Striking Spotlight

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jerry Schneider | PBA Media Relations

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

Jerry.schneider@pba.com| cell: 262.366.2157

CHICAGO (April 10, 2019) — The 2019 PBA50 Tour season gets underway April 14-17 when a full field of 160 players ages 50 and older compete in the Johnny Petraglia BVL Open presented by Lucas Magazine and Brunswick at Maple Countryside Lanes in Clearwater, Florida,followed by the season’s first major championship, the PBA50 National Championship at Spanish Springs Lanes in The Villages, Florida.

Fans can catch all the action live from start to finish for both events through PBA’s online streaming partner, FloBowling. For FloBowling subscription information and enrollment, visit flobowling.com.

Michael Haugen Jr.’s win in the 2018 Johnny Petraglia BVL Open, when it was held at Farmingdale Lanes in New York, was the launching point for PBA50 Player of the Year honors in a season in which he was the only multiple champion with two wins. The three-time PBA50 Tour winner defeated PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr., 277-195, for his second career PBA50 tour title before going on to win the River City Extreme Open later in the year.

Bowling legend Johnny Petraglia, 72, who is still competing on the PBA50 Tour more than a half-century after making his debut on the regular PBA Tour in 1965, also will compete in the tournament named in his honor. With 14 PBA Tour titles and eight PBA50 Tour titles, Petraglia is the only player in PBA history to win national titles in six different decades. He is one of six PBA Triple Crown winners and is a member of the PBA (1982) and USBC (2003) Halls of Fame.

Petraglia, a Vietnam War veteran, has been active for decades off the lanes in support of BVL (Bowlers to Veterans Link) and is an official spokesperson for the organization which provides recreational and therapeutic programs and services for America’s active duty and veteran service men and women.

Competition begins with the first eight-game qualifying round on Monday, April 15 with squads at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to be followed by another qualifying round on April 16. After a casher’s round on April 17 at 8:30 a.m., match play rounds are scheduled for noon and 3:15 p.m. that will determine the top five players for the stepladder finals at 7 p.m. A practice session will kick off the event on Sunday, April 14 from 8-11 a.m.

All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to BVL. Admission for practice day is $5 and qualifying on April 15 and 16 is $10 each day. An all-day pass for match play and the stepladder finals on April 17 is $20, with admission to the stepladder finals $10. An all-access pass for the entire tournament is $25. For additional admission and pro-am entry information contact Maple Countryside Lanes at (727) 796-8100.

The PBA50 Tour will then travel to longtime PBA50 Tour host Spanish Springs Lanes in The Villages April 22-26 for the PBA50 National Championshippresented by Spanish Springs Lanes and Radical.

Defending champion Lennie Boresch Jr. beat Hall of Famer Norm Duke, 198-192, in the title match of the 2018 PBA National Championship to win his first PBA50 Tour major and fourth career title.

PBA50 National Championship competition begins with three six-game qualifying rounds on April 23, 24 and 25 with squads bowling at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. After 18 games, the top 32 will advance to modified round robin match play at 9 a.m. on April 26. After a second round of match play round at 2 p.m., the top five players based on 34-game pinfall totals will compete in the stepladder finalsat 7 p.m.

For the PBA50 National Championship, Spanish Springs Lanes is offering a Spare Package which includes a pro-am entry and weeklong admission to the tournament for $59.95 and a Strike Package, which includes a pro-am entry, a high-performance bowling ball, andweeklong admission to the tournament for $197.95. Daily ticket prices are $8 for practice and qualifying April 22-25 and $12 for match play and finals April 26.

PBA50 JOHNNY PETRAGLIA BVL OPEN SCHEDULE

presented by Lucas Magazine and Brunswick

Maple Countryside Lanes, Clearwater, Fla. (All times Eastern)

Sunday, April 14

8 – 11 a.m. – Practice session

Noon, 2:30, 5:30 p.m. – Pro-am squads

Monday, April 15

9 a.m. – A squad qualifying (8 games)

2 p.m. – B squad qualifying (8 games)

Tuesday, April 16

9 a.m. – A squad qualifying (8 games)

2 p.m. – B squad qualifying (8 games)

Wednesday, April 17

8:30 a.m. – Casher’s Round (5 games)

Top eight advance to Match Play Round 1

Noon – Match Play Round 1 (5 games. Top eight from casher’s round plus qualifiers 9-24)

Top eight bowlers advance to Match Play Round 2

3:15 p.m. – Match Play Round 2 (6 games. Top eight from Match Play Round 1 plus qualifiers 1-8)

Top five advance to stepladder finals

7 p.m. – Stepladder Finals

PBA50 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Presented by Spanish Springs Lanes and Radical

Spanish Springs Lanes, The Villages, Fla.

Monday, April 22

9-10 a.m. A squad practice session

10:15 a.m. – B squad practice session

11:30 a.m. – C squad practice session

2:30 and 5:30 p.m. – Pro-am squads

Tuesday, April 23

9 a.m. – A squad qualifying (6 games)

1 p.m. – B squad qualifying (6 games)

5 p.m. – C squad qualifying (6 games)

Wednesday, April 24

9 a.m. – B squad qualifying (6 games)

1 p.m. – C squad qualifying (6 games)

5 p.m. – A squad qualifying (6 games)

Thursday, April 25

9 a.m. – C squad qualifying (6 games)

1 p.m. – A squad qualifying (6 games)

5 p.m. – B squad qualifying (6 games)

  Top 32 advance to Match Play Round 1

Friday, April 26

9 a.m. – Match Play Round 1 (8 games)

Top 16 bowlers advance to Match Play Round 2

2 p.m. – Match Play Round 2 (8 games)

Top five advance to stepladder finals

7 p.m. – Stepladder finals

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