Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
CLEARWATER - Lakeland's David Tessman and Mulberry's George Lord are paired today for the final rounds of the PBA southern regional doubles tournament at Countryside Lanes.
Lord averaged 218 over eight qualifying games, including 290 when he missed 300 on his final ball. "I was pretty nervous on the final ball and it just went straight into the channel," Lord said.
Tessman averaged 231, collecting 1,852 pins.
Bradenton's Dave Soutar, a PBA and ABC Hall of Fame member, averaged 207 and is paired with Ken Klaus of Sunrise, who averaged 210. Soutar has won 17 national and seven senior titles.
Stoney Baker of Canton, Ga., who finished second to Clermont's Norm Duke at last month's regional at Sunrise Lanes, averaged 209 and will bowl with Orlando's William Keenan, a 205 average with a 1,642 pin count.
Tampa's Darin Hays was second high regular qualifier with 1,803 pins and will partner with Jeff Bellinger of Columbia, S.C., 213 average and 1,709 pins.
Titusville's Pete Couture, winner of five national and nine senior titles and a two-time ABC Masters winner, finished 10th and is paired with Lakeland's Richard Church.
The top 12 senior qualifiers (50-and-up) are paired with the top 12 50-and-under players for today's 12-game, match-play round robin starting at 8 a.m. The top four finishers gain the stepladder finals about 1 p.m. with the winners splitting $1,250. Admission is $2 for today's session.
Locals who missed the cut included seniors Patsy Della Penna, Palm Harbor; Paul Pippenger, Oldsmar; Mark Roth, Clearwater; Rich Esposito, Clearwater, Walt Davis, St. Petersburg; and Ron Vassallo, Dunedin.
Local regulars cut included Richard Langton, Seminole; T.C. Hildebrand, St. Petersburg; and George Allen, Dunedin.