Weber Back on Top

Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Pete Weber posted a 7-1 record after the first round of match play to help him take the lead in an event honoring his father’s incredible bowling legacy.

Overall, Weber finished with a 23-game total of 5,486 to hold a 63-pin lead over fellow PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke of Clermont, Fla., in the Denny’s Dick Weber Open at Fountain Bowl Thursday.

“This is the position I want to be in,” said the 46-year-old Weber. “At the end of the day tomorrow I want to be in this same spot.”

Weber, who is tied with Mark Roth for third all-time with 34 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour titles, is looking for his first television appearance and victory of the 2008-09 season. He credited some recent tips from his brother Rich for getting his game back on track.

“I’m definitely someone who needs to have the physical part of my game right to be at the top of my game as opposed to going to different equipment to make adjustments,” Weber said. “When I can feel that my approach, arm swing and follow through are all in sync, I never have to second guess myself.”

Currently, the top five in the standings represent 121 PBA Tour titles: Weber, 34; Duke, 31; Michael Fagan, 1; Chris Barnes, 10 and Walter Ray Williams Jr., 45. Three of the top five—Weber, Duke, and Williams—are members of both the PBA and United States Bowling Congress Halls of Fame, and Barnes is the reigning PBA Player of the Year.

The field of 24 players will return for two more 8-game rounds of match play today after which the top five will be determined for Sunday’s ESPN-televised stepladder final which gets underway at 1 p.m Eastern (10 a.m. Pacific). The winner will earn $35,000 and a one-year exemption on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour.

Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Denny’s Dick Weber Open
Fountain Bowl – Fountain Valley, Calif. February 5, 2009
Match Play Round 1
(after 23 games, including match play records and bonus pins)
1, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 7-1, 5,486
2, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 6-2, 5,423
3, Michael Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 7-1, 5,296
4, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 4-4, 5,267
5, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 4-4, 5,255
6, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 4-4, 5,187
7, John Nolen, Waterford, Mich., 4-4, 5,166
8, George Lambert IV, Canada, 7-1, 5,163
9, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 5-3, 5,147
10, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 4-4, 5,109
11, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 5-3, 5,107
11, Tony Reyes, San Bruno, Calif., 5-2-1, 5,107
13, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 4-4, 5,093
14, Brian Voss, Kennesaw, Ga., 2-6, 5,087
15, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 6-2, 5,079
16, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 4-4, 4,988
17, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 3-5, 4,970, $100
18, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 2-6, 4,968
19, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 3-5, 4,957
20, Vance Sisk, Sun City, Calif., 3-5, 4,952
21, Troy Wollenbecker, Miami, Fla., 2-6, 4,939
22, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 2-6, 4,915
23, Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 1-6-1, 4,874
24, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 1-7, 4,775