PDW Wins His 80th PBA Title

Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Hall of Famer Pete Weber defeated 2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Player of the Year Mika Koivuniemi by 416 pins to win the PBA Central Region’s Boss Snow Plows/Track Open on Saturday.

Weber finished the 18-game round-robin match play event with an 8-2 record and a total of 4628, including bonus pins, to increase his PBA-record total of regional titles to 45.

Weber, who also owns 35 PBA Tour titles for an overall record 80 national and regional victories, now has a three-title lead over Steve Jaros in the PBA Regional titles race.

PBA’s Top 10 Regional Title Winners

1. Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 45

2. Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 42

3. Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 39

4. Sam Zurich, Grant, Fla., 38

5. Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 36

6. Ross Packard, San Jose, Calif., 32

6. Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash., 32

8. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 30

9. Guppy Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 29

9. Dennis Horan Jr., Temecula, Calif., 29

9. Jeff Richgels, Oregon, Wis., 29

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PBA Year End Awards Go to Koivuniemi, Norton and Jurek

Finland’s Mika Koivuniemi, who won the richest first prize 

in Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) history and 

became the first player ever to reach the television finals 

in all four PBA major championships in a single season,
has been selected as 2010-11 PBA Player of the Year.

Koivuniemi, who won the $250,000 first prize in the $1 

million PBA Tournament of Champions, also finished 

second in the U.S. Open, third in the Bayer USBC 
Masters and sixth in the PBA World Championship on his way to winning the PBA 
Tour earnings title with $330,040 – the third-highest total in PBA Tour history. 
The 44-year-old right-hander, who also won Player of the Year honors for 
2003-04, was the Tour’s average leader with a 222.50 average for 292 games 
bowled.

The PBA also announced Scott Norton of Costa Mesa, CA, is 2011 Harry Golden 
Rookie of the Year and Jack Jurek of Lackawanna, NY, has won the Steve Nagy 
Sportsmanship Award for the second time.

Koivuniemi, who lives in Hartland, MI, and Venezuela’s Amleto Monacelli (1989 
and 1990) are the only international players who have won PBA Player of the Year 
honors. Koivuniemi received 334 votes from his peers, easily out-distancing 
runner-up Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas (63) and Bill O’Neill of 
Southampton, PA. (61).

“It’s really a great honor,” Koivuniemi said. “There are only 10 players who had 
won Player of the Year more than once, and to be the 11th member of that group 
is really special.

“It was an almost perfect season for me,” he added. “Qualifying for TV for all 
four majors is a huge deal. No one had ever done that before, and to win the 
Tournament of Champions? That’s the one everyone wanted.”

Norton, a practicing California attorney, won his first PBA Tour title in the 
Pepsi Chameleon Championship. He was the only rookie to win a title during the 
2010-11 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season. Norton received 445 votes; no other 
player received more than 15.

Jurek, who also won the Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award in 2006, also was an 
overwhelming choice. His most visible act of sportsmanship came during the title 
match of the Bayer USBC Masters where he was top qualifier, and was on the verge 
of losing to first-time champion Tom Hess of Urbandale, Iowa.  Jurek approached 
Hess, who had broken down in tears under the emotion of his victory, and helped 
him calm down enough to finish the match.

Another Stellar Showing for Linds Lakers at USBC Championships

For the second consecutive year, Linds Lakers 1 of Minneapolis walked out of the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, NV, with the lead in Team All-Events at the USBC Open Championships.

Last year, the team finished in second place, 97 pins short of a third Team All-Events title since 2002. The group also came up short in Regular Team with another runner-up finish.

Luke Voaklander, the only team member not on the roster during the 2002 and 2006 title runs, led the way this year with a 2093 all-events total, which included a 300 game. The 31-year-old right-hander helped the group to a 10,076 total, marking the 27th time in 108 years of USBC Open Championships history that a team has eclipsed the 10,000 mark.

Linds Lakers 1 also accomplished the feat in 2002 (10,339) and 2010 (10,187).

Linds Cedarvale 2 of Eagan, Minn., led by 2010 Regular All-Events champion Matt McNiel, previously held the lead this year with 10,027. Voaklander was followed by Gary Green (2032), John Eiss (2015), Sam Lantto (2000) and Charles Vashaw (1936).

The original fifth member of the title-winning team is USBC Hall of Famer Todd Savoy, who chose to bowl with his family this year instead.

“Each time is different,” said Eiss, who made his 38th Open Championships appearance. “Each time has its own special things. My daughter bowled with us this year on the other team, and we bowled Doubles together, so she got to experience things on a personal level, and that was really neat.

“We also aren’t getting any younger. Every time we bowl, we think this might be our last chance, and we thought that last year. We just missed out on the Team event, and that one hurt the most.”

George Rowan and Rod Singer of Columbus, Ohio, were in perfect harmony as they moved into the Regular Doubles lead with a 1494 total. Erik Hohlbein of Renton, Wash., and Shawn Copeland of Milwaukie, Ore., previously held the lead with 1466.

Singer put together games of 278, 242 and 289 for an 809 series, while Rowan added 205, 257 and 223 for 685. Singer’s 800 series was the 10th of this year’s tournament and the third in two days.

“I had the right ball in my hand and was very comfortable,” said Singer. “It’s all about getting comfortable. It’s nice to know when you let it go that it’s going to make the right move.”

The PBA Returns to Chicago with a Team Tourney

Compiled with information provided by Lydia Rypcinski May 5, 2011 5:08AM

Bill “The Real Deal” O’Neill, who shot the men’s target score for this year’s Chicago Sun-Times "Beat The Champions" event, will be among 20 pro bowlers running out shots at 10Pin Bowling Lounge (330 North State Street, Chicago, IL 60654) during Memorial Day week.

O’Neill & Co. will be in town for the $180,000 “Geico PBA Team Shootout.” Four five-person teams will compete at the Marina City center May 31-June 1 for a $75,000 first prize after pro-ams May 29.

The Shootout is the first national Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) event held within the Chicago city limits since the long-gone Bowlium on North Sheridan Road hosted the 1963 Coca-Cola Open.

Tom Clark, deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the PBA, said this also would be the first time a modern “boutique-style” center welcomes the PBA.

“We’re signed, sealed and delivered and can’t wait to get to ­Chicago for this,” Clark said.

The pros will bowl on teams representing four of the major ball manufacturers. Points earned during round-robin qualifying will determine seeding for the Baker-game stepladder finals Sunday.

Unlike other PBA competitions, qualifying will include novelty ­formats such as “best ball” along with traditional team bowling.

The Shootout rounds will be ­videotaped and broadcast on ESPN as part of the “PBA Summer Series” ­beginning June 25.

Mohr Wins PBA Senior Miller High Life Classic

Ron Mohr of Eagle River, Alaska, won the PBA Senior Miller High Life Classic Wednesday at George Pappas’ Victory Lanes for his fourth career Senior Tour title.
 

Mohr, the 2009 PBA Senior Player of the Year, defeated Tim Kauble of Marion, Ohio, 248-236, in the title match for his first win of the season after a third-place finish in last week’s Sun Bowl In the Villages and fourth-place finish in the season-opening Senior Don Carter Open.

It was an especially emotional win for Mohr, whose wife Linda passed away in January as the result of treatment complications from surgery last September. He had to miss most of the second half of the 2010 Senior Tour season to return home to be with his wife and family.

“My plan was to approach this season like I did when I first came out on Tour in 2008,” said the 55-year-old Mohr. “I’d bowl the first three tournaments or so and see how it goes and then make a decision on if I should continue.

“It’s a big relief, he continued. “Prior to the start of this season I hadn’t bowled competitively for seven months so I wasn’t sure what the future was going to hold. I’ll be honest, winning in the third tournament of the season was more than I could expect.”

With Mohr down by 20 pins in the fifth frame, Kauble missed a 10 pin in the sixth frame which turned out to be a turning point in the match. 

“He started with the first five (strikes) but when he missed that spare it put me back in the match,” Mohr said. “Then, I had four strikes in a row from the sixth to the ninth and all I needed to do was mark in the 10th frame to shut him out.”

Mohr defeated Keith Sharp of Orlando, FL, 268-249, in the semifinal to advance to the championship match. Kauble defeated PBA Hall of Famer and four-time Senior Player of the Year Tom Baker of King, NC, in the other semifinal match, 268-238.

The PBA Senior Tour will take a short break and resume May 21-24 for the Mark Roth Allentown Open at Playdrome Rose Bowl in Allentown, PA.

PBA SENIOR MILLER HIGH LIFE CLASSIC

George Pappas’ Victory Lanes, Mooresville, N.C.

Final Results

Championship Match

Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska ($8,000) def. Tim Kauble, Marion, Ohio ($4,500), 248-236.

Semifinal Round (one-game matches, losers earn $2,500)

Kauble, def. Tom Baker, King, N.C., 268-238.

Mohr def. Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., 268-249.

Round of 8 (best-of-three games, losers eliminated, $1,700 each)

Kauble def. Steve Lickliter, Beckley, W. Va., 2-1

Baker def. Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 2-0.

Sharp def. Marty Berke, Allentown, Pa., 2-0.

Mohr def. Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., 2-0.

Round of 16 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,300 each)

Lickliter def. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3-2.

Kauble def. William Keene, Orlando, Fla., 3-1.

Baker def. Warren Blankenship, Ardmore, Okla., 3-0.

Parks def. Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., 3-1.

Mohr def. Henry Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 3-0.

Kossert def. Gary Shultis, Levittown, N.Y., 3-1.

Berke def. Bill McCorkle, Westerville, Ohio, 3-2.

Sharp def. David Kneas, Annapolis, Md., 3-2.

Round of 24 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,150 each)

Lickliter def. Dave Patchen, Oregon, Ohio, 3-2.

Kauble def. Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Township, Mich., 3-0.

Blankenship def. Dave Goldenberg, Selden, N.Y., 3-0.

Parks def. Hugh Miller, Seattle, 3-0.

Kneas def. Larry Popp, Marion, Ohio, 3-1.

McCorkle def. Russ Freeman, Antioch, Ill., 3-2.

Gonzalez def. Dale Eagle, Tavares, Fla., 3-0.

Kossert def. Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 3-0.

Round of 32 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,050 each)

Patchen def. George Pappas, Charlotte, 3-2.

Sullins def. Jeff Bellinger, Columbia, S.C., 3-1.

Goldenberg def. Kerry Painter, Henderson, Nev., 3-1.

Parks def. Guppy Troup, Taylorsville, S.C., 3-1.

Kneas def. Charlie Tomey, Spartanburg, S.C., 3-1.

McCorkle def. Darryl Bower, Mechanicsburg, Pa., 3-1.

Eagle def. Bob Brady, Santa Monica, Calif., 3-0.

Kossert def. Vince Honeycutt, Bufurd, Ga., 3-1.

Walter Ray Williams Jr. Leads PBA Senior Miller High Life Classic

Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, FL, heads a field of 32 players who advanced to match play after Tuesday’s second round qualifying in the PBA Senior Miller High Life Classic at George Pappas’ Victory Lanes.

The 2010 PBA Senior Rookie of the Year leads with a 3,899 16-game pinfall total (243.6 average) after bowling 2,025 in Monday’s eight-game round and 1,874 in Tuesday’s second round. Using the same ball he used in Monday’s round, Williams had games of 244, 257, 168, 279, 245, 195, 247 and 239 Tuesday.

“Out of the gate I liked my ball reaction much better in today’s round than yesterday but I had a couple bad games,” said the 51-year-old Williams, who is the PBA Tour’s all-time titles leader with 47 wins. “In the 168 game I had a problem adjusting to the pair of lanes I was on, and in the 195 game, I actually had a good shot to the pocket but just didn’t carry."

Rounding out the top five are Keith Sharp of Orlando, FL, in second with 3,881, followed by Gary Shultis, Levittown, NY, 3,826; Brian Brazeau of Ocala, FL, 3,785 and four-time Senior Player of the Year Tom Baker of King, N.C., 3,771.

Williams, who won last season’s PBA Senior Miller High Life Classic in his Senior Tour debut, is hoping to defend his title after a second-place finish in last week’s Senior Sun Bowl In The Villages and third-place in the season-opening Senior Don Carter Open.

“When you lead qualifying you just hope to keep the momentum going,” Williams said. “Hopefully I can keep throwing a lot of strikes because I’m going to need them. The guys on the Senior Tour are good and just like the regular tour you can’t take anything for granted.”

Match play begins Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET with Round of 8 and championship rounds starting at 7:30 p.m.

PBA SENIOR MILLER HIGH LIFE CLASSIC
George Pappas’ Victory Lanes, Mooresville, N.C.


SECOND ROUND
16-game pinfall totals; top 32 advance to Wednesday’s match play rounds

1, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3,899.
2, Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., 3,881.
3, Gary Shultis, Levittown, N.Y., 3,826.
4, Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., 3,785.
5, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3,771.
6, Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 3,718.
7, Marty Berke, Allentown, Pa., 3,697.
8, William Keenan, Jr., Orlando, Fla., 3,690.
9, Tim Kauble, Marion, Ohio, 3,688.
10, Russ Freeman, Antioch, Ill., 3,677.
11, Henry Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 3,676.
12, Warren Blankenship, Ardmore, Okla., 3,675.
13, Hugh Miller, Seattle, 3,666.
14, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 3,655.
15, Larry Popp, Marion, Ohio, 3,654.
16, Steve Lickliter, Beckley, W. Va., 3,652.
17, George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C., 3,632.
18, David Kneas, Annapolis, Md., 3,625.
19, Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., 3,624.
20, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 3,623.
21 (tie), Kerry Painter, Henderson, Nev., and Dale Eagle, Tavares, Fla., 3,612.
23, Bill McCorkle, Westerville, Ohio, 3,610.
24, Jeff Bellinger, Columbia, S.C., 3,595.
25, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Township, Mich., 3,589.
26, Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa., 3,586.
27, Bob Brady, Santa Monica, Calif., 3,580.
28, David Goldenberg, Selden, N.Y., 3,575.
29 (tie), Guppy Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., and Vince Honeycutt, Buford, Ga., 3,570.
31, Charlie Tomey, Spartanburg, S.C., 3,568.
32, Dave Patchen, Oregon, Ohio, 3,565.


Failed to advance
s-indicates super seniors outside of the regular prize fund cashing for $700


33, Michael Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 3,563, $900.
34, Gale Voshell, Dover, Del., 3,562, $900.
35, Robert Harvey, Boise, Idaho, 3,560, $900.
36, Gary Morgan, Marietta, Ga., 3,556, $900.
37, Peter Knopp, Germany, 3,554, $900.
38, Mark Glover, Woodbridge, Va, 3,542, $900.
39, Dale Csuhta, Wadsworth, Ohio, 3,532, $900.
40, Mike Hastings, Millsboro, Del., 3,524, $900.
41, Bob Handley, Winter Park, Fla., 3,522, $900.
42 (tie), Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., and Steve Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y., 3,512, $900.
44, Emilio Mora Sr., Defiance, Ohio, 3,511, $900.
45, Brent Hunter, Glenville, Pa., 3,506, $900.
46, Steve Neff, Homosassa Springs, Fla., 3,496, $900.
47 (tie), Ron Garr, Ridgedale, Mo., and Phil Taylor, Tifton, Ga., 3,488, $900.
49, Mark Scime, Winter Garden, Fla, 3,478, $900.
50, Bill Henson, Westerville, Ohio, 3,467.
51 (tie), Bob Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, William Banks, Laurel Hill, N.C., and Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 3,458.
54, Dave Sill, Rockledge, Fla., 3,453.
55, Dave Flemming, Fairborn, Ohio, 3,443.
56, Patrick King, Yankton, S.D., 3,434.
57, Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 3,432.
58, Jeff Schrum, Cherryville, N.C., 3,429.
59, Michael Tryniski, Fulton, N.Y., 3,401.
60, s-Gary Hiday, Indianapolis, 3,397, $700.
61, Darryl Traber, Waterford, Wis., 3,394.
62, Dennis Psaropoulos, Lake Worth, Fla., 3,393.
63 (tie), Frank Gallo Jr., Jacksonville, Fla., and Mark Pickford, Charlotte, N.C., 3,392.
65, Bill Argenbright, Fisherville, Va., 3,387.
66, Ron Jacobson, Jupiter, Fla., 3,379.
67 (tie), Bob Chamberlain, The Villages, Fla., and Tom Smith III, Newark, Del., 3,370.
69, Terry Metzner, Kentwood, Mich., 3,368.
70, Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 3,365.
71, s-Michael Truitt, Orland Park, Ill., 3,362, $700.
72, Fred Kaczmarczyk, Martinez, Calif., 3,358.
73 (tie), Don Patterson, Lakewood, Colo., Steve Stein, Staten Island, N.Y., and s-Mike O'Barr, Anderson, S.C., 3,357, $700.
76, s-Bob Andersen, Forest City, N.C., 3,350, $700.
77, Tom Howison, Chillicothe, Ohio, 3,347.
78, s-Thomas Ream, Tampa, Fla., 3,343, $700.
79, Mark McNutt, Alpharetta, Ga., 3,335.
80, s-Dowell Milliken, Lake Grove, N.Y., 3,318, $700.
81, Michael Walden, Stony Point, N.Y., 3,313.
82, Keith Glasgow, St. Petersburg, Fla., 3,310.
83, Don Hicks, West Babylon, N.Y., 3,302.
84, s-Larry Graybeal, Elizabethton, Tenn., 3,300, $700.
85, Pete Bryan, Laurel, Del., 3,293.
86 (tie), James Souder, Greeneville, Tenn., and William Tenan Jr., Hayes, Va., 3,292.
88, Stan Wells, Kingsport, Tenn., 3,277.
89, Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, 3,272.
90, Rich Giragosian, Charlotte, N.C., 3,271.
91, Harv Pallas, Stevensville, Mich., 3,267.
92, David Frazier, Parkersburg, W.Va., 3,251.
93, Roy Buckley, New Albany, Ohio, 3,248.
94, Ray Johnson, Battle Creek, Mich., 3,246.
95, Jim Price, Harrrisburg, N.C., 3,244.
96, Daniel Miner, East Moline, Ill., 3,243.
97, Ron Woods, Hudson, Fla., 3,223.
98, Marc Lineberry, Camanche, Iowa, 3,217.
99, Hector Valenzuela, Brown Summit, N.C., 3,214.
100, Terry Wellman, Marengo, Ohio, 3,210.
101, Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., 3,208.
102, Donna Tuttle, King, N.C., 3,205.
103, John Maloof, Park Hall, Md., 3,185.
104, Gary Simon, Philippi, W.Va., 3,183.
105, Fred Ferreira, Kings Park, N.Y., 3,182.
106, Henry Blough, Elizabethtown, Pa., 3,181.
107, Harley Trumbull, New Boston, Mich., 3,170.
108 (tie), Joseph Stalnaker, Alderson, W.V., and Rusty Huggins, Concord, N.C., 3,169.
110, Frank Manley Jr., Fletcher, N.C., 3,168.
111, Hollis McMullen, Rockville, Md., 3,161.
112, Ron Glick, Morganville, N.J., 3,159.
113, Douglas Weese, Carson City, Mich., 3,155.
114, John Shreve Sr., Elyria, Ohio, 3,132.
115, Steve Easterday, Strasburg, Ohio, 3,123.
116, Norm Ginsberg, Kissimmee, Fla., 3,122.
117, Archie Means, Spartanburg, S.C., 3,116.
118, Dave Bernhardt, Romeo, Mich., 3,114.
119, Gregory Smith, Baltimore, 3,106.
120, Bobby Dunn, Augusta, Ga., 3,105.
121, Dave Paquin, Kannapolis, N.C., 3,093.
122, Greg Wilhelm, Stafford, Va., 3,087.
123, Todd Wilson, Summerfield, N.C., 3,083.
124, Kerry Fulford, Brownwood, Texas, 3,077.
125, Ken Gibson, Greenville, S.C., 3,072.
126, Ken Waters, Kingsport, Tenn., 3,066.
127, Christopher Keane, New City, N.Y., 3,065.
128, Xavier Pullara, Brandon, Fla., 3,041.
129, Donald Breihan, Columbia, S.C., 3,037.
130, Nick Panicaro, Naples, Fla., 3,036.
131, George Lord, Lakeland, Fla., 3,034.
132, Jim Shuck, Huntingdon, Pa., 3,021.
133, Ray Randall, Dearborn, Mich., 3,004.
134, Dennis Amato, Pine Brook, N.J., 3,001.
135, Dan Clausse, Reno, Nev., 2,982.
136, Larry Felts Jr., Moore, S.C., 2,951.
137, Andy Anderson, Falls Church, Va., 2,937.
138, Bob Webb, Burnsville, N.C., 2,913.
139, Stephen Lippman, Palm Harbor, Fla, 2,885.
140, Ross McDonald, Clarksville, Md., 2,842.
141, Fred Baldwin, Sturgis, Mich., 2,743.
142, Rick Hood, Stafford, Va., 2,701.
143, Dennis Lefebvre, High Point, N.C., 2,649.
144, Larry Williams, St. Augustine, Fla., 1,577 (WD).
145, Andy Ippolito, Forest Hills, N.Y., 1,561 (WD).
146, Randy Niehaus, Rockford, Ill., 1,473 (WD).
147, Brian Clarke, Columbia, S.C., 1,341 (WD).
148, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 886 (WD).


300 Games - Keith Sharp, Henry Gonzalez, Brian Brazeau