Monday, January 26, 2009

Allen Wins TOC Sitting On The Bench

Patrick Allen won the Professional Bowlers Association’s H&R Block Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes Sunday, in a high scoring nail biter, but he didn’t feel very good about it.


The Wesley Chapel, Fla., left-hander slipped past his fellow southpaw, close friend and Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour roommate Rhino Page of Topeka, Kan., 267-263, to win his second career major championship and his second title in three weeks. It meant a $50,000 payday and a two-year PBA Tour exemption in the crowning event of the PBA’s 50th Anniversary Gala week.


Allen had a hard time shaking off the fact that his buddy basically handed him the glory by making an errant shot on his second shot in the 10th frame. Needing only a nine-count spare after striking on his first shot in the final frame, Page – the PBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year – called for a re-rack to calm himself. Not realizing he had already used the two re-racks he was allowed, he glanced at the 25-second shot clock before re-composing himself.


“Rhino got the ball a little too far left. It came off his hand with nothing on it,” Allen said. “I could see it was a bad shot.”


Page missed the headpin, knocking down four pins and his dream of winning his first major title disappeared.


“I knew the shot was in trouble when it came off my hand,” Page said. “I got distracted with the time clock, but sometimes you have to learn the hard way. I still had a great week. I’ll take second after not making the cut the previous three weeks.”


“He out-bowled me until that shot,” Allen said. “I really feel for him. You don’t win out here if you don’t get some breaks, but that’s not the way you want to win. I got a huge break two weeks ago against Walter Ray Williams Jr., but to be honest, I didn’t feel as bad for Walter Ray. He’s got 45 titles. You have to get breaks to beat him."

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