04/30/08
2008 PBA Senior Tour #1
Sharp wins PBA Senior Tour opener in Dayton
Capri Bowling Lanes in Dayton, Ohio (April 22-29, 2008)
A summer ago, Keith Sharp came up just short in his quest to win his first Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Senior Tour title the same week he lost his father.This time, dealing with his mother's recent illness, Sharp was able to come through with a victory, defeating Sam Zurich in the title match of the 2008 PBA Senior Dayton Classic at Capri Bowling Lanes in the first event of the season.
Keith Sharp, right, with Capri Bowling Lanes proprietor, Mike Irwin.
In an exciting finish which saw both bowlers finish with a 210 in the title match, Sharp won a one-ball roll-off, 10-8, for his first victory.
Sharp quietly put together one of the best seasons on Tour in 2007, culminating with a third-place finish in the season-ending Dick Weber Invitational which took the same week his father passed away. Recently, his mother fell ill and was in the hospital, making Sharp unsure if he'd be able to bowl this summer.
With his family in his thoughts, Sharp rallied to win all six of his matches Tuesday with a 13-3 record. After a 3-1 win in the Round of 32, Sharp swept three-time defending PBA Senior Player of the Year Tom Baker, 3-0, which gave him a boost of confidence.
"He told me, 'You better win this whole thing or I'm going to kick your you-know-what,'" Sharp said of Baker.
And that he did. After wins of 3-1 in the best-of-five Round of 16 and 2-1 in the best-of-three Round of 8, Sharp knocked off Bill Argenbright, 218-181 in the semifinals to set up a match against Zurich, the 2007 PBA Senior Rookie of the Year.
Sharp jumped out to an early lead against Zurich with strikes in the first three frames and looked like he might threaten to take home the $50,000 Capri Bowling Lanes Proprietor Mike Irwin offered to any bowler who could shoot 300 in the title match. But after he failed to strike in the next frame, Sharp missed the single-pin conversion and opened in two of the next three frames.
In the driver's seat to win his second career title, Zurich left a pocket 7-10 split in the eighth frame and Sharp took advantage by striking three consecutive times in the eighth, ninth and 10th to tie the match.
Zurich went first in the roll-off and left the 2-8. Sharp then stepped up and got a tough nine pins for the victory.
"When it left my hand I actually didn't think it was going to hit the head pin and it barely got back," Sharp (Orlando, Fla.), who used a ball Tuesday he hadn't used all week, said. "I'm exhausted. I'm excited, happy and all of the above. Last year I won two Senior Regional events and those were my first two PBA titles. And now to top it off with a national title, I feel like all the hard work has paid off."
Sharp took home $8,000 for his victory while Zurich pocketed $4,500 for his runner-up finish. Argenbright (Fisherville, Va.) and Dale Traber (Cedarburg, Wis.) took home $3,000 each for third and fourth.
The PBA Senior Tour moves to Rockford, Ill., for the Columbia 300 PBA Ladies and Legends presented by MGD 64, May 2-5 at The Cherry Bowl. The event features the top senior bowlers and top female bowlers coming together for a doubles event, with the winning team taking home $15,000 on Monday, May 5.
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PBA Senior Dayton Classic
Capri Bowling Lanes in Dayton, Ohio (April 22-29, 2008)
Championship Match
Single-game match. Winner earns $8,000, loser earns $4,500.
#22 Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., def. #9 Sam Zurich, Grant, Fla., 201-201*
*Sharp won in a one-ball sudden-death roll-off, 9-8.
Round of 4
Single-game matches. Losers eliminated, earn $3,000.
#9 Sam Zurich, Grant, Fla., def. #4 Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 243-238.
#22 Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., def. #23 Bill Argenbright, Fisherville, Va., 218-181.
#9 Sam Zurich, Grant, Fla., def. #17 Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., 2-1
(259-278, 236-236*, 264-227).
#4 Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., def. #12 Dennis Psaropoulos, Lake Worth, Fla., 2-0
(247-221, 216-201).
#23 Bill Argenbright, Fisherville, Va., def. #2 Bill Henson, Westerville, Ohio, 2-1
(205-190, 238-244, 237-204).
#22 Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., def. #14 Bobby Johnson, Chillicothe, Ohio, 2-1
(190-222, 221-171, 215-168).
*Zurich won in a one-ball, sudden death roll-off, 10-6.
Round of 16
Single-game matches. Losers eliminated, earn $1,300.
#17 Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., def. #1 Sam Maccarone, Glassboro, N.J., 3-0
(204-159, 199-170, 227-184).
#9 Sam Zurich, Grant Fla., def. #8 Patrick King, Yankton, S.D., 3-1
(237-158, 236-205, 199-200, 247-170).
#12 Dennis Psaropoulos, Lake Worth, Fla., def. #5 Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 3-2
(195-225, 199-173, 192-180, 204-195).
#4 Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., def. #20 Frank Gallo Jr., Newport News, Va., 3-0
(268-180, 279-215, 225-176).
#2 Bill Henson, Westerville, Ohio, def. #15 Michael Chrzanowski, Shepherd, Mich., 3-0
(268-203, 235-201, 167-163).
#23 Bill Argenbright, Fisherville, Va., def. $7 Henry Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 3-0
(170-142, 204-203, 238-236).
#22 Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., def. #6 Dale Csuhta, Wadsworth, Ohio, 3-1
(215-234, 244-232, 182-202, 193-207).
#14 Bobby Johnson, Chillicothe, Ohio, def. #3 Michael Llaneza, Columbus, Ohio, 3-1
(212-236, 201-171, 233-197, 231-190).
Round of 24
Single-game matches. Losers eliminated, earn $1,150.
#17 Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., def. #16 Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 3-1
(199-212, 244-180, 222-164, 246-162).
#9 Sam Zurich, Grant, Fla., def. #24 Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., 3-1
(235-233, 203-205, 202-201, 266-196).
#12 Dennis Psaropoulos, Lake Worth, Fla., def. #21 Keith Kolozsi, Las Vegas, Nev., 3-2
(176-243, 243-183, 203-258, 239-151, 246-219).
#20 Frank Gallo Jr., Newport News, Va., def. #13 Kenny Parks, East Chicago, Ind., 3-2
(224-184, 244-266, 228-230, 243-223, 181-203).
#15 Michael Chrzanowski, Shepherd, Mich., def. #18 Karl Wolf, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., 3-2
(196-190, 277-268, 214-228, 258-267, 185-267).
#23 Bill Argenbright, Fisherville, Va., def. #10 Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, 3-1
(225-169, 236-257, 254-235, 215-202).
#22 Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., def. #11 Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3-0
(223-219, 229-201, 236-211).
#14 Bobby Johnson, Chillicothe, Ohio, def. #19 Doug Spicer, Canton, Mich., 3-0
(221-169, 203-182, 182-161).
Round of 32
Single-game matches. Losers eliminated, earn $1,050.
#17 Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., def. #32 Andy Ippolito, Forest Hills, N.Y., 3-1
(195-124, 222-142, 178-200, 190-146).
#24 Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., def. #25 Ted Hannahs, Zanesville, Ohio, 3-1
(137-160, 208-191, 189-178, 192-191).
#21 Keith Kolozsi, Las Vegas, Nev., def. #28 Gary Burz, Fairview Park, Ohio, 3-1
(213-165, 215-205, 176-202, 242-183).
#20 Frank Gallo Jr., Newport News, Va., def. #29 Barry Mefford, Aurora, Ill., 3-0
(243-205, 269-191, 256-191).
#18 Karl Wolf, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., def. #31 Teata Semiz, North Brunswick, N.J. 3-1
(187-179, 200-204, 205-125, 180-179).
#23 Bill Argenbright, Fisherville, Va., def. #26 Michael Lucente, 3-2
(202-179, 214-257, 171-143, 241-268, 223-195).
#22 Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., def. #27 Randy Rau, Belleville, Ill., 3-1
(192-211, 248-215, 279-255, 247-212).
#19 Doug Spicer, Canton, Mich., def. #30 John Shreve Sr., 3-1
(190-178, 227-196, 201-184, 235-181).
300 games – None.
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