WICHITA, KAN. (October 24, 2008) — Fifty-four year-old Tom Baker of King, N.C.,
bowled a perfect 300 game in the first round of match play at the PBA World
Championship in Wichita, Kan. Baker defeated No. 32 seed Mike Machuga of Erie,
Pa., 4-2 (238-227, 246-169, 196-212, 238-199, 229-248, 300-227) to advance to
the Round of 16.
“I don’t really get nervous anymore, but it’s still exciting,” said Baker, who
shot his 48th career PBA 300 game. “You just count on making a good shot. I knew
I had already won, but it’s nice to do it (shoot 300) for the fans and for
myself. It was a good feeling.”
The 2008-09 season marks the last year of Baker’s five-year exemption, which he
earned at the PBA World Championship in 2004. That win made him the oldest
bowler to win the World Championship and the third-oldest to win a Major.
“I have to earn my exemption this year so my goal is to stay towards the top,”
Baker said. “Last year I started off horribly because I took a couple months off
in the summer. This summer, I bowled on the PBA Senior Tour and competed in some
Regional Tournaments; I kept bowling, felt sharp. I feel like I’m off to a good
start.”
In the Round of 32, seven of 16 matches were sweeps. No. 25 seed Tony Reyes
defeated No. 24 George Lambert IV, No. 9 Brad Angelo took out No. 40 Tommy
Delutz Jr., No. 16 and PBA Player of the Year for 2007-08 Chris Barnes
dispatched No. 33 Dino Castillo, No. 12 Mika Koivuniemi eliminated No. 37 D.J.
Archer, No. 10 Brian Kretzer sent home #39 Mitch Beasley, No. 23 Bill O'Neill
beat out No. 26 Ken Abner and No. 30 Eugene McCune upset No. 19 Troy
Wollenbecker.
Match play continues Saturday with the Round of 16 starting at 9 a.m. CST. The
top seeds going into match play received a two-round bye and will start
competition in the Super 16 Saturday at 2 p.m. CST. No. 2 seed Norm Duke, who
can make history this week by winning three consecutive Majors, Wichita native
Sean Rash, seeded third and looking to win his second major in his hometown, as
well as top seed Jason Belmonte will all try to capture the first Major of the
2008-09 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season.
PBA World Championship Format:
There are three squads of qualifying (A, B and C). Each squad will bowl one
6-game block each day over three days, completing 18 total games of qualifying.
The field will then be cut to the top 53 on Thursday night, Oct. 23. Bowlers
making the cut will return on Friday morning, Oct. 24 for nine games of semi
finals. Upon completion of the nine games, the field will then be cut to the top
40 bowlers, with the top eight bowlers receiving two byes and an automatic berth
into the Super Round of 16. Bowlers finishing 9-40, will then compete in a best
4-out-of-7 single elimination match play format starting Friday at 6 p.m. and
continuing on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 9 a.m. until eight bowlers remain. Those
eight bowlers will then face the top eight bowlers from qualifying in the Super
Round of 16 on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. Matches continue until four bowlers
remain, thus advancing to the live ESPN finals on Sunday, Oct. 26 at noon. All
times CT.
Round of 32
#9 Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., def. # Tommy Delutz Jr., Flushing, N.Y., 4-0
(248-227, 219-186, 233-218, 190-180).
#24 Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., def. # George Lambert IV, Wichita, Kan, 4-0
(223-176, 234-181, 229-190, 247-195).
#17 Tom Baker, King, N.C., def. # Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 4-2 (238-227,
246-169, 196-212, 238-199, 229-248, 300-227).
#16 Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, def. # Dino Castillo $100, Carrollton,
Texas, 4-0 (190-187, 266-203, 238-188, 223-184).
#13 Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., def. # Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 4-2
(245-252, 219-178, 258-246, 266-235, 181-232, 226-206).
#20 Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., def. # Jeremy Hunt, Sikeston, Mo., 4-0
(222-190, 200-158, 268-201, 227-160).
#21 Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., def. # Ryan Abel, Bel Aire, Kan., 4-1
(204-228, 245-211, 206-199, 279-164, 227-218).
#12 Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., def. # D.J. Archer, Mineral Wells, Texas,
4-0 (238-192, 237-201, 224-162, 258-143).
#10 Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, def. # Mitch Beasley, Arlington, Texas, 4-0
(240-199, 189-186, 227-194, 223-203).
#23 Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., def. # Ken Abner, Cincinnati, 4-0 (212-184,
220-152, 220-186, 232-197).
#18 Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, def. # Jonathan Van Hees, Newport, R.I.,
4-3 (255-213, 216-214, 234-245, 181-230, 193-204, 233-199, 278-226).
#15 Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., def. # Ken Simard, Greenville, S.C., 4-3
(248-212, 201-279, 200-201, 259-180, 183-242, 186-176, 232-195).
#14 Mike DeVaney, San Diego, def. # Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 4-1 (195-207,
185-180, 222-213, 244-215, 237-201).
#19 Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., def. # Troy Wollenbecker, Miami, 4-0 (268-201,
234-215, 227-224, 215-200).
#22 Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., def. # Derek Sapp, Keokuk, Iowa, 4-0
(211-167, 232-146, 269-197, 194-160).
#11 Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., def. # Christopher Collins, Fayetteville,
N.C., 4-2 (223-223, 236-230, 247-225, 225-238, 244-150, 227-189).
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