FAIRLAWN — Francois Lavoie was trending downward. Patrick Hanrahan already was living on borrowed time.
When the two bowling professionals met each other during the final position round match of the Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions on Thursday, both thought a loss or low scores meant a trip home.
They were wrong.
Hanrahan, who only got into the TOC field due to the withdrawal of Mike Devaney after missing the cut during Monday’s pre-tournament qualifier by just five pins, shot just 182 in that final match against Lavoie. But he managed to hold on to 17th place and earn a spot in Friday’s first of four stepladder events during the PBA’s second major of the season.
Lavoie, who was 18th and trailing Hanrahan by 63 pins, shot 279 in that final match to jump to 16th. The pair will meet again in the opening match at 6 p.m. Friday (tape delay to air at 10 p.m. on FS1).
The pair will be joined by No. 15 Tim Gruendler, who also advanced from the PTQ by finishing second; No. 14 PBA Hall of Famer Wes Mallot; and No. 13 Kris Prather, the 2020 TOC champion who has qualified for both of the last two traditional stepladder finals at Riviera, finishing second a year ago.
“I literally snuck into the field. It was definitely a grind with a lot of spare shots going down the lane pair to pair,” said Hanrahan, a 27-year-old Wichita, Kan., two-handed left-hander who is looking for his first PBA title.
“My expectations going in were literally nothing. I wasn’t expecting a lot. It’s not that I expected low, but you try not to expect anything. Just make as many good shots with as many good reads and as good a ball motion as you can.
“For me, this week, it worked out.”
Hanrahan managed to secure his spot by seven pins as Dick Allen fell out of the top 17 following his 201-172 position-round loss to Gruendler. But despite going 5-2 in match play, “Packy” shot just 190 and 182 during his final two games.
“Frankie went around me and I jumped Dick Allen with not a great game. It was a good game for me, but not a great score,” Hanrahan said. “The low end was hard for me all week. I’m just glad the TV pair isn’t at that end.”
Lavoie went just 1-6 in match play before blasting his big score in the position round and securing a spot in the opening match.
“It was definitely a grind … there wasn’t a whole lot going for me and I was trending downward,” said Lavoie,, a 30-year-old Quebec City, Canada, right-hander with five PBA titles including the 2021 TOC in Jupiter, Fla.
“I just had a really tough time seeing the right shapes and had a hard time creating the right shapes. I felt like my ball speed was too low because of my rev rate, which was too low. I had a hard time getting the ball to carry and had too many shots that didn’t hit the pocket, and those split usually. I was so far left I was throwing it over the gutter cap so far down the lane.”
Lavoie, who also threw a televised 300 game when he earned his first U.S. Open title in 2016, ran the stepladder during his last TOC win.
“We were joking about that … that I ran the ladder the last time,” Lavoie said. “But it would be pretty surreal if someone did it this time, with 17 people involved. We’ll just take it one match at a time and see what happens.”
Hanrahan will use the philosophy he used all week to get to this position.
“Just make a lot of good shots hopefully and not expect a lot,” Hanrahan said.
NOTEBOOK: Of the 24 match-play finalists, there were 15 traditional right-handers, six two-handed righties, two two-handed left-handers and one traditional lefty (Graham Fach). Hanrahan as the only lefty to make the cut. … Friday kicks off with the PBA Junior finals at 1 p.m., which will include matches involving EJ Tackett and Kyle Troup and two PWBA players. … Tickets for Friday’s stepladder finals are available at pba.com. … Saturday’s schedule as the two stepladder finals live on FS1 beginning at 7 p.m., with Sunday’s championship finals set for noon on FOX.