Bowling

Dallas win gives Allen exemption for '05-06

By PHIL GULICK
Published January 27, 2005

Patrick Allen, battling an injured left shoulder, won his third career PBA title when he beat Brad Angelo 267-183 at the Dallas Open Sunday.

The left-handed Allen, second in the PBA world point rankings, won the $40,000 top prize and an exemption for the 2005-06 season by striking on six straight shots.

"Brad threw a great shot in the seventh frame but left a solid nine-pin," Allen said. "Then he struck in the eighth frame and I needed to strike in the ninth frame. ... I threw a good shot to win it."

Angelo defeated three left-handers in match play but struggled to find the groove against Allen, alternating between single-pin conversions and strikes.

Allen advanced to the title match by defeating Robert Smith 226-170 in their semifinal match. Angelo defeated Patrick Girard in the first semifinal, 222-216. Angelo earned $20,000 and Smith and Girard tied for third and earned $10,000 apiece.

Ocala's Walter Ray Williams Jr., and Clermont's Jason Couch lost in the round of 16. Orlando's Chris Hayden and Titusville's Jason Hurd were eliminated in the round of 32.

The Birmingham Open is this week, with the ESPN finals at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. BOHN WINS 30TH: Parker Bohn III reached a milestone in his career Jan. 16, becoming the fifth bowler to collect at least 30 PBA titles when he defeated Smith 288-235 at the El Paso Classic.

Bohn, a PBA Hall of Famer, earned the $40,000 top prize and an exemption for the 2005-06 season by striking on his first 10 shots. "This win is a big monkey off my shoulders," said Bohn, winless in his past 51 events. "Everyone in life wants to say that they're 29 and holding. I've been saying "29 and holding' for too long."

Bohn beat Chris Barnes in their semifinal match 279-258, and Smith defeated Joe Ciccone in the first semifinal 268-247. Smith earned $20,000, and Barnes and Ciccone each took home $10,000.

Steve Wilson of Lake Worth, Williams, Couch and Hurd lost in the round of 16, and Clermont's Norm Duke was ousted in the round of 32.

RECORD ABC TOURNEY: When the 102nd American Bowling Congress Championships Tournament opens at the Baton Rouge River Center on Feb. 12, it will do so with a record 13,222 five-player teams. It is the first major event staged by the United States Bowling Congress.

The total gives Baton Rouge the non-Reno record for team entries in the tournament and places it fifth on the all-time list. The record was 12,203 in Knoxville, Tenn., in 2003.

More than 65,000 bowlers will compete for nearly $5-million in prizes, also a non-Reno record.

Phil Gulick can be reached at xerxes8@msn.com

[Last modified January 27, 2005, 00:41:13]