LORAIN — We’ve heard bowlers over the years repeat the same statement: “Just get me to match play and I’ll take my chances.”
On Saturday during the eight-game qualifier for the PBA50 Ohio Lottery-Bowler X-Baldo Campana Memorial Central Open, Bill Watson was in danger of missing the cut for Sunday’s round-robin match play.
“Yesterday, I made a ball change in the last game and it almost knocked me out of the cut,” the 55-year-old Maineville right-hander said. “I wasn’t too bad until the last game and my carry disappeared. So I switched balls and left three splits.”
Watson shot 171 that final game, but squeaked into the 16th and final match-play spot by just two pins. That’s when the tournament started for the Peraton Corp. network engineer.
During Sunday’s 12 match-play games, Watson finished with three 279 games — tying the high game of the event — and had a streak that included 267, 257 and 256 with a pair of 279s from Games 6 through 10 to blitz the field and earn his first PBA50 title at Rebman Recreation.
Watson finished with 4,826 total pinfall, including a 7-5 match-play record, to finish 70 pins ahead of second-place John Kertis (4,756), also a non-winner.
After averaging just 212.75 for his first eight games, Watson completed play averaging 230.80 for 20 games overall.
“The difference sometimes is just in making the right decision. Once you feel comfortable with a ball, you can get into a groove,” said Watson, who switched to a Storm Phaze 4 when he began his run in Game 6 of match play.
“I started with three 10-pins in a row that game, made the switch, struck out and the rest is history. That ball just gave me so much better look and the carry was incredible along with the reaction on the back end.”
PBA Tour veteran Brian Kretzer (4,635) finished third after flirting with the top five all day and Rootstown right-hander Dean Billings finished fourth (4,581) despite a 5-6-1 match-play record.
“I had this feeling about Bill today that he was going to bowl very well, and I told Larry (Verble) that,” Billings said. “There wasn’t that much room between 16 and the top (162 pins). He’s just a great player.”
Watson did not take the lead until Game 8 of match play. From there, he kept increasing his advantage, going into the final position-round match against Kermis with a 124-pin lead. He lost to Kertis 237-228.
“I threw the ball pretty well, minimized my mistakes and didn’t miss too many spares,” said Kertis, a 60-year-old right-hander who is employed by Penske Logistics. “Overall, it was a good weekend.
“I really wasn’t paying attention to the standings. But I knew the last game obviously. He would have to fall over for me to catch him.”
Kertis held the lead after Games 6 and 7 before giving way to Watson.
Kretzer, who was fourth after qualifying, never dropped below sixth during match play despite nagging knee pain.
“I’m just old. I’ve got arthritis in both knees, but it really doesn’t bother me too much when I’m bowling as long as I practice a couple times the week before,” said Kretzer, who now is general manager at Poelking Woodman Lanes in Kettering.
“I’m just not throwing that much any more, and I can’t throw it like I want to since I retired from the tour.”
SUNDAY STRUGGLES FOR BILLINGS
Billings, the No. 2 qualifier behind Verble, again had problems during match play, starting out 0-4 through four matches.
“I bowl good for half of Sundays, but the other half, for whatever reason — bad reads, bad execution — I don’t know. I’ve bowled very well this year, but Sundays have been terrible,” Billings said. “All I can do is keep putting myself in position and see what happens.
“It’s like Mike Turnbull used to tell me all the time, ‘the worm will turn.’ I’m still in good shape and throwing the ball well, so it will happen.”
Billings owns one career title, but has finished second nine times.
“Some of it is my fault, and others some people have just bowled very well against me,” Billings said. “These guys are just so good.”
Including Watson on this day, the man with the high and looping backswing.
“I’m a sneaky kind of guy who relies more on feel. I’m not as technical as a lot of guys,” said Watson, who won $1,700. “So when I do get into a groove and start repeating shots, that’s when it goes good for me. But when I lose it sometimes, it’s tough to get it back.”
After a series of second-place finishes over the years, the title wait is over however.
“It’s a little crazy. It was a long time coming with a lot of second places over the years. It was tough to get over that hump,” Watson added. “I tried not to look at the leaderboard. I saw my name was on top, but I didn’t pay attention to the pins.
“I was just trying to repeat shots, and finally at the end, it came out OK.”
NOTEBOOK: The field included 51 players, with the cut being at 1,702 for eight games (212.75 average). Verble was the qualifying leader with 1,864. … High game of the event was 279, with Dave Fleming, Dave Davison and Robert Manning joining Watson with that total. … The entire 16-man match-play field was right-handed. … Gary Schluchter got the final cash spot in 17th place with 1,700 during qualifying. … Among area players, Akron’s Don Hogue was 23rd (1,634), Wadsworth’s Dale Csuhta finished 26th (1,609) and North Canton’s Mike Parker was 40th (1,533). … There were two first-time winners this weekend with Mike Eaton Jr. taking the PBA regular regional Saturday.
See complete results here: