、田形も同じように矢島と優勝を争いたかったと語りましたが、そんな朋友を乗り越えてファイナルステージに立った以上は負けるわけには行きません。

しかも優勝を賭けた対戦相手は原田。ここまで準々決勝シュートアウト、決勝グループラウンドロビンで同じ組に当たり、直接対戦してねじ伏せてきた原田に、最後の最後で勝利を譲れるわけがありません。

原田にしても2年前のROUND1CUPで立てた最年長優勝記録の自己更新がかかっており、負け越したままでは終われません。

そんないぶし銀二人の対決は中盤6フレーム目までほぼ互角。このまま10フレ勝負に突入かと思われたところで、7フレーム目に田形が3・4・6・7番を残す痛恨のスプリット！しかし原田も8フレーム目で10番ピンをカバーミスしてしまい、これでまたイーブンに戻ってしまいました。

この東海オープンは不思議と東海地区所属プロが優勝した試しがない大会。今年こそ優勝トロフィーをこの東海に、そんな地元の仲間やファンの声援がこの混戦状態にある田形を押し上げます。さらに田形には今回、勝利の女神がついていました。

その女神はグリコセブンティーンアイス杯で女子優勝を果たした姫路　麗。試合が始まる前、「今回も二人一緒に優勝したいですね」と声をかけられたという田形。これで奮起しない者はいないでしょう。8フレーム目からオールウェーに成功して一気に形勢逆転し、原田を追い落としました。

アマチュア時代から通い、シーズントライアルなどで良い成績を残してきた星ヶ丘ボウル、何度も直接対戦して白星を獲って来た対戦相手、地元の応援と勝利の女神。すべての運と培ってきた実力で、還暦を前にした田形が東海勢悲願の地元プロによる東海オープン制覇を果たしました！

 

総合8位入賞、ベストアマ獲得！

加藤勇紀選手

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2015/08/08

 

KUHLKIN TAKES FIRST CAREER PWBA TITLE IN TOPEKA

Liz Kuhlkin of Schenectady, New York, rolled through the stepladder finals Saturday, winning three matches to claim the title at the 2015 Professional Women's Bowling Association Topeka Open presented by Prairie Band Casino & Resort.

Kuhlkin, who recently wrapped up her collegiate career at Nebraska, defeated Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, 241-203, in the championship match at West Ridge Lanes.

In each of her three matches, Kuhlkin put herself in good position heading into the final frame not needing even a mark to lock up the victory.

"This is amazing because after I missed the cut to match play the last three events, my goal was just to make the first cut," Kuhlkin said. "Then I exceeded my goal and made the stepladder and found a way to win. It's just unreal."

Kuhlkin, who fired the first 300 in a standard PWBA event this season in match play Saturday, knew she would need to make an adjustment for the stepladder finals.

"The ball I threw in the stepladder was one I didn't throw at all this week," Kuhlkin said. "I knew I had to try something different because my look wasn't very good on the fresh."

In the opening match of the stepladder, Kuhlkin took down 18-time Colombian national team member Clara Guerrero, 224-205. In the semifinal, Kuhlkin topped United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, 247-202.

Kuhlkin earned $10,000 for the title and a spot in the season-ending PWBA Tour Championship presented by GoBowling.com, which will be contested in Arlington, Texas, in September.

 

 

Danielle McEwan

 

DJ Archer, Bob Learn Jr. Throw Key Strikes to Win PBA-PBA50 South Shore Doubles Titles

DJ Archer of Friendswood, Texas, and PBA50 partner Bob Learn Jr. of Erie, Pa., used critically-place strikes to defeat EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., and PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Fla., 213-206, to win the PBA-PBA50 South Shore Doubles presented by DV8 at Olympia Lanes Saturday.

Archer earned his second PBA Tour title and Learn, a five-time PBA Tour champion in his earlier years, claimed his third PBA50 Tour title.

The title was decided when Archer struck on his first shot in the 10th frame after a missed 10 pin by Learn in the ninth gave Tackett and Williams a glimmer of hope.

“I admit there was a little more pressure in the 10th frame because its doubles and you’re also bowling for your partner,” Archer said. “But I did the same thing I did when I won the Chameleon Open – I just focused on making the best shot I could, and that was enough.”

Learn, who gave Archer a bear hug after his strike, apologized for “making it a little more exciting than it needed to be. But I’m really glad we wound up as partners. DJ is a great young player who is proving he can throw it for the wheat when he has to.”

Archer and Learn started the title match with a pair of strikes, and added another string of three in a row to take a 27-pin lead before Learn’s miss in the ninth frame. Tackett and Williams, however, didn’t throw back-to-back strikes until the ninth and 10th frames. A second strike in the 10th by Tackett would have forced Archer to double for the win, but Tackett left the 3 pin and Archer, needing a mark for the win, got his strike.

Archer and Learn advanced to the title match by eliminating top qualifiers Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, S.C., and his PBA50 Tour partner Chris Keane of Cape Coral, Fla., 219-213, in the semifinal round. For Archer, the third-place tie was the highest finish of his seven-year PBA50 Tour career. Tackett and Williams advanced with a 227-205 victory over JR Raymond of Bay City, Mich., and his PBA50 partner Sammy Ventura of Syracuse, N.Y.

The match play finals were contested under a Baker doubles format in which the doubles partners alternated frames and players switched lanes each game. Ten teams of PBA and PBA50 players were created based upon the players’ respective finishing positions in separate PBA qualifying rounds. Eight additional teams of PBA50-only players also qualified for match play.

 

 

 

門川健一

 

 

桑藤美樹

 

 

山本　勲

 

 

姫路　麗

 

2015/08/07

 

MCEWAN TOP QUALIFIER AT PWBA TOPEKA OPEN

Four-time Team USA member Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, overcame a slow start Friday and took the lead heading into match play at the Professional Women's Bowling Association Topeka Open presented by Prairie Band Casino & Resort.

McEwan fired a 12-game total of 2,701 (225.08 average) to top the field of 80 of the best female bowlers in the world at West Ridge Lanes.

The top 16 players in the qualifying standings Friday advanced to Saturday's round-robin match play, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Central. The event concludes with the stepladder finals at 6:30 p.m. Central on Saturday. All rounds are being broadcast live on Xtra Frame.

McEwan averaged just 212 for her first four games of qualifying but turned it up a notch and averaged 231.6 for the last eight games.

"After practice yesterday, I was really uncomfortable with the look I had, so I spent the night brainstorming what I was going to do," McEwan said. "My game plan this morning wasn't all that great, either, so I thought it over again and came up with a plan that worked."

Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, qualified second with 2,665, while Shannon Sellens of Copiague, New York, was third with 2,651. PWBA Tour points leader Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, was fourth with 2,609, and Jodi Woessner of Oregon, Ohio, rounded out the top five with 2,600.

Sarah Lokker of New Baltimore, Maryland, earned the final spot in match play, finishing with 2,469 (205.75 average).

The remaining players will bowl 16 games of match play Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Central. Match play will conclude with a position round to finalize the top four for the stepladder finals.

 

Jones and Keane Lead 18 Doubles Teams Into PBA/PBA50 South Shore Doubles Match Play

PBA Tour player Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, S.C. and PBA50 Tour player Chris Keane of Cape Coral, Fla., will lead a field of 18 doubles teams into match play Saturday in the PBA/PBA50 South Shore Doubles presented by DV8.

Jones, a 16-time PBA Tour winner, topped PBA Tour division qualifying at Olympia Lanes in Hammond, Ind. Friday with a 3,750 16-game overall pinfall (234 average), bowling games of 255, 255, 245, 238, 238, 236, 199 and 255 in Friday’s second round.

“I enjoy the doubles and team formats,” Jones said. “I usually do well in a doubles or team environment. If you you’re in synch it’s a lot of fun to share your success with teammates.

“We’ll get to the center a little early and share some thoughts and maybe put a game plan together-nothing complicated,” Jones added. “The main thing is to have fun with it and hope you can feed off of each other’s energy.”

The top 10 doubles teams, made up of a PBA Tour player and a PBA50 Tour player based on qualifying order in their respective divisions, advanced to Saturday morning’s Baker format doubles match play. Eight additional doubles pairs made up of two PBA50 players also advanced to match play. Saturday’s championship rounds are scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

Keane, who maintained his first round lead in the PBA50 division, took the top qualifying spot with a 3,759 pinfall (235 average) bowling games of 252, 268, 222, 206, 223, 243, 237 and 207 in the second round.

Keane is hoping to improve on a career-best PBA50 Tour finish of 14th in last year’s Northern California Classic and this season’s Johnny Petraglia BVL Open.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” Keane said of his match up with Jones. “I’ve had a tournament where everything is really going my way from the way I’m throwing the ball to getting good breaks. I think we’re both in a position where we can continue the momentum.”

The winning PBA Tour doubles player will receive a PBA Tour title and the winning PBA50 Doubles player will receive a PBA50 Tour title.

Fans can catch PBA/PBA50 South Shore Open final day action on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. Visit http://www.xtraframe.tv/pba/ for subscription information.

 

 

山本　勲

 

 

ステファニー・ピヤドール

 

 

津島健次

 

 

櫻井麻美

 

2015/08/06

 

Tackett and Keane Lead Qualifying After PBA/PBA50 South Shore Doubles First Round

PBA Tour player EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind. and PBA50 Tour player Chris Keane of Cape Coral, Fla., took the top qualifying spots after the first round of the PBA/PBA50 South Shore Doubles presented by DV8 Thursday at Olympia Lanes.

Tackett, who won the PBA Xtra Frame Lubbock Open in June for his first Tour title, led the PBA Tour division with a 1,910 eight-game pinfall (238.7 average) bowling games of 223, 258, 256, 259, 232, 219, 238 and 225.

“I’ve kind of been riding a wave since I won in Texas and hope I can keep it going,” said the 2012-13 PBA Rookie of the Year. “My immediate goal here is to finish the best I can in qualifying. I finished seventh in the recent (PBA-PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer) mixed doubles tournament last week and I generally like bowling doubles so I’ll just look forward to see who I’m paired with from the PBA50 side.”

Keane led the PBA50 division, also averaging 238, finishing with a 1,904 eight-game pinfall with games of 277, 181, 226, 267, 225, 258, 224 and 246.

Keane, whose best PBA50 Tour finish was 14th in last season’s Northern California Classic, likes his chances to improve on that finish in Hammond.

“I can’t think of anyone I wouldn’t want to bowl with among the PBA Tour players,” Keane said. “It’s kind of a dream because there are no bad bowlers here. I’m excited about how well I’m bowling and who I might have the opportunity to bowl with if I continue to bowl well.”

With the doubles pairings determined by qualifying position in each division, if qualifying ended after the first round, Tackett and Keane would be the top qualifying doubles pair heading into match play. But, the tournament’s doubles pairings won’t be determined until second round qualifying concludes Friday.

The top 10 doubles teams will be made up of a PBA Tour player and a PBA50 Tour player who will advance to Saturday’s Baker format doubles match play. Eight additional doubles pairs made up of two PBA50 players will also advance to match play. Saturday’s championship rounds are scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

The winning PBA Tour doubles player will receive a PBA Tour title and the winning PBA50 Doubles player will receive a PBA50 Tour title.

Fans can catch all the action on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. Visit http://www.xtraframe.tv/pba/ for subscription information.

 

 

児玉侑樹

 

 

鶴井亜南

 

 

ロバート・リー

 

 

吉野　操

 

 

児玉侑樹

 

 

鈴木亜季

 

 

入口光司

 

 

植竹幸子

 

2015/08/03

 

呉竹博之が優勝！

8月2日（日）にイーグルボウル（大阪）にて開催されました承認大会・レジェンドカップを、呉竹博之が制しましたのでご報告致します。

予選6G、準決勝3G、決勝3Gのトータルスコアで競われ、呉竹はAVG245.5となるトータル2,946ピンを打って優勝。2位のホストプロ・西村美紀をわずか3ピン差でかわしての薄氷を踏むがごとくの勝利でした。

 

2015/08/02

 

Monacelli wins 2015 USBC Senior Masters

Amleto Monacelli of Aventura, Florida, capped off a week of throwing big shots when he needed them by delivering a strike in his final frame to claim the 2015 United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters title Sunday at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley.

The USBC and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer defeated top seed Pete Weber of St. Ann, Missouri, twice - 192-190 and 254-243 - for his third PBA50 major victory and fourth title overall.

Amleto earned $16,000 for the win, while Weber took home $8,000 as the runner-up.

Weber, 52, had a chance to lock up his second USBC Senior Masters title in three appearances with a double in the 10th frame, but a 7-10 split gave Monacelli a chance to mark for the win.

A format change for the 2015 tournament meant the event would feature a true double-elimination format and Weber would have to be defeated twice to deny him from becoming the sixth two-time Senior Masters champion.

"To beat Pete Weber twice for the title, especially with the way he bowled all week, was incredible," said Monacelli, a 53-year-old right-hander, who won the Senior U.S. Open in 2012 and 2013. "Two times this week I was close to not making it through, but I knew I was bowling well and just needed to stay strong mentally. I did that, and I was able to fight my way back."

A missed 10 pin to finish his fourth match in the winners bracket sent Monacelli to the elimination bracket, where both of his opponents forced him to double in the 10th frame. He escaped with two- and three-pin victories, to earn a spot in the four-player shootout round, where he used a 300 game to propel him to the No. 3 seed for the stepladder.

"When I shot the 300, I felt like I had a good cushion to get there, and I was able to keep up with the changes and make it," said Monacelli, who also owns 19 PBA Tour titles. "This was an incredible week against a very talented field, especially today on the show, and to come out on top is amazing."

In the first game of the title tilt, Monacelli took the lead with a strike in the ninth frame and was able to hold on to force a second game, despite leaving, and failing to convert, a 4-6-7 split in the final frame. Weber, who finished first, left a 4-9 split in the 10th frame and missed both pins on the spare attempt.

Weber, who has 37 PBA Tour victories, including 10 majors, and four PBA50 wins, including the Suncoast Senior U.S. Open in June, led all three rounds of qualifying and compiled a 6-0 record in match play to claim the No. 1 seed for the finals.

On the way to the championship match Monacelli struck six times in his first seven frames against No. 2 qualifier Brian Voss of Centennial, Colorado, and cruised to a 238-204 victory. Voss finished third and pocketed $6,000.

Monacelli's first match against Rick Steelsmith of Wichita, Kansas, wasn't as smooth, as both players left three frames open. An eighth-frame ball change on the right lane helped Monacelli sandwich three consecutive strikes between a pair of splits, which proved to be enough to escape with a 179-173 win over the 1987 USBC Masters champion.

In the opening match Sunday, Steelsmith used a pair of doubles to outlast defending champion Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Florida, 217-186.

Williams never found any momentum, and a 4-6-7 split in the 10th frame ended his chances of becoming the first back-to-back winner at the Senior Masters since Tom Baker of King, North Carolina, in 2007, and first bowler to win the Masters (2004 and 2010) and Senior Masters twice.

All 194 competitors at the 2015 Senior Masters rolled 15 qualifying games over three days before the field was cut to the top 63, who joined Williams in match play.

The Senior Masters was the first of three USBC tournaments that will take place in Green Bay in the coming week. Bowlers competed for a total prize fund nearly $115,000.

The Senior Masters will be followed by the International Training and Research Center Super Senior Classic, the premier event for USBC members age 60 and older, and the USBC Senior Championships, which will bring bowlers from across the United States and Canada.

All qualifying and match-play rounds at the Super Senior Classic will be broadcast live on BowlTV beginning Monday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern.

To watch the Senior Masters and Super Senior Classic live, visit YouTube.com/BowlTV.

 

Shannon O’Keefe, Bill O’Neill Dominate Match Play to Win PBA-PWBA XF Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles

Shannon O’Keefe of O’Fallon, Ill., and Bill O’Neill of Langhorne, Pa., won their first seven of eight matches Sunday to run away with the 16th annual PBA-PWBA Xtra Frame Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles tournament title at Palace Lanes, repeating their title-winner performance of 2013.

O’Keefe, an 11-time Team USA member and currently head women’s bowling coach at McKendree University, earned her first Professional Women’s Bowling Association title while O’Neill picked up his seventh Professional Bowlers Association title and second of the 2015 season. The winner pair also split the $15,000 first prize.

O’Keefe and O’Neill came into the eight-game match play final round in seventh place, but averaged a combined ?? for 20 doubles games and earned 210 match play bonus pins, charging into the lead after four other teams each held the lead for one game earlier in the match play finals. With a 160-pin lead going into the final game, O’Keefe and O’Neill finally lost a match to runners-up Lynda and Chris Barnes, but they still won comfortably, 8,782-8,707 pins.

“We were fortunate to win our first two matches because we didn’t bowl that well, but we both made ball changes in game three and from that point on, we really bowled well,” O’Neill said. “The scores were a lot lower than I thought, but the conditions just got really flat and made it hard for the women. Fortunately I bowled with one of the women who can get inside and hook the ball. When she found it, she got her confidence back and really bowled well.”

It was O’Keefe’s third Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles title. She also won the 2012 title with her husband, Bryan.

“I finally got the monkey off my back and I couldn’t be happier to win my first PWBA title, thanks to Bill,” O’Keefe said. “PWBA went away and for the past decade, I’ve bowled with Team USA and that has kept me going. I’m way too competitive to not want to bowl.”

“Bryan was coaching Team USA at the Tournament of Americas in 2013, and it conflicts with this tournament, so I asked Bill if he’d like to bowl and we won,” O’Keefe said. “This year I asked him early and got him locked up.”

“I was just very fortunate that Bryan doesn’t bowl that much anymore and let me bowl with his wife,” O’Neill said.

The tournament, which also serves as a fund-raiser in support of The Rose, a Houston-based organization that helps women who can’t afford breast care treatment or mammograms, and the Huntsman Group, a cancer research based in Utah, raised more than $74,000 for its charities. Over its 16-year history, the tournament has raised more than $725,000 to fight breast cancer.

PBA’s Xtra Frame online video-streaming service will offer doubleheader coverage of the PBA/PBA50 South Shore Doubles from Olympia Lanes in Hammond, Ind., along with the PWBA Topeka Open presented by Prairie Band Resort & Casino from West Ridge Lanes in Topeka, Kan., over the Aug. 6-8 weekend. For Xtra Frame subscription information, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame link. Fans also can follow game-by-game updates on pba.com under the Live Scoring tab.

 

　【PBA Japan Regional】　DHC PBA Cheetah Open　【決勝】

 

吉田大輔

 

　【PBA Japan Regional】　DHC PBA Women's Cheetah Open　【決勝】

 

秋吉夕紀

 

2015/08/01

 

Weber earns No. 1 seed at 2015 USBC Senior Masters

Pete Weber of St. Ann, Missouri, earned the top seed for the stepladder finals of the 2015 United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters on Saturday and now is one win away from completing a wire-to-wire domination of the premier event for USBC members age 50 and older.

The 52-year-old right-hander averaged more than 234 on the way to a 6-0 match-play record and earned the No. 1 spot in Sunday's finals with a 659-618 victory against fellow USBC and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Brian Voss of Centennial, Colorado, who will enter the stepladder as the second seed.

The championship round will be broadcast live on BowlTV, beginning Sunday at noon Eastern. The winner will take home a $16,000 top prize from a total prize fund of nearly $115,000.

"I've been really happy with the way the week has gone," said Weber, who averaged 233.4 while leading the 194-player field through all three qualifying rounds at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley. "I feel like I'm throwing the ball really well, I feel solid at the foul line, and I just feel really good about the way I've been bowling."

Amleto Monacelli of Aventura, Florida, Rick Steelsmith of Wichita, Kansas, and defending champion Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Florida, also advanced to the stepladder finals through a four-bowler shootout round.

Monacelli shot 300 in the opening game of the shootout and survived a late charge by Steelsmith to earn the third seed with a 779 series. Steelsmith claimed the No. 4 spot with a 763 set, and Williams earned the fifth spot in the stepladder with 691. Sam Lantto of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, posted a 604 series and was eliminated. He finished sixth overall this week.

A format change at the 2015 USBC Senior Masters now means the undefeated Weber will have to be beaten twice to deny him his second Senior Masters title, with the first coming in his debut in 2013. All stepladder matches will be one game.

"You always want to be the leader, and then when you know you need to be beaten twice, that gives you that little extra boost, too," Weber said. "But, tomorrow is a different day, and you never know what's going to happen, but I'm very positive about it, and I'm looking forward to it."

Weber, who has 37 PBA Tour victories and four PBA50 wins, is looking to become the sixth bowler to claim a second win at the Senior Masters, which first was conducted in 1993.

His path to the finals had to go through Williams, and that's when Weber turned in his best performance of the week. He rolled the second perfect game of the tournament on the way to an 822 series, and the win guaranteed him a spot in the stepladder, regardless of the outcome of his match with Voss.

Williams also is looking to make history at the 2015 Senior Masters by becoming the first bowler since Tom Baker of King, North Carolina, in 2007, to win the event in back-to-back years. He also would be the first bowler to win the Senior Masters and USBC Masters (2004 and 2010) twice apiece. Hall of Famer Dave Soutar of Bradenton, Florida, is the only other person to win both the Masters and Senior Masters.

All competitors at the 2015 Senior Masters rolled 15 qualifying games over three days before the field was cut to the top 63, who joined Williams in match play.

The Senior Masters is the first of three USBC tournaments that will take place in Green Bay in the coming week.

The Senior Masters will be followed by the International Training and Research Center Super Senior Classic, the premier event for USBC members age 60 and older, and the USBC Senior Championships, which will bring bowlers from across the United States and Canada.

All qualifying and match-play rounds at the Super Senior Classic also will be broadcast live on BowlTV.

To watch the Senior Masters and Super Senior Classic live, visit YouTube.com/BowlTV.

 

Lynda and Chris Barnes Take Qualifying Lead in PBA-PWBA XF Striking Against Breast Cancer Doubles

Lynda and Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, husband-and-wife teammates, doubles partners and occasional opponents since 1997, averaged a combined 214.6 over eight games to take the qualifying lead in the 16th annual PBA-PWBA Xtra Frame Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles tournament Saturday at Palace Lanes.

Lynda Barnes, a member of the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame, and husband Chris, an 18-time Professional Bowlers Association champion, finished qualifying with 3,434 pins to take a one-pin lead over Jodi Woessner of Oregon, Ohio, and Dino Castillo of Highland Village, Texas, into Sunday’s four-game cashers’ round.

Anita Arnett of Richmond, Texas, and Tyler Jensen of Fort Worth were in third place with 3,417 pins followed by recent Robert Morris University-Illinois graduates and dating couple Jackie Carbonetto of Blauvelt, N.Y., and Matt Gasn of Laurel, Md., who were fourth with 3,415 pins.

Lynda Barnes, who gave the couple the lead with a 279 final game Saturday, said she and Chris have bowled together before with mixed results, “but we keep trying. We seem to get calmer every year. It’s a challenge to bowl with your husband, but I’d really rather not bowl with anyone else.”

Chris Barnes, who won the 2001 tournament with partner Amy Dillon, admitted he and Lynda have bowled as Team USA teammates beginning in 1997, as doubles partners and once in a while, against each other, but enjoying the success as partners is the best option.

“As you spend more time together, you figure out how to communicate and play together at the best level, which is the long way of saying I don’t talk anymore,” Chris grinned. “Today she had the better ball reaction and after watching some of the other guys at the time in the tournament when the guys start moving to play an inside angle, I was watching Lynda and she had a four-bagger (playing a much straighter shot), so I tried to play as close to where she was playing as possible.”

The Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles event was founded in 2000 by Donna Conners as a tribute to her close friend, Luci Bonneau, who died of breast cancer in 1999. Since its inception, the tournament has become the nation’s largest high-profile mixed doubles bowling event, attracting dozens of PBA and PWBA Tour champions while raising in excess of $650,000 in the war against breast cancer.

The tournament, which is being covered live on PBA’s Xtra Frame video-streaming channel, concludes Sunday with the four-game cashers round at 8 a.m., followed by round robin match play at noon CT. The winners will be decided based upon a combined total of 20 games. The winning players, if they are members of their respective pro tours, will earn a PBA Tour or PWBA Tour title in addition to splitting the $15,000 first prize.

For Xtra Frame subscription information, visit pba.com and click on the Xtra Frame link. Fans also can follow game-by-game updates on pba.com under the Live Scoring tab.