The PBA Senior Tour returns to Pinellas County after a seven-year absence with the St. Petersburg Clearwater Open Aug. 8-11 at Seminole Lanes.
The 60-lane center hosted six senior tournaments starting in 1992 that drew the country's top senior players, including the late Earl Anthony. Each tournament attracted at least 50 players, good spectator turnout and solid pro-am participation.
"The PBA Senior Tour is a perfect match for our senior-rich area and we're delighted to have it back," said Kevin Krauss, general manager of Sunshine Bowl, Sunrise and Seminole lanes. "Now, we are looking for corporate sponsors for the tournament and pro-am."
Past winners were Robert Gibbs, John Handegard, Gary Dickinson, Don Helling, Jim Brenner and Teata Semiz. Anthony, the PBA's top winner with 41 national and four senior tour wins, finished fourth in the 1996 renewal. He died in August 2001 in Milwaukee after a fall.
The eight-stop senior tour opens with the Epicenter Classic March 28-31 at Klamath Falls, Ore., and includes two major events, the Senior Masters April 4-9 at Las Vegas and the Senior U.S. Open May 8-14 at Sterling Heights, Mich. There is no television.
"We feel confident there will be a few additions to the schedule in the near future," said Mark Bisbing, vice president of PBA operations.
Except for the majors, tournaments will feature four-day formats beginning with a practice and pro-am Thursdays. All squads will bowl eight qualifying games Fridays, followed by eight more Saturdays with a cut to the top 32. Best-of-five match play will continue with a cut to the final four for the best-of-three match play and the final two rounds Sundays.
WILLIAMS WINS MASTERS: Last year, Ocala's Walter Ray Williams Jr. thought he let an ABC Masters title slip away. This year, he didn't let that happen.
Williams had the highest game on the television finals, defeating top seed Chris Barnes 268-239 to win the 54th ABC Masters on Sunday at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., earning $100,000. The Masters qualifies as a PBA event and all points and exemptions apply.
"Last year, I bowled great all week, but this time I bowled well on TV," said Williams, who lost to Bryon Smith in last year's final. Smith, the defending champion, lost both matches and was eliminated.
Williams is two titles short of Anthony's career record. To reach the championship match, Williams defeated Mika Koivuniemi 237-213.
The field of 583 featured five women, including pros Liz Johnson, Kelly Kulick and Kim Terrell, the only woman to make the cut to match play before being eliminated.
Randy Pedersen of Pembroke Pines and Chris Loschetter of West Melbourne lost in late match-play rounds. Clermont's Jason Couch, Orlando's Chris Hayden and Lake Worth's Steve Wilson did not qualify for match play. They were joined by Steve Hoskins of Tarpon Springs, Kent Wagner of Palmetto, Tom Daugherty, Jeff Boyd and Don Yoshihara of Tampa, Bob Belmont of Dunedin, Dave Taylor of Seminole and Pat Lauro of St. Petersburg.
RENO WINNER: Koivuniemi beat Brad Angelo 258-181 to win the Reno Open on Jan. 29 at the National Bowling Stadium and earn $40,000.
Koivuniemi defeated Brian Kretzer 236-213 to gain the finals. In the first semifinal, Angelo ousted Paul Fleming 258-235. Angelo earned $30,00 and Kretzer and Fleming $10,000. Weber, who lost to Kretzer, earned $9,000.
Patrick Healey heads the PBA money winners with $162,000. Koivuniemi is second at $102,550 and Barnes third with $88,050.
The tour is at Fountain Valley, Calif., this week for the U.S. Open. ESPN will air the finals Sunday from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
