Machuga Sets PBA Record Leads Red White and Blue Open

Michael Machuga of Erie, PA, threw a record-tying 300 game on his way to the
Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) 32-game scoring record in taking the
fourth-round lead in the Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open presented by the
United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Thursday night at Northrock Lanes.

Machuga, a 33-year-old two-time Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour titlist, averaged
250.50 for 32 games, posting an actual total of 8,016 pins to break the PBA
record of 7,940 set by Parker Bohn III in Japan in 1999, and with his bonus pins
after posting a 5-3 won-lost record in match play, had a total of 8,166 pins for
a 67-pin lead over Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, FL.

Machuga, who admitted he had to sell his Jeep in order to raise money to cover
his travel expenses to bowl in Wichita, also threw the 24th perfect game of the
tournament, tying the Tour’s record for most 300s in one event. David Ruder of
Edmond, OK, then broke the record with 300 No. 25 and Walter Ray Williams Jr.
of Ocala, FL, capped first match play round on the USBC Red lane conditioning
pattern with the 26th 300 in the event. The previous record for 300s in one PBA
event was set in Peoria, Ill., in 1996.

“I got off to a rocky start,” Machuga said, “but all of a sudden, the lanes made
sense, the carry is especially easy for me to read, and I’ve used the same ball
for 28 of the 32 games. It reads the lane perfectly, no matter what the pattern
or how the lanes are breaking down.”

His 2,097 pinfall total for eight games in the opening round of match play
Thursday night exceed his career best 2,043 which he posted Wednesday on the
White oiling pattern. The final two match play rounds Thursday will be conducted
on the White and Blue patterns, respectively.

“Tomorrow was the pattern I shot my second-best round ever on, so I’m just
going to hope my leg and my hand feel good, and I’ll come back and do it the
same way,” Machuga said. “And if I can go on and win this thing, I’ll buy myself
a new Jeep.”

Trailing Patrick Allen in third place was Ritchie Allen (no relation) of Columbia,
SC, with 8,063 pins; Williams with an 8,060 total; Wes Malott of Pflugerville,
TX, with 8,004 and Wayne Garber of Modesto, CA, with a 7,997 total.

Malott, who came into the round in 23rd place, had a 2,115 total for the round,
falling 50 pins short of the oldest PBA scoring record on the books – a 2,165
eight-game round by Billy Hardwick in Japan in 1968.

After Friday’s final two eight-game rounds of round-robin match play on the
White and Blue patterns, the top six will advance to the championship round
which will be taped Sunday to air on ESPN on Jan. 10.

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR
PESPI RED, WHITE AND BLUE OPEN PRESENTED BY USBC
Northrock Lanes, Wichita, Kan., Dec. 10

FOURTH ROUND (after 32 games, including match play bonus pins)
1, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 5-3, 8,166
2, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 4-4, 8,099
3, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 6-2, 8,063
4, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 5-3, 8,060
5, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 7-1, 8,004
6, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 5-3, 7,997
7, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 6-2, 7,991
8, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 4-3-1, 7,988,
9, Billy Oatman, Chicago, 3-5, 7,965
10, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 2-6, 7,960
11, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 5-3, 7,945
12, Cassidy Schaub, Ashland, Ohio, 3-5, 7,915
13, Jeff Carter, Springfield, Ill., 5-2-1, 7,887
14, David Ruder, Edmond, Okla., 5-3, 7,829
15, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 3-4-1, 7,792
16, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 4-4, 7,750
17, Gilbert Sanchez, Mulvane, Kan., 4-4, 7,735
18, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 4-4, 7,709
19, Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 4-4, 7,689
20, Cory Simmons, Wichita, Kan., 3-5, 7,631
21, Mitch Beasley, Puyallup, Wash., 4-3-1, 7,612
21, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 0-8, 7,612
23, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 3-5, 7,600
24, Andrew Mortensen, Tulsa, Okla., 0-8, 7,463

300 Games (26) – Mitch Beasley, Tommy Jones, Todd Book, Leroy Willis Jr., Billy
Oatman, Scott Newell, Michael Machuga (2), Cassidy Schaub (2), Liz Johnson,
Derek Hartnell, Cory Simmons, Gilbert Sanchez, Ritchie Allen (2), Walter Ray
Williams Jr. (2), Brad Angelo, Mike Scroggins, Jason Sterner, Rhino Page, Jason
Couch, Wayne Garber, Wes Malott, David Ruder.