FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jerry Schneider | PBA Media Relations

Professional Bowlers Association | 55 E. Jackson Blvd., Suite 401 | Chicago, IL 60604

| Jerry.schneider@pba.com | 262.366.2157

Walter Ray Williams Jr. Averages 245 for 10 Games

to Lead Qualifying in PBA50 Lucas Magazine Classic

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (April 22, 2018) — After a single 10-game qualifying round, Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Fla., averaged 245.6 Sunday to emerge as the top qualifier heading into match play for the PBA50 Lucas Magazine Classic at Lane Glo Bowl.

In the opening tournament of the 2018 PBA50 Tour season, Williams, an 11-time PBA50 Tour winner, finished with a 2,456 pinfall total to edge out 2017 PBA50 Rookie of the Year Michael Haugen Jr. of Phoenix, who finished in second with 2,451.

Williams, the PBA Tour’s all-time titles leader with 47 wins, had games of 258, 265, 205, 229, 279, 238, 240, 269, 226 and 247.

“The biggest change I had to make was when I went to a more aggressive ball in the fourth game,” said the 58-year-old Williams. “Even though it was a long block, the pace of bowling was good. As long as I kept throwing the ball firmly and maintained good (ball) speed I could keep throwing the ball from the outside which is where I have the best results.”

Williams, who finished third in the recent Port Property Management PBA Xtra Frame Shootout in Maine, is hoping for his first PBA50 Tour title since winning the USBC Senior Masters in June of 2017.

“I had the Senior Masters win last year but wasn’t really happy with the season other than that,” Williams added. “I’ve been bowling pretty well recently and just want to keep it going.”

Williams won the PBA Bowlers Discount Eastern Open regional tournament in Maryland a week ago for his 107th overall career PBA title.

Haugen, the winner of the 2017 Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open, had games of 257, 204, 212, 211 231, 278, 258, 243, 299 and 258 for his 10 games in the qualifying round.

“I’m coming in with a simpler is better mentality,” said Haugen, the winner of five titles on the regular PBA Tour. Right now, I only have two balls with me and I’m going back to old school by making the most of my adjustments with speed and hand positions. It’s what we grew up doing and that’s what was working for me, especially in the last half of the round.”

Haugen is coming off a win in the PBA50 Sarasota South Open regional tournament which ended Friday.

Rounding out the top five were five-time PBA Tour winner Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 2,410; Sammy Ventura, Norwich, N.Y., 2,393, and two-time tour winner Warren Nelson, Hemet, Calif. 2,391.

Competition continues Monday with a cashiers’ round at 8:30 a.m. ET followed by the first round of match play at noon. After the second match play round at 3 p.m., the top five players will be determined for the stepladder finals at 7 p.m.

Fans can catch all the action on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. For subscription and schedule information visit www.xtraframe.tv.

 

PBA50 LUCAS MAGAZINE CLASSIC

Lane Glo Bowl, New Port Richey, Fla., Sunday

 

First Round

(After 10 games. Positions 1-24 advance to match play. Positions 25 through 44 plus eight PBA60 players advance to cashers round to determine eight additional match play spots)

 

1, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 2,456.
2, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 2,451.
3, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 2,410.
4, Sammy Ventura, Norwich, N.Y., 2,393.
5, Warren Nelson, Hemet, Calif., 2,391.
6, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 2,386.
7, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 2,373.
8, John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 2,372.
9, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 2,356.
10, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 2,339.
11, Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 2,338.
12, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 2,337.
13, Danny Clark, New Palestine, Ind., 2,330.
14, Don Breeden, Clive, Iowa, 2,320.
15, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 2,313.
16, Jeff Bellinger, Columbia, S.C., 2,312.
17, Lee Brosius, Ashburn, Va., 2,309.
18, n-Warren Eales, Chandler, Ariz., 2,303.
19, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 2,299.
20, James Hansen, Anchorage, Alaska, 2,298.
21, Ralph Brunt Jr., Jensen Beach, Fla., 2,283.
22, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 2,277.
23, Brian LeClair, Albany, N.Y., 2,273.
24, John Donovan, Melbourne, Fla., 2,250.
25, Sam Maccarone, Williamstown, N.J., 2,244.
26, Mike Mineman, St Louis, Mo., 2,234.
27, Todd Haney, Boiling Springs, S.C., 2,230.
28, Jim Pitts, Elmira, N.Y., 2,220.
29, John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 2,219.
30, Keith Lesko, Prosper, Texas, 2,216.
31, Bill Watson, Monroe, Ohio, 2,212.
32, Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 2,201.
33, Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 2,197.
34, Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 2,196.
35, Patrick King, Yankton, S.D., 2,191.
36, William Peters, Dayton, Ohio, 2,186.
37, James Knoblauch, Waukesha, Wis., 2,184.
38, Harry Alchin III, Madeira Beach, Fla., 2,182.
39, Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., 2,175.
40, George Litwin, Miami, 2,169.
41, Christopher Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 2,167.
42, Tony Johnson, Canton, Ohio, 2,164.
43, Jeff Schrum, Cherryville, N.C., 2,162.
44, Kimmo Lehtonen, Finland, 2,160.
45, Glenn Smith, New York, 2,159.
46, ss-Henry Dawson, Elma, Wash., 2,155.
47, Gary Alstott, Washington, Ill., 2,153.
48, Paul LeMond, Jasper, Ind., 2,151.
49, Todd Kjell, Roscoe, Ill., 2,147.
50, ss-Ray Valdovino, Sacramento, Calif., 2,136.
51, James Deplanche, Taylor, Mich., 2,135.
52, n-Dennis Rakauskas, Apopka, Fla., 2,121.
53 (tie), ss-Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., and Peter Knopp, Germany, 2,120.
55, Craig Auerbach, Sunrise, Fla., 2,118.
56, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 2,117.
57, Dave Han, Birmingham, Ala., 2,114.
58, Rolando Sebelen, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 2,108.
59, ss-Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 2,106.
60, John Dougherty, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., 2,099.
61, David Taylor, Largo, Fla., 2,098.
62, (tie) Terry Metzner, Kentwood, Mich., and Marty Berke, Allentown, Pa., 2,097.
64, David Bleggi, Jacksonville, N.C., 2,092.
65, Doug O’Bryant, Ball Ground, Ga., 2,086.
66, ss-Fred Ferreira, Kings Park, N.Y., 2,085.
67, ss-Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 2,084.
68, ss-Steve Bova, Massapequa, N.Y., 2,077.
69, ss-John DiSantis, Wilmington, Del., 2,072.
70, Widmar Vargas, Riverview, Fla., 2,070.
71, (tie) Jerry Brunette Jr., Naples, Fla., and Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., 2,069.
73, John Conroy, Mahopac, N.Y., 2,068.
74, Michael Mikolajczyk, Boothwyn, Pa., 2,065.
75, (tie) Tom Carter, Columbus, Ohio, and John Hough, Naples, Fla., 2,063.
77, Charlie Toney, Oak Hill, W.Va., 2,060.
78, Doug Henry, Columbus, Ind., 2,057.
79, Steve Kenyon, Dade City, Fla., 2,050.
80, Ken Fishman, Lutz, Fla., 2,049.
81, Jon DeLaney, McKinney, Texas, 2,046.
82, Timothy Martin, Harrisville, R.I., 2,043.
83, James Campbell, Clearwater, Fla., 2,039.
84, Rick Francis, Linden, Calif., 2,038.
85, Mike Hastings, Millsboro, Del., 2,035.
86, (tie) James Storts, Westfield, Ind., and Michael Craig, Westerville, Ohio, 2,034.
88, John Gant, Medford, Mass., 2,033.
89, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 2,020.
90, Steven Putnam, Warner Robins, Ga., 2,018.
91, George Patel, England, 2,016.
92, Darin Hays, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,007.
93, Steven DiMartino, Upper Saddle River, N.J., 2,002.
94, Michael Byers, Charleston, S.C., 1,999.
95, David Martin, Chesapeake, Va., 1,991.
96, n-John Chovanec, Sugarland, Tex., 1,976.
97, (tie) Barry Clare, Bayside, N.Y., and C.K. Moore, Gulf Breeze, Fla., 1,975.
99, Glenn Morgan, Carson City, Nev., 1,955.
100, Paul McCordic, Sugar Land, Texas, 1,953.
101, Steven Jansson, Barnes, Wisc., 1,947.
102, Scott Greiner, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 1,946.
103, Jimmy Jean, Kathleen, Ga., 1,942.
104,  Brian Miller, Springfield, Ohio, 1,930.
105, Tony Rodriguez Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., 1,922.
106, Bob Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 1,920.
107, (tie) Pete Arruda, Gilbert, S.C., and Michael Truitt, New Port Richey, Fla., 1,910.
109, Arthur O’Connor, Middle Village, N.Y., 1,901.
110, Frank Gallo Jr., Jacksonville, Fla., 1,899.
111, ss-Steve Calyore, Naples, Fla., 1,897.
112, Darryl Dempsey, Pinellas Park, Fla., 1,882.
113, Ken Shealy, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 1,881.
114, Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 1,877.
115, Timothy Regan, East Northport, N.Y., 1,874.
116, Louis Alessi, Clearwater, Fla., 1,864.
117, Michael Vella, Bellport, N.Y., 1,861.
118, David Sanders, Blythewood, S.C., 1,859.
119, Lucien Casagrande, Canada, 1,844.
120, Johnny Wilson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1,832.
121, Thomas Ream, Tampa, Fla., 1,821.
122, William Keenan Jr., Orlando, Fla., 1,820.
123, John Austin Jr., League City, Texas, 1,812.
124, Greg Kemp, Conroe, Texas, 1,811.
125, Timothy Bates, Orlando, Fla., 1,806.
126, Bill Henson, Westerville, Ohio, 1,803.
127, Lew Elting, Carlsbad, Calif., 1,781.
128, Robert Donovan, Prattsville, N.Y., 1,709.
129, Doug Evans, Bayonet Point, Fla., 1,706.
130, ss-John Thomas, Fort Myers, Fla., 1,675.
131, Rich Schubert, Cornith, Texas, 1,573.

300 games – Lennie Boresch Jr., Ryan Shafer and Ralph Brunt Jr.

ss-indicates PBA60 players advancing to cashiers’ round

n-indicates non-member

# # #