A look at the stellar list of Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions winners can be considered a snapshot of bowling greatness. But one of the names that stands out as missing from that list is Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr.

As the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour's leader in career titles with 46, the only major accomplishment he hasn't achieved is a Tournament of Champions title.

Williams will be competing in the 45th Tournament of Champions along with 62 other players in a battle for one of professional bowling's most prestigious crowns Jan. 19-24 at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas. The finals will be televised live on ESPN Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Pacific).

First conducted in 1962, the Tournament of Champions was created to showcase the Tour's elite. The ticket into the event has always been based on winning a PBA title.

For Williams, a Tournament of Champions win would set off a domino effect into ultra-elite status among PBA players. He has already won the PBA World Championship (2001, 2003 and 2006), U.S. Open (1998 and 2003), United States Bowling Congress Masters (2004) and PBA Touring Players Championship (1994), so a Tournament of Champions victory would mean completion of the PBA's Triple Crown, Grand Slam and Super Slam.

Only five PBA players have won a PBA World Championship, U.S. Open and Tournament of Champions - Billy Hardwick, Johnny Petraglia, Pete Weber, Mike Aulby and Norm Duke.

Aulby and Duke are the only ones to add a Masters title to complete the Grand Slam. Aulby is the lone Super Slam member, including the Touring Players Championship (an event no longer conducted).

"I definitely have to be bowling well to have a chance," said Williams, who has won a PBA Tour title in a record 17 consecutive seasons. "In passing I think about winning it (the Tournament of Champions), but I don't have nightmares. It would be nice. It's one of those things I'm missing, but I have no disappointments about my career. It would be another feather."

"I want to bowl well in every event. I know some guys put more importance on majors, but I try to win every tournament I play in."

Williams' best previous Tournament of Champions finish was second in 1989 when he lost to Del Ballard Jr., 254-218, in the championship match. Still going strong at age 50, the six-time PBA Player of the Year won his 46th title in the Motor City Open during the PBA World Series of Bowling, the first event of the 2009-10 season.

The Tournament of Champions is open exclusively to Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exempt-player champions; the winners of the most recent PBA Regional Players Championship and Regional Players Invitational; the USBC Masters winner; the USBC Senior Masters, PBA Senior U.S. Open and PBA Senior World Championship winners; all Tournament of Champions past winners, PBA Hall of Famers, and for the first time, the PBA Women's World Championship titlist (Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J.).

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45th PBA Tournament of Champions showcases Tour's elite

 

PBA Tournament of Champions Winners

1962 Joe Joseph
1963 not held
1964 not held
1965 Billy Hardwick
1966 Wayne Zahn
1967 Jim Stefanich
1968 Dave Davis
1969 Jim Godman
1970 Don Johnson
1971 Johnny Petraglia
1972 Mike Durbin
1973 Jim Godman
1974 Earl Anthony
1975 Dave Davis
1976 Marshall Holman
1977 Mike Berlin
1978 Earl Anthony
1979 George Pappas
1980 Wayne Webb
1981 Steve Cook
1982 Mike Durbin
1983 Joe Berardi
1984 Mike Durbin
1985 Mark Williams
1986 Marshall Holman
1987 Pete Weber
1988 Mark Williams
1989 Del Ballard Jr.
1990 Dave Ferraro
1991 David Ozio
1992 Marc McDowell
1993 George Branham
1994 Norm Duke
1995 Mike Aulby
1996 Dave D'Entremont
1997 John Gant
1998 Bryan Goebel
1999 Jason Couch
2000 Jason Couch
2001 not held
2002-03 Jason Couch
2003-04 Patrick Healey Jr.
2004-05 Steve Jaros
2005-06 Chris Barnes
2006-07 Tommy Jones
2007-08 Mike Haugen Jr.
2008-09 Patrick Allen

 

45th PBA Tournament of Champions Schedule

Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas, Nev. (Jan. 19-24, 2010) - All times Pacific

Tuesday, Jan.19, 2010
1 p.m. - Practice

Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010
10 a.m. - Qualifying Round 1 (8 Games)
5 p.m.- Qualifying Round 2 (8 Games)

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010
10 a.m. - Qualifying Round 3 (8 Games)
Cut to the top 24
5 p.m. - Match Play Round 1 (8 Games)

Friday, Jan. 22, 2010
11 a.m. - Match Play Round 2 (8 Games)
5 p.m. - Match Play Round 3 (8 games, top 4 advance to ESPN finals)

Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010
Pro-am squads: 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 3:30 p.m.< Autograph Session: 2 - p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010
10 a.m. - Live ESPN TV finals