WALTER RAY WILLIAMS JR. WINS 2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
LAS VEGAS – There isn’t much United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Florida, hasn’t accomplished in his bowling career, but he grabbed one more spot in the record book Sunday by becoming the first competitor to win the USBC Senior Masters and USBC Masters twice apiece.
The 57-year-old right-hander entered the championship round at the 2017 Senior Masters as the top seed and defeated left-hander Andy Neuer of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, 248-199, to claim the coveted title and $16,000 top prize at the Sam’s Town Bowling Center.
The championship meeting was a rematch of the title tilt at the 1994 Bud Light Hall of Fame Championship, where Neuer claimed his lone Professional Bowlers Association Tour title.
This time, though, back-to-back splits in the fifth and sixth frames proved to be the undoing for Neuer, while Williams struck four consecutive times, starting in the fourth frame, to pull away for good.
“I knew I had a pretty good reaction on the pair going into the match,” said Williams, also a member of the PBA Hall of Fame. “The left lane was a lot tighter for me, but it was the same way yesterday, so it wasn’t too much of a surprise. I had plenty of time to get lined up and have a good read on what the pair was doing, so it was just a matter of going out and executing and hoping the pins fell.”
On the way to his 7-0 record at Sam’s Town this week, Williams averaged more than 244, and his run included a 707-626 win over defending champion Pete Weber of St. Ann, Missouri, to earn the No. 1 seed for the stepladder.
Williams won his first Senior Masters title in 2014, also in Las Vegas, and now is one of seven two-time winners at the event. His Masters victories came in 2004 and 2010, both at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
The win Sunday marked the 11th PBA50 Tour win for Williams, who owns a record 47 PBA Tour titles, and it gives him some much-needed momentum heading into this week’s Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open, Presented by Storm at the nearby Suncoast Bowling Center.
“This is awesome, and it will help everything moving forward in the season,” said Williams, the runner-up at the Senior Masters in 2010 and 2011. “Every win is nice, and it’s really nice to now have as many firsts as seconds in this event. I also have a couple of seconds in the Senior U.S. Open, so hopefully I can execute like I have the past couple of days and get a win there, too.”
Neuer battled a challenging right lane throughout the stepladder but capitalized on a great look on the left, finishing each of his first three matches there, averaging 253 along the way.
On the way to the meeting with Williams, Neuer followed a first-frame split with seven consecutive strikes to get past Weber, 247-213. He denied the hall of famer the opportunity to become the event’s first three-time winner.
Weber won the Senior Masters in 2013 and was the runner-up to Amleto Monacelli of Venezuela in 2015. Weber has made the stepladder in each of his five Senior Masters appearances.
Neuer, the only left-hander to reach the championship round this year, started the day with a pair of 256 games and wins against Bob Learn Jr. of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Norm Duke of Clermont, Florida.
Duke and Neuer both started their match with four consecutive strikes, before a 7-10 split in the fifth frame slowed Duke’s chance of becoming the third bowler in history to win both the Masters and Senior Masters. Neuer prevailed, 256-225.
Duke, a USBC and PBA Hall of Famer, is the 1993 Masters champion and owns 38 PBA Tour titles, including seven majors. He also has four PBA50 Tour wins.
Neuer finished fifth in his Senior Masters debut in 2016 and started Sunday’s stepladder with a 256-237 win over Learn, who rolled a perfect game in Saturday’s shootout round to solidify his own spot in the stepladder. Neuer and Duke also advanced through the four-player shootout.
Neuer was the first to finish in his match against Learn and left a 2-4-7 combination on his fill ball to give Learn the chance to throw three strikes in the 10th frame to win by a pin. Learn left a 9 pin on his first offering to fall short.
The Senior Masters includes USBC members age 50 and older, and all 277 competitors this week bowled 15 games of qualifying over three days to determine the 63 bowlers who joined Weber in the double-elimination match-play bracket.
All rounds of qualifying and match play were broadcast live on BowlTV.
For complete standings or more information on the Senior Masters, visit BOWL.com/SeniorMasters.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
At Sam’s Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas
Sunday’s Results
Final standings
1, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 248 (one game), $16,000
2, Andy Neuer, Lewisburg, Pa., 958 (four games), $9,000
3, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 213 (one game), $7,000
4, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 225 (one game), $5,000
5, Bob Learn Jr., Boynton Beach, Fla., 237 (one game), $4,000
Stepladder results
Match One – Neuer def. Learn, 256-237
Match Two – Neuer def. Duke, 256-225
Semifinal – Neuer def. Weber, 247-213
Championship – Williams def. Neuer, 248-199
WALTER RAY WILLIAMS JR. TOP SEED FOR STEPLADDER AT 2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
LAS VEGAS – Two of the greatest bowlers of all-time met Saturday to determine the top seed for the stepladder finals at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters, and Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Florida, prevailed against defending champion Pete Weber of St. Ann, Missouri.
Williams, the 2014 USBC Senior Masters champion, defeated Weber, 707-626, at the Sam’s Town Bowling Center to take the top spot. Weber, also the 2013 champion, will be the No. 2 seed.
The stepladder finals of the 2017 Senior Masters will be broadcast live on BowlTV on Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern, with the winner taking home the $16,000 top prize.
Williams and Weber will be joined in the championship round by No. 3 Norm Duke of Clermont, Florida, No. 4 Bob Learn Jr. of Boynton Beach, Florida, and No. 5 Andy Neuer of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. The three advanced to the stepladder based on their performances in a four-player shootout round Saturday.
Williams, a 57-year-old right-hander, cruised through the double-elimination match-play bracket, averaging more than 244 on his way to a 6-0 record.
“This week, when I was able to get it going, I really got it going,” said Williams, a USBC and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer. “Yesterday was the best I had thrown the ball in a long time, so it was nice to get a little confidence as well as a read on the lanes.”
As the top seed in the true double-elimination format, Williams would have to lose twice in the stepladder to be denied a second Senior Masters title. A win Sunday would make him the seventh player to with multiple Senior Masters titles.
Williams also is a two-time winner at the USBC Masters, one of two bowlers to win both events. He would become the only bowler to win both two times each.
“I feel good and like what I’m doing this week,” said Williams, a 47-time PBA Tour and 10-time PBA50 Tour titlist. “My ball is reacting well, and the pins are falling for me, so hopefully I’m able to continue that. I haven’t been bowling as well as I would have liked so far this summer, so it’s nice to get something going.”
Weber, who qualified second overall this week, was looking to earn the top seed for the stepladder for the third consecutive year. If he’s able to successfully defend his title, he would become the tournament’s first three-time champion and first back-to-back winner since Tom Baker of King, North Carolina, in 2007
In the shootout round Saturday, Duke, a USBC and PBA Hall of Famer, set the pace in the high-scoring match, earning the third spot with an 817 series.
Learn solidified his spot as the No. 4 seed by firing a 300 game in the finale for a 734 series, and Neuer earned the final spot in the stepladder with a 649 series, advancing to the championship round for the second consecutive year.
Tony Rodriguez Jr. of Rancho Cucamonga, California, posted a 618 series in the shootout and was eliminated, finishing in sixth place.
All 277 competitors at the 2017 Senior Masters bowled 15 games over three days to determine the 63 bowlers who joined Weber in the double-elimination match-play bracket.
All rounds of qualifying and match play were broadcast live on BowlTV.
The Senior Masters is open to USBC members age 50 and older.
For complete standings or more information on the USBC Senior Masters, visit BOWL.com/SeniorMasters.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
At Sam’s Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas
Saturday’s Results
MATCH PLAY
Double elimination, three-game matches decided by total pinfall
ROUND 3 – WINNERS BRACKET
(Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to elimination bracket).
(16) Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., def. (32) Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 748-612
(41) Darryl Dempsey, St. Petersburg, Fla., def. (57) Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., 792-688
(5) Brian LeClair, Delmar, N.Y., def. (12) Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 703-606
(4) Bob Learn Jr., Boynton Beach, Fla., def. (20) Junichi Yajima, Japan, 760-707
(14) Andy Neuer, Lewisburg, Pa., def. (62) John Chovanec, Sugar Land, Texas, 732-686
(22) Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., def. (59) James Wallace, Hicksville, N.Y., 731-565
(55) Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., def. (26) Tony Rodriguez Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 711-687
(2) Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., def. (47) Scott Kraye, La Habra, Calif., 691-554
ROUND 4 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $1,350)
(8) Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., def. (1) Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 741-729
(9) Paul McCordic, Sugar Land, Texas, def. (30) Sam Lantto, Eden Prairie, Minn., 658-603
(36) David Smith, Fort Worth, Texas, def. (37) William Nichols, Bella Vista, Ark., 658-558
(44) Ron Mohr, North Las Vegas, Nev., def. (45) Charles Vashaw, Deephaven, Minn., 702-658
(17) Joe Salvemini, Yuba City, Calif., def. (56) Christer Petersson, Sweden, 679-575
(46) Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., def. (40) Marv Sargent, Temecula, Calif., 680-645
(34) Dana Wright, St. Paul, Minn., def. (21) Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 659-583
(29) Tish Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo., def. (28) Brian Kretzer, Kettering, Ohio, 786-707
ROUND 4 – WINNERS BRACKET
Williams def. Dempsey, 734-676
Learn def. LeClair, 690-619
Neuer def. Boresch, 685-655
Weber def. Duke, 738-706
ROUND 5 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $1,500)
Becker def. Graham, 715-665
McCordic def. Yajima, 742-640
Koivuniemi def. Smith, 720-689
Mohr def. Kossert, 710-692
Kraye def. Salvemini, 695-661
Rodriguez def. Goebel, 651-631
Wallace def. Wright, 633-560
Chovanec def. Johnson, 702-673
ROUND 5 – WINNERS BRACKET
Williams def. Learn, 717-704
Weber def. Neuer, 658-574
ROUND 6 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $2,000)
McCordic def. Becker, 676-671
Koivuniemi def. Mohr, 739-647
Rodriguez def. Kraye, 685-653
Chovanec def. Wallace, 773-659
ROUND 6 – WINNERS BRACKET
(Winner earns No. 1 seed for Sunday’s BowlTV finals; loser is No. 2 seed)
Williams def. Weber, 707-626
ROUND 7 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $2,500)
Duke def. McCordic, 719-673
Koivuniemi def. Boresch, 759-676
Rodriguez def. LeClair, 706-646
Dempsey def. Chovanec, 640-614
ROUND 8 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $3,000)
Duke def. Koivuniemi, 771-739
Rodriguez def. Dempsey, 623-574
ROUND 9 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Three highest scores advance to Sunday’s BowlTV finals, high score is No. 3 seed, second high is No. 4, third high is No. 5, lowest score is eliminated, earns $3,500).
Duke 817, Learn 734, Neuer 649, Rodriguez 618
DEFENDING CHAMPION WEBER AMONG UNBEATEN AT 2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
LAS VEGAS – While the final scores may have been significantly different, the situations were identical, and defending champion Pete Weber of St. Ann, Missouri, rose to the occasion in both instances to remain undefeated after two rounds of match play at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters.
The 54-year-old right-hander, who was the undefeated top seed for the stepladder finals at the USBC Senior Masters in 2015 and 2016, is one of 16 unbeaten players this week at the Sam’s Town Bowling Center.
Among the other winners are USBC Hall of Famers Lennie Boresch Jr. of Kenosha, Wisconsin, Norm Duke of Clermont, Florida, Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Florida, Sam Lantto of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and international stars Mika Koivuniemi of Finland and Junichi Yajima of Japan.
Competition resumes Saturday at noon Eastern with both winners-bracket and elimination-bracket matches.
Weber doubled in the final frame of each of his three-game matches Friday to secure wins over Robert Worrall of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Chris Warren of Grants Pass, Oregon, but he will be the first to tell you his success in those moments was as much about fortune as it was about skillfully handling pressure situations.
“This tournament, and the regular (USBC) Masters, are a lot about luck of the draw, who you bowl and when, and what each pair of lanes is giving you at that time,” said Weber, the 2013 and 2016 Senior Masters champion. “But, more than anything, if you don’t get some breaks along the way, you’re probably going to have a hard time winning. Today, I was fortunate to get a few breaks, and I was able to capitalize on those.”
On the second shot of his final frame against Worrall, the 1981 QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup champion, Weber’s ball drifted high and had as much chance of being a 4-6-7-10 split as it did being a match-winning strike. He escaped with a 588-579 victory.
The Weber-Warren match was much different, with Weber entering the final game with a 555-526 advantage, following 300 in Game 2. Warren, the 1990 USBC Masters champion, also started that game with eight consecutive strikes, before a 10 pin in the ninth frame ended his run.
In the finale, Weber failed to strike on the right lane in his first four attempts, but a Brooklyn strike in the ninth frame gave him a break he was glad to take advantage of. He added a double in the 10th frame to lock out Warren and advance with a 781-774 win.
“Robert and I both struggled in the first match, and I was lucky enough to come away with the win, but I knew I needed to quickly refocus heading into the match with Chris,” said Weber, a USBC and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer. “I just lost the look on the right lane the last game. I moved left in the ninth frame and thought I threw it well, and I ended up going Brooklyn. When the 6 pin went down late, I felt really bad, but I didn’t. You need breaks like that if you’re going to be successful at this tournament. What I did after that was capitalize on it.”
Weber will face Scott Kraye of La Habra, California, in his first match Saturday morning.
Koivuniemi, who turned 50 in April, also experienced some good fortune in his second match Friday, rolling a 2 pin on the first shot of his final frame against USBC and PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss of Centennial, Colorado. It was Koivuniemi’s third consecutive strike and gave him the chance to shut out Voss.
Koivuniemi left a 10 pin on his second offering and converted it, forcing Voss to throw three strikes for a one-pin victory. Voss left a 10 pin on his first shot to fall, 702-692.
Competition hasn’t been Koivuniemi’s priority in recent years, as he has turned his attention toward coaching. He is the head coach of the United Arab Emirates national team.
Although he has not been able to stay as sharp as he was when he competed regularly on the PBA Tour, he has relied some simple things to stay in contention.
“I haven’t bowled much in the last two years, but I practiced for about four weeks in preparation for this and the (Suncoast PBA Senior) U.S. Open,” Koivuniemi said. “I feel pretty good, but I’ve lost some of my touch, which makes certain things difficult. I’m happy because my game is pretty simple, and my lines are straight, so I can still hit my target pretty well when I’m throwing it well. I’m still in the winners bracket, which is good, but I have another tough match coming up with one of the best in Walter Ray.”
The two-time PBA Player of the Year and 2000 Masters champion will face Williams, the 2014 Senior Masters champion, in Saturday’s third round.
All 277 competitors at the 2017 Senior Masters bowled 15 games over three days to determine the 63 bowlers who joined Weber in the double-elimination match-play bracket.
All rounds of qualifying and match play are being broadcast live on BowlTV, and the five players who advance through the bracket will battle for the title and $16,000 top prize in the stepladder finals Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern.
The Senior Masters is open to USBC members age 50 and older.
For complete standings or more information on the Senior Masters, visit BOWL.com/SeniorMasters.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
At Sam’s Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas
Friday’s Results
MATCH PLAY
Double elimination, three-game matches decided by total pinfall
ROUND 1
(Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to elimination bracket).
(64) Brian Voss, Centennial, Colo., def. (1) Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 774-703
(32) Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., def. (33) Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., 719-601
(17) Joe Salvemini, Yuba City, Calif., def. (48) Scott Merritt, Iowa City, Iowa, 622-536
(16) Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., def. (48) Ricky Schissler, Brighton, Colo., 731-533
(56) Christer Petersson, Sweden, def. (9) Paul McCordic, Sugar Land, Texas, 715-710
(41) Darryl Dempsey, St. Petersburg, Fla., def. (24) Mark Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 637-575
(40) Marv Sargent, Temecula, Calif., def. (25) Billy Langford, Lone Grove, Okla., 644-605
(57) Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., def. (8) Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., 587-566
(5) Brian LeClair, Delmar, N.Y., def. (60) Gerald Sikora, Huron, S.D., 715-584
(28) Brian Kretzer, Kettering, Ohio, def. (37) William Nichols, Bella Vista, Ark., 682-610
(21) Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., def. (44) Ron Mohr, North Las Vegas, Nev., 694-628
(12) Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, def. (53) Tim Shirlock, Las Vegas, 607-561
(52) Jeff Suma Sr., Auburn Hills, Mich., def. (13) David Cirigliano, Phoenix, 675-670
(20) Junichi Yajima, Japan, def. (45) Charles Vashaw, Deephaven, Minn., 774-695
(29) Tish Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo., def. (36) David Smith, Fort Worth, Texas, 645-567
(4) Bob Learn Jr., Boynton Beach, Fla., def. (61) Bruce Hall, Westborough, Mass., 721-606
(62) John Chovanec, Sugar Land, Texas, def. (3) Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 706-609
(30) Sam Lantto, Eden Prairie, Minn., def. (35) Lewis Elting, Carlsbad, Calif., 709-584
(19) Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, def. (46) Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 722-606
(14) Andy Neuer, Lewisburg, Pa., def. (51) John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 732-679
(11) Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, def. (54) Rick Minier, Houston, 609-567
(22) Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., def. (43) Mark McCreary, Livermore, Calif., 615-612
(38) Ernie Segura, Taylor, Mich., def. (27) James Campbell, Clearwater, Fla., 655-524
(59) James Wallace, Hicksville, N.Y., def. (6) John Dougherty III, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., 654-638
(7) John DeBenedetta, Las Vegas, def. (58) Dave Sill, Titusville, Fla., 601-541
(26) Tony Rodriguez Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., def. (39) Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 682-659
(42) Brian Cooper, Henderson, Nev., def. (23) Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash., 684-660
(55) Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., def. (10) Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 748-743
(50) Andrew Frawley, Australia, def. (15) Michael Tountas, Tucson, Ariz., 717-515
(47) Scott Kraye, La Habra, Calif., def. (18) Curt Rasnic, Fairborn, Ohio, 761-702
(31) Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., def. (34) Dana Wright, St. Paul, Minn., 585-558
(2) Pete Weber, St. Ann, Missouri, def. (63) Robert Worrall II, Colorado Springs, Colo., 588-579
ROUND 2 – WINNERS BRACKET
Koivuniemi def. Voss, 702-692
W.R. Williams def. Salvemini, 761-648
Dempsey def. Petersson, 691-611
Kossert def. Sargent, 623-609
LeClair def. Kretzer, 623-586
Graham def. Shafer, 707-663
Yajima def. Suma, 662-596
Learn def. Johnson, 719-710
Chovanec def. Lantto, 704-676
Neuer def. M. Williams, 713-557
Boresch def. Mike Scroggins, 701-676
Wallace def. Segura, 613-602
Rodriguez def. DeBenedetta, 642-615
Duke def. Cooper, 782-624
Kraye def. Frawley, 709-595
Weber def. Warren, 781-774
ROUND 2 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $1,000)
Bohn def. Staikoff, 765-759
Becker def. Langford, 695-649
Merritt def. Schissler, 584-550
McCordic def. Mark Scroggins, 707-575
Nichols def. Sikora, 742-691
Smith def. Hall, 674-577
Mohr def. Shirlock, 622-514
Vashaw def. Cirigliano, 686-597
Elting def. Monacelli, 561-561 (Elting won one-ball roll-off, 10-10, 10-8)
Dougherty def. Campbell, 648-563
Goebel def. Burkett, 624-611
McCreary def. Minier, 636-625
Sill def. Croucher, 575-521
Wright def. Worrall, 596-570
Miller def. Haugen, 697-691
Rasnic def. Tountas, 596-522
ROUND 3 – ELIMINATION BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $1,100)
Bohn def. M. Williams, 784-686
Becker def. Mike Scroggins, 664-657
Lantto def. Merritt, 684-583
McCordic def. Segura, 650-610
Nichols def. Cooper, 665-577
Smith def. Frawley, 633-630
Mohr def. DeBenedetta, 695-653
Vashaw def. Warren, 677-668
Salvemini def. Elting, 606-550
Petersson def. Dougherty, 595-527
Goebel def. Voss, 732-719
Sargent def. McCreary, 635-624
Shafer def. Sill, 694-615
Wright def. Suma, 674-632
Kretzer def. Miller, 747-697
Johnson def. Rasnic, 732-573
BOHN EARNS TOP SEED FOR MATCH PLAY AT 2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
LAS VEGAS – United States Bowling Congress and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III of Jackson, New Jersey, put on a clinic Thursday in Las Vegas, both during and after his final block of qualifying at the 2017 USBC Senior Masters.
The 53-year-old left-hander has gotten more comfortable each day this week at the Sam’s Town Bowling Center and averaged more than 261 over his final five qualifying games, including the fifth perfect game of this year’s Senior Masters, to lead the field into match play for the second consecutive year. He’ll face fellow hall of famer Brian Voss of Centennial, Colorado, in the opening round.
Bohn earned the top seed for the event’s 64-player double-elimination bracket in record fashion, posting a 3,717 total over 15 games, a 247.8 average, to surpass his own mark of 3,712, rolled in the same venue in 2016. His 1,308 effort Thursday was shy of the tournament’s five-game record of 1,347, posted by Don Hargraves of Flint, Michigan, in 1997.
Defending champion Pete Weber of St. Ann, Missouri, qualified second Thursday with a 3,584 total and was followed by 2015 Senior Masters winner Amleto Monacelli of Venezuela (3,491), Bob Learn Jr. of Boynton Beach, Florida (3,459) and Brian LeClair of Delmar, New York, a two-time winner this season on the PBA50 Tour (3,430).
Voss and Robert Worrall II of Colorado Springs, Colorado, earned the final spots in match play, tying for 63rd place with a 3,165 total, a 211 average.
“Once I realized what kind of look I had this morning, I just wanted to put myself on autopilot and repeat shots,” said Bohn, a three-time PBA50 Tour champion, who turned in a 4-2 match-play record at the 2016 Senior Masters and tied for 13th place. “Records are awesome, don’t get me wrong, but at this event, all the qualifying pinfall does is put a number next to your name. The bracket board and pins have no idea what that number is come match play, so you still have to perform, regardless of what happened today or who you’re bowling at that time.”
Match play gets underway Friday at noon Eastern with the left side of the bracket, while bowlers on the right side of the bracket hit the lanes for their opening round of match play at 2:30 p.m. EDT.
While many bowlers in Bohn’s position might spend the rest of the day resting and having a relaxing dinner, the 35-time PBA Tour titlist headed across town to the Suncoast Bowling Center, so he and his brother-in-law, fellow hall of famer Doug Kent of Newark, New York, could put on a couple more clinics – one earlier in the day for senior bowlers and one later for youth bowlers.
Shortly after rolling the highest five-game score of Wednesday’s second round (1,252), Bohn headed off for a speaking engagement.
“I accomplished what I wanted to on the lanes by making it to match play, and I really don’t mind staying busy, especially if it means spending time with, and helping, bowlers who are passionate about our sport,” Bohn said. “It starts with my own kids and my wife. We put a lot of time into helping people who want to get better, and while it’s not the same feeling as winning a tournament, it’s equally rewarding in a different way to see them reach their goals and enjoy different levels of success.”
All 277 competitors at the 2017 Senior Masters bowled 15 games over three days to determine the 63 bowlers joining Weber in the double-elimination match-play bracket.
As the defending champion, Weber was guaranteed the No. 64 spot, but he was able to improve his seeding for match play during qualifying.
Like most competitors, Weber knows match play at the Senior Masters is like a completely new event, and his strategy is simple.
“My mindset is just to come out and make the best shots I can and not worry about what my opponent does,” said Weber, the 2013 and 2016 Senior Masters champion. “I had my best squad on the fresh (1,229 on Day 2), so that was pretty good for me, and that’s what we’ll see tomorrow. Now, it’s a matter of watching the ball and seeing what it does in the mid part of the lane. If I can get it through that mid part and get it down the lane, I’ll feel pretty confident about what I have to do.”
All rounds of qualifying and match play are being broadcast live on BowlTV, and the five players who advance through the bracket will battle for the title and $16,000 top prize in the stepladder finals Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern.
The Senior Masters is open to USBC members age 50 and older.
For complete standings or more information on the USBC Senior Masters, visit BOWL.com/SeniorMasters.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
At Sam’s Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas
Thursday’s Results
QUALIFYING – ROUND 3
(15 games – Top 100; Top 64 advance)
1, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3,717. 2, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 3,584. 3, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3,491. 4, Bob Learn Jr., Boynton Beach, Fla., 3,459. 5, Brian LeClair, Delmar, N.Y., 3,430. 6, John Dougherty III, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., 3,413.
7, John DeBenedetta (a), Las Vegas, 3,386. 8, Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., 3,382. 9, Paul McCordic SS, Sugar Land, Texas, 3,378. 10, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 3,365. 11, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 3,355. 12, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 3,338.
13, David Cirigliano, Phoenix, 3,334. 14, Andy Neuer (a), Lewisburg, Pa., 3,331. 15, Michael Tountas (a), Tucson, Ariz., 3,319. 16, Walter Ray Williams Jr, Oxford, Fla., 3,308. 17, Joe Salvemini SS, Yuba City, Calif., 3,304. 18, Curt Rasnic (a), Fairborn, Ohio, 3,299.
19, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 3,288. 20, Junichi Yajima SS, Japan, 3,278. 21, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 3,272. 22, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 3,270. 23, Hugh Miller SS, Mercer Island, Wash., 3,261. 24, Mark Scroggins, Canyon, Texas, 3,259.
25, Billy Langford (a), Lone Grove, Okla., 3,258. 26, Tony Rodriguez Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 3,254. 27, James Campbell (a), Clearwater, Fla., 3,248. 28, Brian Kretzer, Kettering, Ohio, 3,246. 29, Tish Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 3,245. 30, Sam Lantto, Eden Prairie, Minn., 3,239.
31, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 3,234. 32, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 3,230. 33, Ted Staikoff SS, Black Hawk, S.D., 3,227. 34, Dana Wright, St. Paul, Minn., 3,225. 35, Lewis Elting SS, Carlsbad, Calif., 3,220. 36, David Smith (a), Fort Worth, Texas, 3,219.
37, William Nichols SS, Bella Vista, Ark., 3,218. 38, Ernie Segura, Taylor, Mich., 3,213. 39, Kevin Croucher SS, Grants Pass, Ore., 3,207. 40, Marv Sargent, Temecula, Calif., 3,206. 41, Darryl Dempsey, St. Petersburg, Fla., 3,205. 42, Brian Cooper, Henderson, Nev., 3,204.
43, Mark McCreary, Livermore, Calif., 3,202. 44, Ron Mohr SS, North Las Vegas, Nev., 3,199. 45, Charles Vashaw (a), Deephaven, Minn., 3,198. 46, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 3,195. 47, Scott Kraye (a), La Habra, Calif., 3,187. 48(tie), Ricky Schissler, Brighton, Colo., Andrew Frawley, Australia, and Scott Merritt, Iowa City, Iowa, 3,186.
51, John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 3,184. 52, Jeff Suma (a) SS, Auburn Hills, Mich., 3,181. 53, Tim Shirlock, Las Vegas, 3,180. 54(tie), Rick Minier SS, Houston, and Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 3,179.
56(tie), Roger Kossert SS, Lithia, Fla., and Christer Petersson, Sweden, 3,178. 58, Dave Sill, Titusville, Fla., 3,174. 59(tie), James Wallace (a), Hicksville, N.Y., and Gerald Sikora (a), Huron, S.D., 3,173.
61(tie), John Chovanec (a), Sugar Land, Texas, and Bruce Hall SS, Westborough, Mass., 3,167. 63(tie), Brian Voss, Centennial, Colo., and Robert Worrall II (a) SS, Colorado Springs, Colo., 3,165.
DID NOT ADVANCE
Other cashers:
65(tie), John Petraglia SS, Jackson, N.J., and Ed Silva SS, Manteca, Calif., 3,163, $895. 67(tie), Timothy Myers SS, Milwaukie, Ore., and Paul Appling (a) SS, Camarillo, Calif., 3,160, $875. 69, Henry Dawson (a), Elma, Wash., 3,151, $860. 70, Joseph Petrovich, Tracy, Calif., 3,149, $850.
71, James Lord, Fort Mill, S.C., 3,148. 72, Darryl Bower SS, Middletown, Pa., 3,143. 73, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield, Mich., 3,141. 74, Noel Vazquez, Sacramento, Calif., 3,140. 75(tie), Dave Washburn (a) SS, Las Vegas, and Bobby Nelson, Las Vegas, 3,134. 77, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 3,133.
78, Sam Ventura, Norwich, N.Y., 3,131. 79, Michael Klosin (a), Windham, N.H., 3,129. 80, Alvin Lou (a) SS, El Cajon, Calif., 3,120. 81, Mike Dias SS, Lafayette, Colo., 3,116. 82(tie), George Szczublewski (a), West Seneca, N.Y., and Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 3,109.
84, Michael Lucente SS, Warren, Mich., 3,107. 85, Jimmy Jean, Kathleen, Ga., 3,104. 86, Stephen Kenyon, Dade City, Fla., 3,102. 87, Robert Pohlman (a) SS, Cedar Park, Texas, 3,101. 88, Ronald Cleveland (a), St. Paul, Minn., 3,098.
89, Barry Zimmerman (a), Grand Forks, N.D., 3,097. 90, Dale Traber SS, Cedarburg, Wis., 3,095. 91, Gary Reh, Bullhead City, Ariz., 3,091. 92(tie), Mark Abraham, Lansing, Mich., and Don Robinson SS, Boise, Idaho, 3,090. 94, Mike Faliero (a), W. Seneca, N.Y., 3,089.
95, Tom Carter SS, Columbus, Ohio, 3,087. 96, Michael Owen, Gainesville, Fla., 3,080. 97, David Guindon (a), W. Seneca, N.Y., 3,079. 98, Terry Rohrer, Fort Wayne, Ind., 3,078. 99, Mike Keough, Stockton, Calif., 3,077. 100, Peter Knopp, Germany, 3,076.
LECLAIR MOVES INTO LEAD AT 2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
LAS VEGAS – Brian LeClair of Delmar, New York, is in the midst of a breakout season on the Professional Bowlers Association 50 Tour, having already collected two wins during his 2017 campaign.
The 52-year-old right-hander brought that momentum to the United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters this week, and he leads the 277-player field after two rounds of qualifying at the Sam’s Town Bowling Center.
LeClair, who started the day in a tie for second place, moved into the top spot after firing a five-game block of 1,163 on Tuesday, bringing his 10-game total to 2,434, a 243.4 average.
USBC and PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III of Jackson, New Jersey, posted the highest five-game block of the day (1,252) to move into second place with 2,409. Opening-round leader Amleto Monacelli of Venezuela is third with 2,374, and defending champion Pete Weber of St. Ann, Missouri, is fourth with 2,367. John Dougherty III of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, rounds out the top five with 2,358.
LeClair collected his first PBA50 Tour title during the 2015 season but knew he had to work on aspects of his game in order to contend each week. The dedication to improving, along with a twist of fate from a back injury, has helped everything fall into place for him.
“I knew I needed to work on my release to make my ball read the patterns better,” said LeClair, who has wins this season at the PBA50 Pasco County Florida Open and PBA50 Johnny Petraglia BVL Open presented by Brunswick. “I worked on my release, and my timing, too, and it’s obviously paid off. One lucky thing that also happened, if you can call it lucky, is that I hurt my back earlier in the year. I had to adjust my posture, and when I did that, some of the things I had been working on clicked even more, and it has continued to get better and better.”
LeClair will lead the field back onto the lanes Thursday for the final round of qualifying, and it will be his first opportunity to compete on the tournament’s fresh 41-foot lane condition. LeClair’s first two rounds took place on the double-burn and burn, respectively.
The lanes at the 2017 USBC Senior Masters only are being oiled once each day during qualifying, with all competitors getting the chance to experience the three phases of the pattern – fresh, burn and double-burn.
“I talked with my ball reps during the last game, trying to figure out a plan for tomorrow,” said LeClair, who finished tied for 33rd at the 2016 event, also held at Sam’s Town. “Hopefully I’ll be able to match up my release and make the right equipment choices. You won’t score well without good ball reaction. I think I have a good game plan, and we’ll see if it works tomorrow.”
Qualifying will conclude Thursday with three final squads, starting at 11 a.m. Eastern, and 15-game pinfall totals will determine the 63 bowlers who will join Weber in the double-elimination match-play bracket.
Weber, also a USBC and PBA Hall of Famer, is guaranteed the No. 64 seed if he falls out of the cut, but he can improve his seeding for match play during qualifying.
Mark Scroggins of Canyon, Texas, holds the 64th position after 10 games with a 2,117 total, a 211.7 average.
All rounds of qualifying and match play are being broadcast live on BowlTV, and the five players who advance through the bracket will battle for the title in the stepladder finals Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern.
The Senior Masters is open to USBC members age 50 and older and has a top prize of $16,000.
For more information on the USBC Senior Masters, visit BOWL.com/SeniorMasters.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
At Sam’s Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas
Wednesday’s Results
QUALIFYING – ROUND 2
(10 games – top 100)
1, Brian LeClair, Delmar, N.Y., 2,434. 2, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 2,409. 3, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 2,374. 4, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 2,367. 5, John Dougherty III, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., 2,358. 6, Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., 2,322.
7(tie), Bob Learn Jr., Boynton Beach, Fla., and Sam Lantto, Eden Prairie, Minn., 2,294. 9, John DeBenedetta (a), Las Vegas, 2,291. 10, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 2,289. 11, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 2,276. 12, Dana Wright, St. Paul, Minn., 2,265.
13, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 2,260. 14(tie), Tony Rodriguez Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and Michael Tountas (a), Tucson, Ariz., 2,253. 16, Scott Merritt, Iowa City, Iowa, 2,243. 17, Walter Ray Williams Jr, Oxford, Fla., 2,241. 18(tie), Joe Salvemini, Yuba City, Calif., and Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 2,239.
20, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 2,221. 21, Curt Rasnic (a), Fairborn, Ohio, 2,216. 22, Ed Silva, Manteca, Calif., 2,204. 23(tie), David Cirigliano, Phoenix, and Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 2,202.
25, Paul McCordic, Sugar Land, Texas, 2,201. 26, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 2,197. 27, Ernie Segura, Taylor, Mich., 2,195. 28, Lewis Elting, Carlsbad, Calif., 2,193. 29, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 2,188. 30, Billy Langford (a), Lone Grove, Okla., 2,180.
31(tie), Brian Kretzer, Kettering, Ohio, and Robert Worrall II (a), Colorado Springs, Colo., and David Smith (a), Fort Worth, Texas, 2,178. 34, Marv Sargent, Temecula, Calif., 2,177. 35, Michael Lucente, Warren, Mich., 2,176. 36, Bobby Nelson, Las Vegas, 2,173.
37(tie), James Campbell (a), Clearwater, Fla., and Andrew Frawley, Australia, 2,170. 39, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 2,169. 40, Andy Neuer (a), Lewisburg, Pa., 2,167. 41, Michael Klosin (a), Windham, N.H., 2,163. 42, Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., 2,162.
43, Dave Sill, Titusville, Fla., 2,159. 44, Ron Mohr, North Las Vegas, Nev., 2,156. 45, Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash., 2,154. 46(tie), Tim Shirlock, Las Vegas, and Tish Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 2,153. 48, Brian Voss, Centennial, Colo., 2,147.
49, James Lord, Fort Mill, S.C., 2,144. 50, Jim Dougherty, Oklahoma City, 2,141. 51, Bruce Hall, Westborough, Mass., 2,140. 52(tie), Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa., and Charles Vashaw (a), Deephaven, Minn., 2,139. 54, Paul Appling (a), Camarillo, Calif., 2,137.
55, Doug Kempt, Arcadia, Calif., 2,134. 56(tie), Christer Petersson, Sweden, and Donald Herrington, Ballston Lake, N.Y., 2,131. 58, Junichi Yajima, Japan, 2,129. 59, Patrick Shipley, Spring Valley, Calif., 2,125. 60, Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., 2,124.
61, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield, Mich., 2,123. 62, John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 2,122. 63, John Hricsina (a), Las Vegas, 2,120. 64, Mark Scroggins, Canyon, Texas, 2,117. 65, Brian Cooper, Henderson, Nev., 2,115. 66, Jeff Suma (a), Auburn Hills, Mich., 2,114.
67, Terry Rohrer, Fort Wayne, Ind., 2,113. 68(tie), Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., and Gerald Sikora (a), Huron, S.D., 2,109. 70(tie), Noel Vazquez, Sacramento, Calif., and Michael Austin, Conroe, Texas, 2,107. 72, Scott Kraye (a), La Habra, Calif., 2,106.
73(tie), William Nichols, Bella Vista, Ark., and Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 2,104. 75(tie), Henry Dawson (a), Elma, Wash., and Russ Davies, Las Vegas, 2,102. 77, Kenny Parks, Hazel Park, Mich., 2,100. 78(tie), Ricky Schissler, Brighton, Colo., and Raif Terry, Larned, Kan., 2,098.
80, Mike Keough, Stockton, Calif., 2,096. 81, James Wallace (a), Hicksville, N.Y., 2,095. 82, Dave Washburn (a), Las Vegas, 2,090. 83(tie), Don Robinson, Boise, Idaho, and Joe Fulner III, Ocala, Fla., 2,087.
85, Darron Peters, Temecula, Calif., 2,086. 86, Alvin Lou (a), El Cajon, Calif., 2,083. 87, John Chovanec (a), Sugar Land, Texas, 2,081. 88, Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 2,078. 89, Robert Pohlman (a), Cedar Park, Texas, 2,076. 90(tie), Mark McCreary, Livermore, Calif., and Kevin Anderson, Mt. Juliet, Tenn., 2,070.
92, Stephen Kenyon, Dade City, Fla., 2,069. 93(tie), David Scardaville, Houston, and Michael Owen, Gainesville, Fla., 2,066. 95, Barry Zimmerman (a), Grand Forks, N.D., 2,065. 96, Gary Reh, Bullhead City, Ariz., 2,063.
97(tie), Stan Winters, Simi Valley, Calif., and Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 2,061. 99, John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 2,060. 100, Darryl Dempsey, St. Petersburg, Fla., 2,057.
MONACELLI LEADS AFTER FIRST DAY AT 2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
LAS VEGAS – While generations of bowling fans may see the familiar and seemingly effortless style of Venezuela’s Amleto Monacelli as timeless and unchanged, even decades after his most dominant years on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, the 55-year-old right-hander has a secret.
His bowling game actually is a constant work in progress as he tries to stay relevant on the lanes, despite changes in his body as he ages and advancements in the sport, and he proved Tuesday at the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters that recent changes to his game are starting to pay dividends.
Monacelli is a week removed from his eighth PBA50 Tour title and emerged as the opening-round leader at the USBC Senior Masters with a 1,274 five-game total, a 254.8 average.
He used a 289 final game to catapult to the top of the standings after Tuesday’s burn squad, and it proved to be just enough as USBC Hall of Famer Sam Lantto of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and Brian LeClair of Delmar, New York, a two-time winner on the PBA50 Tour this season, nearly chased him down on the final squad of the day at the Sam’s Town Bowling Center.
Lantto started his five game block with games of 278, 290 and 242 for an 810 series, before adding 203 and 258 for a 1,271 total. LeClair was more consistent, posting a low game of 238 and a high game of 268 (twice), to match Lantto’s effort.
Michael Tountas of Tucson, Arizona, is fourth after the first of three days of Senior Masters qualifying with a 1,243 total, while John Dougherty III of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, owner of one of the two perfect games Tuesday at Sam’s Town, is fifth with 1,210.
“I’ve been working a lot on my game lately, concentrating on angles, axis rotation and ball motion, and I think the muscle memory for all the changes is starting to kick in,” said Monacelli, a USBC and PBA Hall of Famer who also owns 20 PBA Tour titles. “I had a couple of recent weeks where I was close, and then last week I was able to get the win. That shows me the changes are starting to work and pay off.”
More open-minded later in his career, the 1989 and 1990 PBA Player of the Year has been willing to adapt his physical game as bowling technology – from lane oils with more viscosity to stronger and stronger balls – has changed. He’s also known for all the time he spends making sure he’s in peak physical condition, which helps him endure the different event formats.
Monacelli’s recent win at the PBA50 Northern California Classic, presented by MOTIV included a 229-198 win over Hugh Miller of Mercer Island, Washington, in the championships match, and helped him enter this week’s Senior Masters more confident about his preparation and more relaxed on the lanes.
On the first day of the 2017 Senior Masters, Monacelli found success by staying slow and taking his time, while also taking advantage of a favorable ball reaction on the 41-foot oil pattern being used at the Sam’s Town Bowling Center this week.
The lanes only will be oiled once each day, with all competitors getting the chance to experience the three phases of the pattern – fresh, burn and double-burn – with five games being bowled each day.
“At this event, with qualifying and match play being so different, you really just have to focus on the things you’re doing well and continuing to make the right decisions,” said Monacelli, who beat an undefeated Pete Weber of St. Ann, Missouri, twice in the championship round to win the 2015 Senior Masters. “Eventually, you’ll have to consider who you’re bowling and where you’re bowling them, but even then, you still have to make the right choices and decisions to succeed.”
All 277 competitors will be back on the lanes at Sam’s Town for the second round of qualifying Wednesday, with squads taking place at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern.
Qualifying will conclude Thursday, and 15-game pinfall totals will determine the 63 bowlers who will join Weber, the defending champion, in the double-elimination match-play bracket.
Weber is in 22nd place after Tuesday’s opening round with a 1,138 total. The USBC and PBA Hall of Famer is guaranteed the No. 64 seed if he falls out of the cut, but he can improve his seeding for match play during qualifying.
After five games, Robert Pohlman of Cedar Park, Texas, sits in 64th place with a 1,071 total, a 214.2 average.
All rounds of qualifying and match play are being broadcast live on BowlTV, and the five players who advance through the bracket will battle for the title in the stepladder finals Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern.
The Senior Masters is open to USBC members age 50 and older and has a top prize of $16,000.
For more information on the USBC Senior Masters, visit BOWL.com/SeniorMasters.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women’s Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.
Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.
2017 USBC SENIOR MASTERS
At Sam’s Town Bowling Center, Las Vegas
Tuesday’s Results
QUALIFYING – ROUND 1
(Five games – top 100)
1, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 1,274. 2(tie), Brian LeClair, Delmar, N.Y., and Sam Lantto, Eden Prairie, Minn., 1,271. 4, Michael Tountas (a), Tucson, Ariz., 1,243. 5, John Dougherty III, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., 1,210. 6, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 1,205.
7, Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., 1,204. 8, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,194. 9, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 1,190. 10, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,181. 11, Patrick Shipley, Spring Valley, Calif., 1,176. 12, Ernie Segura, Taylor, Mich., 1,170.
13, Curt Rasnic (a), Fairborn, Ohio, 1,165. 14, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,157. 15, Lewis Elting, Carlsbad, Calif., 1,155. 16, Tony Rodriguez Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 1,152. 17(tie), John Debenedetta (a), Las Vegas, and Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 1,149.
19, Michael Austin, Conroe, Texas, 1,148. 20, Michael Klosin (a), Windham, N.H., 1,147. 21, Doug Kempt, Arcadia, Calif., 1,140. 22, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1,138. 23, Tish Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1,133. 24, Alvin Lou (a), El Cajon, Calif., 1,131.
25, Ed Silva, Manteca, Calif., 1,129. 26, Donald Herrington, Ballston Lake, N.Y., 1,128. 27, Michael Lucente, Warren, Mich., 1,125. 28, Bob Learn Jr., Boynton Beach, Fla., 1,124. 29, Russ Davies, Las Vegas, 1,121. 30, Marv Sargent, Temecula, Calif., 1,114.
31(tie), Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., and James Lord, Fort Mill, S.C., 1,112. 33(tie), Joe Salvemini, Yuba City, Calif., and Dave Washburn (a), Las Vegas, 1,109. 35, Andrew Frawley, Australia, 1,107. 36, Tim Shirlock, Las Vegas, 1,106.
37(tie), Dave Sill, Titusville, Fla., and Dana Wright, St. Paul, Minn., 1,105. 39(tie), Mike Monyak (a), Las Vegas, Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash., and Lennie Boresch, Kenosha, Wis., 1,101. 42, Christer Petersson, Sweden, 1,100.
43, Gerald Sikora (a), Huron, S.D., 1,099. 44, Scott Merritt, Iowa City, Iowa, 1,095. 45(tie), Michael Owen, Gainesville, Fla., David Cirigliano, Phoenix, and Bruce Hall, Westborough, Mass., 1,094. 48, Roy Gaskins (a), Valdosta, Ga., 1,092.
49(tie), Scott Kraye (a), La Habra, Calif., and Mark Scroggins, Canyon, Texas, 1,088. 51(tie), John Chovanec (a), Sugar Land, Texas, and Dean Hebner (a), Vancouver, Wash., 1,087. 53, James Campbell (a), Clearwater, Fla., 1,081. 54(tie), Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, and Ronald Cleveland (a), St Paul, Minn., 1,078.
56, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 1,075. 57, Brian Cooper, Henderson, Nev., 1,074. 58(tie), Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., Mike Nogle (a), Canby, Ore., Tony Johnson, Canton, Ohio, and Ron Mohr, North Las Vegas, Nev., 1,073.
62(tie), Joe Fulner III, Ocala, Fla., and Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 1,072. 64, Robert Pohlman (a), Cedar Park, Texas, 1,071. 65, Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., 1,070. 66, John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 1,069.
67(tie), Doug Hayes, Clarksville, Tenn., and Don Jackson, Bonita, Calif., 1,068. 69, David Smith (a), Fort Worth, Texas, 1,062. 70, Terry Rohrer (a), Fort Wayne, Ind., 1,061. 71, Mike Faliero (a), W. Seneca, N.Y., 1,060. 72(tie), Harry Sullins, Chesterfield, Mich., and Henry Dawson (a), Elma, Wash., 1,059.
74(tie), John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, Kevin Anderson, Mt. Juliet, Tenn., and Robert Worrall II (a), Colorado Springs, Colo., 1,056. 77, Brian Miller, Springfield, Ohio, 1,053. 78, Brian Kretzer, Kettering, Ohio, 1,051.
79, Ector Rodriguez (a), Penrose, Colo., 1,049. 80(tie), Andy Neuer (a), Lewisburg, Pa., and Paul McCordic, Sugar Land, Texas, 1,048. 82(tie), Nile Konicek, Gilbert, Ariz., and Timothy Myers, Milwaukie, Ore., 1,046. 84, Emilio Mora, Defiance, Ohio, 1,045.
85, Christopher Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 1,044. 86, Sam Ventura, Norwich, N.Y., 1,043. 87(tie), Mike Keough, Stockton, Calif., and William Nichols, Bella Vista, Ark., 1,039. 89, Michael Karch (a), Edgewood, Wash., 1,037. 90, Jeff Suma (a), Auburn Hills, Mich., 1,036.
91(tie), Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, and Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 1,035. 93(tie), Brian Voss, Centennial, Colo., Stephen Kenyon, Dade City, Fla., and John Hricsina (a), Las Vegas, 1,034. 96, Ross McDonald, Clarksville, Md., 1,032.
97, Jim Dougherty, Oklahoma City, 1,031. 98, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1,030. 99(tie), George Szczublewski (a), West Seneca, N.Y., and Mark Scime, Winter Garden, Fla., 1,028.
