Robert Smith leads after first round in PBA One A Day® Dick Weber Open

01/28/10

2009-10 PBA Tour #11

Fountain Bowl in Fountain Valley, Calif. (Jan. 26-31, 2010)

200910PBARobertSmith.jpg200910PBATommyJones.jpgSouthern California native and seven-time Professional Bowlers Association Tour titlist Robert Smith (pictured left) averaged 233 after five games Wednesday to take the first round lead in the Professional Bowlers Association One A Day® Dick Weber Open at Fountain Bowl in Fountain Valley, Calif.

Smith, who now makes his home in Columbus, Ohio, topped a field of 153 bowlers with a 1,166 five-game pinfall on games 212, 279, 256, 213, 206 to hold a three-pin lead over 12-time titlist and 2005-06 PBA Player of the Year Tommy Jones (right) of Simpsonville, S.C. in second.

"I had two big games in that block that really carried me," Smith said. "The lanes really opened up and that's really an advantage for my game.

"When I bowl the next block the condition will be different and I'll have to adjust quite a bit. This tournament is kind of like a series of sprints and that's how I approach it."

All bowlers return Wednesday evening for another five-game qualifying round and the final five-game qualifying round Thursday. The field will then be cut to the top 24 players who will advance to the first eight-game match play round on Thursday evening.

Match play continues on Friday to determine the top five bowlers who will advance to the Sunday's stepladder final that will be televised by ESPN2 at 1 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Pacific).

A member of the PBA and United States Bowling Congress Halls of Fame, Dick Weberamassed one of the greatest careers in the sport. He was ranked No. 3 on the PBA's 50 Greatest list behind only Earl Anthony and Walter Ray Williams Jr. Weber's 30 PBA Tour titles ranks sixth all-time and he was the only bowler to win a PBA title in six different decades.

 


PBA One A Day® Dick Weber Open - First Round


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