By CHASE KAUFMAN
PBA Communications
Just two 2023 Regional Players Invitational qualifiers transpired within the past two weeks, moving another four PBA and three PBA50 athletes into the RPI. This bout took place in Bluffton, Ind. in the Central Region, but seven other tournaments also took place, giving bowlers all over the United States a chance to earn more points toward the leaderboards.
PBA FAMILY FORD OF BLUFFTON/EZ BOWL CENTRAL OPEN
Patrick Dombrowski led the field of 56 in qualifying, but national tour powerhouse EJ Tackett didn’t sit far behind at +152, just two pins behind Dombrowski. The top third of bowlers moved onto the advancers round to bowl another eight games, aiming to jump into the top four for the stepladder.
After 16 games, EJ Tackett jumped into first at +217, while Bailey Mavrick, Zac Tackett, and Brian Robinson snagged the other three stepladder spots. Robinson took down Zac Tackett 195-180, then fell to Mavrick 206-190.
In a nail-biter final, EJ Tackett squeaked out Mavrick 248-246 to win his 10th PBA Regional title, while Mavrick, Robinson, Zac Tackett, and Michael Schlabach seized spots in the RPI. EJ Tackett is ineligible for the RPI after finishing in the top-50 during this season’s national tour.
PBA Family Ford Of Bluffton/EZ Bowl Central Open Final Standings
EJ Tackett – 2,500 points, $2,500
Bailey Mavrick – 1,500, $1,300
Brian Robinson – 1,150, $1,100
Zac Tackett – 950, $925
PBA50 JEFF SCHRUM MEMORIAL RPI SOUTH OPEN
The 42-foot Mark Roth pattern was very friendly to bowlers as a pair of 300s were thrown in qualifying by tournament leader Gary Faulkner and Ed Oakes, who qualified in sixth. It took a 221 average for bowlers to get in the single-elimination bracket, where three of the top four bowlers in qualifying who had earned a double-bye won their first match to move into the semifinals.
Mac Sanders powered through Walter Ray Williams Jr. 243-184, while Darryl Bower took down Lee Robison 238-221. In the end, Sanders defeated Bower 214-211 to pick up his second regional title, both of which came at Liberty Lanes in Gastonia, N.C. Sanders, Bower and Robison earned berths in the PBA50 RPI.
PBA50 Jeff Schrum Memorial RPI South Open Final Standings
Mac Sanders – 2,500 points, $3,000
Darryl Bower – 1,500, $1,700
Lee Robison – 1,150, $1,157
Walter Ray Williams Jr – 950, $1,157
PBA BATTLE AT BLACK OAK (MEMBERS ONLY)
Forty-four members took part in the Battle at Black Oak in Tuolumne, Calif., but only 16 moved into the bracket. Lanndyn Carnate, Darren Tang, Tyler Cortez Schenck, and Bryan Hahlen earned double-byes, but Tang was the lone player to win his first match to head into the semifinals.
Jake Peters and Scott Boyle battled in the first semifinal match, but Boyle came out on top with a 267 in his last game to move onto the finals. In the other bout, Tang faced Wesley Low Jr. but dropped both games by 20 pins to fall in the semis.
Boyle’s momentum was too much to handle as he shot another 267 to Low’s 222 for his second regional title.
PBA Battle at Black Oak Final Standings
Scott Boyle – 5,000 points, $2,500
Wesley Low Jr. – 3,000, $1,500
Jake Peters – 2,300, $1,100
Darren Tang – 1,900, $1,100
PBA50 PLATINUM FORD SOUTHWEST OPEN
Mike Bailey led 36 Southwest bowlers in Rowlett, Texas on the Marshall Holman pattern at +101. Six others went plus and another five just snuck into the cut at -32 or better.
After 11 games of match play, John Burkett moved up the leaderboard to first at +406. Lee Lorts sat just 17 pins behind, meaning the position round would be a winner-take-all game barring any shake-up from below.
Winning 209-186, Lorts ended up getting the better of Burkett to finish first, also just 15 pins ahead of Mike Bailey, who nailed a 269 in his last match. Lorts earned title number one of his career, 2,500 points and $2,000.
PBA50 Platinum Ford Southwest Open Final Standings
Lee Lorts – 2,500 points, $2,000
Mike Bailey – 1,500, $1,300
John Burkett – 1,150, $1,000
Glenn Smith – 950, $850
PBA ODESSA SOUTHWEST SUPER OPEN
The following week, the young guns competed in Texas and 64 bowlers came out to play. Nobody ran away with the tournament on Saturday, but Nathan Bohr led the field at +261 with five guys behind him at +200 or better.
The 21 bowlers were cut to 12 on Sunday after the cashers round. Through eleven games of match play, Bohr retook the lead after relinquishing it for a short period earlier that morning. Bohr easily held onto the lead after the position round to claim his 25th regional title, which ranks among the top-35 in PBA history.
PBA Odessa Southwest Super Open Final Standings
Nathan Bohr – 2,500 points, $5,000
Dylan Macon – 1,500, $2,700
Deo Bernard – 1,150, $1,800
AJ Chapman – 950, $1,400
PBA LAFAYETTE LANES FAYETTEVILLE OPEN
Michael Patterson was the lone player to average above 230 in qualifying, but Tim Davidson Jr. wasn’t far behind thanks to shooting 275, 300, and 268 in Games 3-5.
Four advancer rounds remained before the final match. Dick Allen jumped into the top spot following a 1,005 four-game block, and he stayed there until the last round when he faced Dwight Adams in the finals. Allen struggled to double, while Adams found a late double in the 8th and 9th frame, which gave Adams his first regional title.
PBA Lafayette Lanes Fayetteville Open Final Standings
Dwight Adams – 2,500 points, $2,500
Dick Allen – 1,500, $1,500
Colin Champion – 1,150, $840
Matthew Woodall – 950, $840
PBA50 SUPER BOWL MW OPEN
Back to the senior side of things, Atlantic, Iowa hosted 21 bowlers at Super Bowl on the 41’ Harry Smith pattern. Jeff Johnson led the field, going +277, with the next-highest bowler, Eugene McCune, at +139. Even with their earned byes in the first round, both fell in the semifinals in four games.
Anthony Jovanovich faced Tony Manna, Jr. in the championship round, but it was all Manna, Jr. as he swept Jovanovich 3-0. It had been a while for Manna, as his last regional title came in 1998.
PBA50 Super Bowl MW Open Final Standings
Tony Manna, Jr. – $1,800
Anthony Jovanovich – 1,500 points, $1,000
Eugene McCune – 1,150, $750
Jeff Johnson – 950, $750