Eddie Graham wins PBA50 DeHayes Insurance Group Championship
08/10/16
Eddie Graham of Centerville, Ohio, joined the PBA50 Tour in June and immediately made an impact by qualifying for match play in eight consecutive tournaments. He parlayed that success into a win in the PBA50 DeHayes Insurance Group Championship presented by Pro Bowl West and Ebonite Tuesday at Pro Bowl West in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
In a title match where strikes were hard to come by and spares were good enough, Graham defeated three-time PBA50 Tour and five-time PBA Tour winner Bob Learn Jr. (right) of Erie, Pa., 186-156, for his first career PBA50 Tour title.
From left, Pro Bowl West proprietor Dave Small, winner Eddie Graham and Dave Relue, President of DeHayes Insurance Group.
"It was ugly out there for both of us," said Graham, who has won five PBA regional titles including the 2007 PBA Regional Players Invitational. "I was having problems reading the front part of the lane but eventually I found a place where I could throw the ball soft, let the lane do the work, and at least get the ball to the pocket."
Graham bowled on the PBA Tour part-time from 1994 to 1998 but didn't achieve the success he was hoping for. Like many bowlers who turn 50, he saw the PBA50 Tour as an opportunity to relive the dream.
"It was the right time to give it another shot," said Graham, whose previous best finishes this season were ninth in the recent PBA50 South Shore Open and 12th in the Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open. "I've been a bowler my whole life so I looked at it as another chapter in my bowling career, and here I am."
In the opening stepladder match, PBA Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli (left) of Venezuela, trying for his second title of the season, defeated Fort Wayne native and two-time PBA50 Player of the Year Ron Mohr (right), 217-202, who notched his sixth top five finish of the season.
In the second match, Monacelli beat two-time PBA50 Tour winner Lennie Boresch Jr. (left) of Kenosha, Wis., 195-179, to advance to the semifinal match against Graham. Boresch's fourth-place finish was his third consecutive finals appearance after coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes.
In the semifinal, Graham handily beat Monacelli 257-175 to advance to the title match against Learn who was the top qualifier for the finals.
Action continues at Pro Bowl West Aug. 11-13 with the PBA60 Dick Weber Championship presented by Hammer for players 60 years of age and older. The season wraps up with the PBA50 National Championship presented by Riley Hospital for Children Aug. 14-17 at Signature Lanes in Elkhart, Ind.
Fans can catch all the action live on PBA's online bowling channel Xtra Frame. Click here for additional subscription and schedule information.
Mike Scroggins earns top qualifier honors in Fort Wayne
Bob Learn Jr. takes early lead in PBA50 DeHayes Championship
2016 PBA50 Tour Schedule & Champions
Pro Bowl West in Fort Wayne, Ind., USA (Aug. 6-9, 2016)
Championship Round:
1, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 443 (2 games), $7,500
2, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 156 (1 game), $4,000
3, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 587 (3 games), $2,500
4, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 179 (1 game), $2,000
5, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 202 (1 game), $1,750
Playoff Results:
First Match: No. 4 Monacelli def. No. 5 Mohr, 217-202
Second Match: Monacelli def. No. 3 Boresch, 195-179
Semifinal Match: No. 2 Graham def. Monacelli, 257-175
Championship: Graham def. No. 1 Learn, 186-156.
n-denotes non-member; ss-denotes PBA60 players ages 60 and over
Modified Match Play Round 2
(after six games, including match play bonus pins. Top five advance to stepladder finals)
1, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 5-1, 1,580
2, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 5-1, 1,518
3, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 4-2, 1,513
4, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3-3, 1,509
5, ss-Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 2-3-1, 1,505
Missed Cut:
6, Brian LeClair, Delmar, N.Y., 3-3, 1,494, $1,500
7, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 3-3, 1,482, $1,500
8, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 1-4-1, 1,466, $1,500
9, Neil Kassel, Beavercreek, Ohio, 3-3, 1,460, $1,300
10, Ralph Brunt Jr., Jensen Beach, Fla., 4-2, 1,411, $1,300
11, Rick Zakrajsek, Lorain, Ohio, 2-3-1, 1,403, $1,300
12, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 3-2-1, 1,383, $1,300
13, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 3-3, 1,369, $1,300
14, Don Breeden, Clive, Iowa, 2-4, 1,332, $1,300
15, Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 1-5, 1,298, $1,300
16, ss-Ron Boroff, Mansfield, Texas, 2-4, 1,296, $1,300
Modified Match Play Round 1
(after five games, including match play bonus pins)
17, Robert Brown, Cody, Wyo., 4-1, 1,180, $1,150
18, Brian Voss, Centennial, Colo., 3-2, 1,176, $1,150
19, Todd Kjell, Roscoe, Ill., 1-3-1, 1,172, $1,150
20, Terry Rohrer, Ft. Wayne, Ind., 4-1, 1,172, $1,150
21, ss-Warren Nelson, Middleburg, Fla., 3-2, 1,163, $1,150
22, ss-David Axon, Bellevue, Neb., 3-2, 1,155, $1,150
23, ss-Dave Bernhardt, Romeo, Mich., 2-3, 1,143, $1,150
24, ss-Paul McCordic, Sugar Land, Texas, 2-3, 1,141, $1,150
25, John Brockland, St. Charles, Mo., 2-3, 1,136, $1,050
26, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 2-3, 1,127, $1,050
27, n-Jeff Richgels, Madison, Wis., 1-4, 1,109, $1,050
28, Joe Scarborough, Charlotte, N.C., 1-3-1, 1,089, $1,050
29, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 1-3-1, 1,068, $1,050
30, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 0-4-1, 1,058, $1,050
31, ss-Edward Roberts, Braintree, Mass., 0-4-1, 1,039, $1,050
32, ss-Tom Baker, King, N.C., 1-4, 1,015, $1,050
Other Cashers
(after five-game cashers' round)
33, Tom Carter, Columbus, Ohio, 1,091, $1,000
34, Brian Cooper, Henderson, Nev., 1,080, $1,000
35, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 1,078, $1,000
36, ss-Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 1,070, $1,000
37, ss-John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 1,052, $1,000
38, ss-John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 1,040, $1,000
39, ss-Don Sylvia, Daytona Beach, Fla., 1,030, $1,000
40, ss-Sam Maccarone, Blackwood, N.J., 1,028, $1,000
41, ss-Dale Csuhta, Wadsworth, Ohio, 1,008, $1,000
42, ss-Edward Silva, Manteca, Calif., 990, $1,000
43, ss-Marc Lineberry, Camanche, Iowa, 989, $1,000
44, Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., 987, $1,000
45, Christopher Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 985, $1,000
46, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 954, $1,000
47, ss-Michael Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 943, $1,000
2016 PBA50 Tour #13
Graham outlasts Bob Learns Jr., 186-156, in grueling title match for his first career PBA50 Tour title
Â
Eddie Graham of Centerville, Ohio, joined the PBA50 Tour in June and immediately made an impact by qualifying for match play in eight consecutive tournaments. He parlayed that success into a win in the PBA50 DeHayes Insurance Group Championship presented by Pro Bowl West and Ebonite Tuesday at Pro Bowl West in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In a title match where strikes were hard to come by and spares were good enough, Graham defeated three-time PBA50 Tour and five-time PBA Tour winner Bob Learn Jr. (right) of Erie, Pa., 186-156, for his first career PBA50 Tour title.
From left, Pro Bowl West proprietor Dave Small, winner Eddie Graham and Dave Relue, President of DeHayes Insurance Group.
"It was ugly out there for both of us," said Graham, who has won five PBA regional titles including the 2007 PBA Regional Players Invitational. "I was having problems reading the front part of the lane but eventually I found a place where I could throw the ball soft, let the lane do the work, and at least get the ball to the pocket."
Graham bowled on the PBA Tour part-time from 1994 to 1998 but didn't achieve the success he was hoping for. Like many bowlers who turn 50, he saw the PBA50 Tour as an opportunity to relive the dream.
"It was the right time to give it another shot," said Graham, whose previous best finishes this season were ninth in the recent PBA50 South Shore Open and 12th in the Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open. "I've been a bowler my whole life so I looked at it as another chapter in my bowling career, and here I am."
In the opening stepladder match, PBA Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli (left) of Venezuela, trying for his second title of the season, defeated Fort Wayne native and two-time PBA50 Player of the Year Ron Mohr (right), 217-202, who notched his sixth top five finish of the season. In the second match, Monacelli beat two-time PBA50 Tour winner Lennie Boresch Jr. (left) of Kenosha, Wis., 195-179, to advance to the semifinal match against Graham. Boresch's fourth-place finish was his third consecutive finals appearance after coming off back-to-back runner-up finishes. In the semifinal, Graham handily beat Monacelli 257-175 to advance to the title match against Learn who was the top qualifier for the finals.
Action continues at Pro Bowl West Aug. 11-13 with the PBA60 Dick Weber Championship presented by Hammer for players 60 years of age and older. The season wraps up with the PBA50 National Championship presented by Riley Hospital for Children Aug. 14-17 at Signature Lanes in Elkhart, Ind.
Fans can catch all the action live on PBA's online bowling channel Xtra Frame. Click here for additional subscription and schedule information.
Â
Related Articles
Mike Scroggins earns top qualifier honors in Fort Wayne
Bob Learn Jr. takes early lead in PBA50 DeHayes Championship
2016 PBA50 Tour Schedule & Champions
Â
PBA50 DeHayes Insurance Group Championship - Stepladder Finals
Pro Bowl West in Fort Wayne, Ind., USA (Aug. 6-9, 2016)
Championship Round:
1, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 443 (2 games), $7,500
2, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 156 (1 game), $4,000
3, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 587 (3 games), $2,500
4, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 179 (1 game), $2,000
5, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 202 (1 game), $1,750
Playoff Results:
First Match: No. 4 Monacelli def. No. 5 Mohr, 217-202
Second Match: Monacelli def. No. 3 Boresch, 195-179
Semifinal Match: No. 2 Graham def. Monacelli, 257-175
Championship: Graham def. No. 1 Learn, 186-156.
PBA50 DeHayes Insurance Group Championship - Match Play Results
n-denotes non-member; ss-denotes PBA60 players ages 60 and over
Modified Match Play Round 2
(after six games, including match play bonus pins. Top five advance to stepladder finals)
1, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 5-1, 1,580
2, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 5-1, 1,518
3, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 4-2, 1,513
4, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3-3, 1,509
5, ss-Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 2-3-1, 1,505
Missed Cut:
6, Brian LeClair, Delmar, N.Y., 3-3, 1,494, $1,500
7, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 3-3, 1,482, $1,500
8, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 1-4-1, 1,466, $1,500
9, Neil Kassel, Beavercreek, Ohio, 3-3, 1,460, $1,300
10, Ralph Brunt Jr., Jensen Beach, Fla., 4-2, 1,411, $1,300
11, Rick Zakrajsek, Lorain, Ohio, 2-3-1, 1,403, $1,300
12, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 3-2-1, 1,383, $1,300
13, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 3-3, 1,369, $1,300
14, Don Breeden, Clive, Iowa, 2-4, 1,332, $1,300
15, Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 1-5, 1,298, $1,300
16, ss-Ron Boroff, Mansfield, Texas, 2-4, 1,296, $1,300
Modified Match Play Round 1
(after five games, including match play bonus pins)
17, Robert Brown, Cody, Wyo., 4-1, 1,180, $1,150
18, Brian Voss, Centennial, Colo., 3-2, 1,176, $1,150
19, Todd Kjell, Roscoe, Ill., 1-3-1, 1,172, $1,150
20, Terry Rohrer, Ft. Wayne, Ind., 4-1, 1,172, $1,150
21, ss-Warren Nelson, Middleburg, Fla., 3-2, 1,163, $1,150
22, ss-David Axon, Bellevue, Neb., 3-2, 1,155, $1,150
23, ss-Dave Bernhardt, Romeo, Mich., 2-3, 1,143, $1,150
24, ss-Paul McCordic, Sugar Land, Texas, 2-3, 1,141, $1,150
25, John Brockland, St. Charles, Mo., 2-3, 1,136, $1,050
26, Steve Jaros, Yorkville, Ill., 2-3, 1,127, $1,050
27, n-Jeff Richgels, Madison, Wis., 1-4, 1,109, $1,050
28, Joe Scarborough, Charlotte, N.C., 1-3-1, 1,089, $1,050
29, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 1-3-1, 1,068, $1,050
30, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 0-4-1, 1,058, $1,050
31, ss-Edward Roberts, Braintree, Mass., 0-4-1, 1,039, $1,050
32, ss-Tom Baker, King, N.C., 1-4, 1,015, $1,050
Other Cashers
(after five-game cashers' round)
33, Tom Carter, Columbus, Ohio, 1,091, $1,000
34, Brian Cooper, Henderson, Nev., 1,080, $1,000
35, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 1,078, $1,000
36, ss-Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 1,070, $1,000
37, ss-John Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 1,052, $1,000
38, ss-John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 1,040, $1,000
39, ss-Don Sylvia, Daytona Beach, Fla., 1,030, $1,000
40, ss-Sam Maccarone, Blackwood, N.J., 1,028, $1,000
41, ss-Dale Csuhta, Wadsworth, Ohio, 1,008, $1,000
42, ss-Edward Silva, Manteca, Calif., 990, $1,000
43, ss-Marc Lineberry, Camanche, Iowa, 989, $1,000
44, Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., 987, $1,000
45, Christopher Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 985, $1,000
46, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 954, $1,000
47, ss-Michael Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 943, $1,000
Â