Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli (pictured left) of Venezuela, won the 2012 Etonic PBA Senior U.S. Open Friday to become the first international player to win a PBA Senior Tour title.

The 50-year-old Monacelli defeated fellow Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. (right), 255-247, in the championship match at the Suncoast Bowling Center in his Senior U.S. Open debut and the third tournament of his Senior Tour rookie season.

"I wanted to win the U.S. Open so badly on the national tour so that it is why I'm so happy to win the Senior U.S. Open," said Monacelli, who had a national tour U.S. Open best finish of second in 1990. "It is so unbelievable to win against one of the greatest bowlers of all-time – I'm just very happy."

Monacelli, a 19-time winner on the PBA Tour, withstood a challenge from Williams who could have won with two strikes in the 10th frame of the title match. Williams struck on the first ball but left a 10-pin on the second shot.

"I was bowling well but had a couple bad shots in the last game," Monacelli said. "I threw a bad shot in the ninth frame and left the six pin and knew I gave a chance to Walter Ray. I was just lucky he didn't get that second strike in the 10th frame.

For Williams, the PBA Tour's all-time titles leader with 47 wins, it was a bittersweet result as he finished as runner-up for the second consecutive year. But Williams felt fortunate to be the top qualifier for the stepladder finals after nearly being eliminated from the tournament after the third qualifying round finishing in a tie for 45th just 35 pins above the cut.

"It's a strange game," said Williams, who was trying for his fourth career Senior Tour title, and second of the season. "I was able to hit the pocket but couldn't strike in qualifying. I was able to claw myself back but I would have bet you a lot of money that I wouldn't have made it to the finals."

In the semifinal match, Monacelli defeated PBA Tour veteran Mike Edwards (left) of Tulsa, bowling in his Senior Tour debut, 235-225, to advance to the title match.

"I came here hoping to win but there are so many great bowlers on the Senior Tour," said Monacelli, who in 1997 was the first international player inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame and was recently inducted into the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame. "I'm very happy to be a pioneer for international players."

In the opening stepladder match, Edwards defeated Hall of Famer Wayne Webb (right) of Columbus, Ohio, who was trying to become the Senior U.S. Open's first three-time winner, 268-244. Webb also finished fourth in the 2011 Senior U.S. Open.

The Senior Tour moves across town for the season's second major, the USBC Senior Masters June 10-15 at the South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.

 

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Etonic PBA Senior U.S. Open presented by Suncoast

Suncoast Bowling Center in Las Vegas, Nev. (June 3-8, 2012)

Championship Round:
1, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 490 (2 games), $15,000
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 247 (1 game), $8,000
3, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Oka., 493 (2 games), $5,500
4, Wayne Webb, Columbus, Ohio, 244 (1 game), $4,500

Playoff Results:
Match One: No. 4 Edwards def. No. 3 Webb, 268-244
Semifinal Match: No. 2 Monacelli def. Edwards, 235-225
Championship Match: Monacelli def. No. 1 Williams Jr., 255-247.

 

Etonic PBA Senior U.S. Open presented by Suncoast - Seventh Round Results

Players with position, hometown, match play record and 51-game total including bonus pins. Top four advanced to championship round. Places 5-24 show earnings. a indicates amateur

1, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 16-8, 12,510
2, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 13-11, 12,479
3, Wayne Webb, Columbus, Ohio, 12-12, 12,386
4, Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla., 15-9, 12,319

Missed Cut:
5, Hugh Miller, Seattle, 12-11-1, 12,260, $4,000
6, Brad Snell, Mount Prospect, Ill., 16-8, 12,125, $3,500
7, Ricky Beck, Box Elder, S.D., 15-9, 12,040, $3,000
8, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 14-10, 12,026, $2,800
9, Peter Knopp, Germany, 12-11-1, 12,012, $2,600
10, Brian Voss, Alpharetta, Ga., 14-10-0, 11,928, $2,400
11, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 10-14-0, 11,925, $2,200
12, Charlie Tapp, Kalamazoo, Mich., 12-12, 11,868, $2,000
13, a-Barry Zimmerman, Grand Forks, N.D., 14-10, 11,866, $1,900
14, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 11-13, 11,860, $1,800
15, Rohn Morton, Vancouver, Wash., 12-12, 11,845, $1,750
16, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 11-13, 11,839, $1,700
17, Joe Salvemini, Las Vegas, Nev., 12-12, 11,777, $1,675
18, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 8-16, 11,757, $1,650
19, Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 11-13, 11,712, $1,625. 20, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 10-14, 11,689, $1,600
21, a-Terry Leong, Las Vegas, 8-16, 11,688, $1,575
22, Marv Sargent, Temecula, Calif., 10-13-1, 11,632, $1,550
23, John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 12-12, 11,531, $1,525
24, Sal Bongiorno, Hollywood, Fla., 6-17-1, 11,226, $1,500

300 Games (2) - Walter Ray Williams Jr., Mark Williams