UPDATED 11-01-03
Here is my report of the 2nd day of the PBA Miller Lite Open held at beautiful Hawthorne Lanes in Vernon Hills, Illinois.
For the 2nd consecutive week I squeaked into the top 64. This time I was 64th place at +143 while 32nd was at +194 after the first 9 games of qualifying. I started the 2nd round using a scuffed light particle ball NO PHOTO(#4543) playing from around 6 out to about 3 with medium to firm speed.
I started the first game with a 6 bagger before leaving a 4-9 split which I made. I had double before throwing a couple of bad shots in the 10th to shoot 255. The 2nd game was also very good as I started with a double, then I had a 7 bagger before a bad shot on the 2nd shot in the 10th frame for a 265. By now I was looking around 4 at the arrows. The 3rd game was also pretty good as I had a 5 bagger in the middle of the game to shoot 234 despite missing the pocket 3 times. Game 4 was one where my carry came down to earth and I only had a double and a closing 4 bagger for a 226. In game 5 I started with a 5 bagger thanks to back to back high shots which struck in the 3rd and 4th. Of course a solid 10 stopped my string, but I then had a turkey to end with a 257.
I had my first open of the day in the 6th game when I missed the 3-6-10 to the right. I had an opening double and a late turkey to shoot 215. I had started to move left at the end of the 6th game and was looking around 7 at the arrows. I had an early turkey, but then a couple of pulled shots went high and I missed the 3-6-9-10 in the 8th frame. In the 9th frame I went to a low reacting reactive ball (#0008) and moved to the right only to trip the 2 pin for a strike. I moved a bit farther right in the 10th and added 2 more strikes to finish with a 221. In game 8 I started with a double followed by a solid 9. A wide shot in the 5th left me with a 2-10 which I missed. I never doubled in the rest of the game and ended up with a 194.
With 1 game to go I was at +410 with the cut at +361, so I was in pretty decent shape as long as I didn't bowl a horrible game. After leaving a 2 pin in the 1st frame I decided to go with a more aggressive reactive ball
(#0640) and had a double. But in the 6th frame I got the ball a bit left and ended up with the 4-6-7-9-10 split which I missed. I'm not sure exactly how, but on my next shot I missed the head pin right to only leave the 1-2. I then moved left and played around 12 at the arrows. I managed to not have any more opens and shot 194. Not the best finish I have ever had, but I made it to the round of 32. In the second round I had 62 strikes out of 101 shots. I had 3 strikes while missing the pocket, a tripped 4-6 and 4-7-10 in the 3rd and 4th frames of the 5th game and a tripped 2 pin in the 9th frame of the 7th game. I missed the pocket 21 times.
My strike % on pocket shots was 59 out of 80 pocket shots or 73%.
I only had 4 opens. 2 were splits (2-10, 4-6-7-9-10) and 2 were missed spares (3-6-10, 3-6-9-10). I did pretty well on the rest of my spares as I picked up the 4-9 split, four 3-6's, two 6-10's plus the 1-2.
My carry was much better in the 2nd round plus I strung my strikes together. I also didn't have many opens.
My round of 32 match was against Tim Mack. Tim is a noted bowler from bowling 'Amateur' tournaments. This was Tim's debut PBA National tournament as a member and after one round he was leading. He struggled a bit in the 2nd round, but still made the cut easily. Since this was Tim's first national event he doesn't have any points and since I am still ranked #1 on the 20 week point list we get to bowl against each other. Even though Tim is a bit on the short side at around 5' 6", he one of the strongest bowlers. I understand that he tried out for a professional football team many years ago. Tim throws the ball with a lot of revs and speed.
I started the first game of the match playing around 4 at the arrows going out to around 2 with a low particle ball (#4543). Tim had a few taps in the first 7 frames only managing a double while I started with a turkey and then finishing the game with an 8 bagger to win the first game 279-185. I started the 2nd game with a solid 10 and then a turkey while Tim had the front 4. I went high in the 5th frame leaving the 3 pin. Tim followed me by leaving the 3-4-6-10 split in the 5th frame which he missed. After Tim's strike in the 6th I struck in the 6th frame only to leave a 4 pin in the 7th. Tim also left a 4 pin in the 7th followed by a strike. I left a solid 10 in the 8th and struck in the 9th. Tim struck in the 9th frame and flushed his first shot in the 10th for a strike on a shot I thought he pulled. Needing a strike and count to lock up the game Tim again pulled his 2nd shot, but this time it went high only to trip the 4-7-10 for a strike. He threw his fill ball down the middle to beat me 243-237.
In the 3rd game Tim started with a tap and a 3-6-10 while I started with a tap in the 2nd and a tripped 4-7-10 in the 3rd for a strike. Unfortunately I left two weak 10's around a 4 pin while Tim was striking. Tim left a 4 pin and 10 pin in the 7th and 8th frame while I finally started striking in the 7th. However a solid 10 in the 10th about ended any chances for me as Tim needed only a mark in the 10th frame. He struck out to win game three 245-217. Tim went light in the 2nd frame of the 4th game to leave a 4 pin while I was striking. Tim then had a 5 bagger, but a solid 9 pin in the 8th frame gave me a 41 pin lead as I kept on striking. Tim finished first and shot 259. I only needed to get decent count in the 10th frame and I would even the match. I guess I was making sure that I didn't throw the ball in the channel as I tugged the ball a bit and it went high with the 4 and 7 pins falling very late for a strike. I threw the next 2 shots flush in the pocket for strikes and a very nice 300 game. In game 5 we both started with a 4 pin and weak 10. Tim then started striking and I went through the nose for a 4-6-7 in the 4th frame on what I thought was my tight lane. I was now moving left and playing 7 at the arrows out to about 3. A 10 pin and a 4 pin in the 5th and 6th weren't doing me any good as Tim continued to strike. I did have a late 5 bagger to shoot 223, but Tim's 278 was too much for me.
We both started the 6th game with a 4 bagger, but I had a tripped 4-7-10 in the 3rd frame. I again went high on the left lane in the 5th, but this time it was a 4-6-7-10 split which I missed. Tim left a weak 10 in the 5th frame followed by a 4 pin. In the 6th frame I guess I threw another slow shot as I went through the beak again leaving and missing the 4-6-7-9. I moved more left and switched to a reactive ball (#0640) in the 7th frame for a strike. Tim doubled in the 7th and 8th. I added 2 more strikes and then watched as Tim threw a strike in the 9th. Tim only needed a mark and count in the 10th frame to win the game and match. He was very light, but only left the 8 pin which he made. Tim won the 6th game 243-219 and the match 4-2. I bowled pretty well, but had most of my strikes in 2 games. I ended up knocking down more pins than my opponent for the 2nd consecutive week only to be beaten. Tim bowled a very good match and will be tough to beat if he bowls like that in his next matches.
In the round of 32 match I had 50 strikes out of 70 shots. I had 3 strikes while missing the pocket, a tripped 4-7-10 in the 3rd frame of game 3, a rolled 4-7 in the 10th frame of the 4th game and a tripped 4-7-10 in the 3rd frame of the 6th game. I missed the pocket 8 times.
My strike % on pocket shots was 47 out of 62 pocket shots or 76%.
I had 3 opens. All 3 were splits (4-6-7, 4-6-7-10, 4-6-7-9). I never left any other combination leaves.
In the round of 32 Tim Mack had 48 strikes out of 69 shots. He had 1 strike while missing the pocket, a tripped 4-7-10 in the 10th frame of game 2. He missed the pocket 9 times with 3 of those being fill balls.
His strike % on pocket shots was 47 out of 60 pocket shots or 78%.
He had 2 opens, both were splits (3-7-10, 3-4-6-10). He picked up the 3-6-10 which was his only other combinations spare leave.
These last two weeks have been a bit crazy in that I just barely make the cut to the top 64, then bowl great in the 2nd round only to get beat in the round of 32 in matches where my scores would have beaten most of the other players bowling in that round. Hopefully some of my future opponents are a little 'nicer' to me.
Walter Ray