Despite closing with games of 161 and 177, Steve Harman (pictured left) of Indianapolis held onto the third round lead in the Professional Bowlers Association's Etonic Don Johnson Eliminator Friday at Sequoia Pro Bowl, averaging 230.1 over 21 qualifying games.

Harman, a 36-year-old non-title winner, finished Friday's morning round with a 4,832 pinfall total and a 30-pin lead over Sean Rash (right) of Wichita, Kan., who finished with games of 300 and 254 to advance from sixth to second.

Michael Haugen Jr. of Carefree, Ariz., was third with 4,790 pins followed by Bill O'Neill of Southampton, Pa., at 4,776 and Tommy Jones of Simpsonville, S.C., at 4,750.

Two-time defending champion Chris Barnes of Double Oak, Texas, moved up to 15th place after 21 games in his bid for a third straight title in Columbus.

The 30 bowlers remaining in the field of 64 will bowl a final seven-game qualifying round Friday night to narrow the field to the 16 players who will be seeded into four groups of four for Saturday's Eliminator Rounds. In each of three Eliminator rounds, the bowler with the lowest three-game, total pinfall score will be eliminated.

Saturday's four surviving players will advance to Sunday's live ESPN finals starting at 12:30 p.m. Eastern. In Sunday's finals, the player with the lowest game bowled each round will be eliminated until the champion is decided.

 

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Etonic PBA Don Johnson Eliminator - Third Round Results

Players with position, hometown and 21-game total

1, Steve Harman, Indianapolis, 4,832
2, Sean Rash, Wichita, Kan., 4,802
3, Michael Haugen Jr., Carefree, Ariz., 4,790
4, Bill O'Neill, Southampton, Pa., 4,776
5, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 4,750
6, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 4,731
7, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 4,702
8, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 4,688
9, Mike Fagan, Patchogue, N.Y., 4,687
10, Osku Palermaa, Finland, 4,669
11, Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 4,664
12, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 4,663
13, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 4,647
14, Joe Bailey, Doylestown, Ohio, 4,644
15, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 4,635
16, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 4,620
17, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 4,605
18, Ken Simard, Greenville, S.C., 4,596
19, Mike DeVaney, San Diego, 4,592
20, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 4,588
21, Wes Malott, Pflugerville, Texas, 4,584
22, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 4,546
23, Tim Mack, Indianapolis, 4,540
24, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 4,537, $100
25, George Lambert IV, Canada, 4,524
26, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 4,517
27, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 4,511
28, Todd Book, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 4,495
29, Ritchie Allen, Columbia, S.C., 4,494
30, Eddie VanDaniker Jr., Essex, Md., 4,468

300 Games - (4) Eugene McCune, Rhino Page, Norm Duke, Sean Rash.