Tour Talk

November 5, 2004

Report on Miller High Life Open at Hawthorn Lanes in Vernon Hills, Illinois.

Even though Jeff Carter out averaged me by over 12 pins a game, I managed to win the match 4 games to 3. The odd thing about the average difference is that I hit the pocket more times than he did and even had 1 more strike. I played the lanes fairly straight using dull balls all 7 games. I started playing up 7 and ended up looking at 9 on the last frame of the match.

Against Jason Queen I played a bit more hook with dull balls starting at 11. At the end of game 3 I switched to a polished ball and was playing 12 on the left lane and 13 on the right. I moved another board left by the end of the match after going high on several shots in the 4th game. My carry percentage wasn't nearly as good as Jason's in the first 3 games. In the last game I made a bad shot in the 8th frame when I didn't get the ball to hook up to the pocket. That allowed Jason to strike out for a 279 to beat me and lock up the match.

WRW vs Jeff Carter
Strikes % = 65 (52 of 80)
Pocket % = 94 (75 of 80)
Pocket Strike % = 69 (52 of 75)
Spares made: 13 10 pins, 4 7's, 2 4's, 5, 6, 8, 9, 2-5
Spare missed: 10 pin
Split missed: 7-10, 4-6-7-10

Jeff Carter vs WRW
Strikes % = 65 (51 of 78)
Pocket % = 85 (66 of 78)
Pocket Strike % = 76 (50 of 66) Spares made: 9 10 pins, 4 9's, 2 2-8's, 2, 4, 7, 4-7, 1-2-4-10, 6-10
Splits made: 3-4-6-7
Spare missed: 2-5
Split missed: 3-4-6-7, 4-6-7-9-10

WRW vs Jason Queen
Strikes % = 66 (45 of 68)
Pocket % = 91 (62 of 68)
Pocket Strike % = 73 (45 of 62)
Spares made: 9 10 pins, 2 4's, 2 7's, 2-5-8, 6-10
Splits missed: 2 7-10's, 3-6-7, 4-10, 4-6-7-10

Jason Queen vs WRW
Strikes % = 73 (52 of 71)
Pocket % = 90 (64 of 71)
Pocket Strike % = 78 (50 of 64)
Spares made: 9 10 pins, 3 4 pins, 9 pin, 1-2-4, 2-4-5-8
Spare missed: 2-4-5-8
Split missed: 4-10

Walter Ray