Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Tom Baker (pictured left) of King, N.C., has bowled for the title in the three consecutive United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters, but if he's going to get back to the championship match this year, the road will be a little bit longer.

Baker quickly proved he is up for the challenge by starting the 2009 event with games of 276, 249, 247, 224 and 216 for a 1,212 total and the overall lead after the first day of qualifying at South Point Bowling Center. Tom Carter of Rockford, Ill., is second with 1,204, while opening-squad leader Keith Sharp of Orlando, Fla., is third with 1,165.

As the defending champion in 2007 and 2008, Baker was seeded directly into the double-elimination match-play bracket. This time, however, because he fell to Kenny Parks (right) of Hammond, Ind., in last year's finale, Baker must endure the 15 qualifying games while Parks looks on and waits for his chance to take the lanes for match play.

"It seems like I always bowl well in this tournament, and I don't mind having to go through qualifying because it gives me a chance to see how the lanes are going to change along the way," said Baker, who is nursing a sore back and injured foot.

"I knew I wasn't 100 percent coming in today, but I bowled pretty solidly, and I'm ecstatic about that. But there are a lot of great bowlers out here, and there's such a long way to go, so I'm just going to take it one day at a time. " Baker has been a dominant force since joining the PBA Senior Tour in 2005. His success was immediately recognized with Senior Rookie of the Year honors and four consecutive Senior Player of the Year awards from 2005-08.

The 54-year-old right-hander owns eight Senior Tour titles, including four majors, and would like to add to that total. He hopes his early momentum will carry over and help him into match play. Baker's keys to success are selecting the right equipment for the conditions, making spares and making adjustments as the lanes transition.

"To win a tournament like this, you need a few breaks along the way, but you also need to recognize what's happening on the lanes and learn what to look for from pair to pair and as the lanes break down," said Baker, who also owns 10 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour titles.

"The goal now is to get through qualifying and into match play, but I don't want to look too far ahead. I'll just come back tomorrow with the same game plan, which is to do the best I can."

Carter found success Monday with a little help from his friend, Wayne Webb, who won last week's PBA Senior U.S. Open.

"I sat down with Wayne last night, and we talked for a long time," Carter said. "I have been looking at the lane all wrong, and now I'm seeing it better. I also matched up pretty well today, and when you start out strong, you hope to keep it up. Luckily, I was able to do that. I'm just going to try to stay focused tomorrow and make good judgment calls. When you've got this many entries and so many styles, there are no givens and anything can happen."

All 338 Senior Masters competitors will bowl 15 qualifying games over three days, before the field is cut to the top 63, who then will join Parks in the double-elimination match-play bracket.

Qualifying continues Tuesday with squads at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Pacific.

Match play will begin Thursday morning, and all matches will consist of three games, with total pins determining the winners. The tournament champion will take home a $17,000 top prize.

 

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Qualifying Round 1

Players with position, hometown and 5-game total

1, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 1,212
2, Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., 1,204
3, Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., 1,165
4, Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., 1,152
5, Robert Faragon, Schenectady, N.Y., 1,141
6, Mike Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 1,135
7, Bob Handley, Winter Park, Fla., 1,133
8, Matt Surina, Everett, Wash., 1,132
9, Ziggy Czaja, Fontana, Calif., 1,122
10, Ron De Groat, Las Vegas, 1,122
11, Charlie Tapp, Portage, Mich., 1,118
12, Larry Reynolds, Frisco, Texas, 1,117
13, Bill Hewlett, Meridian, Idaho, 1,114
14, Vinnie Atria, Louisville, Ky., 1,105
15, Marc Scherlis, Littleton, Colo., 1,101
16, Ronald Boroff, Mansfield, Texas, 1,100
17, Scott Hansel, Stockton, Calif., 1,100
18, Garry Blanton, Owensboro, Ky., 1,096
19, Christopher Keane, New City, N.Y., 1,096
20, John Muller, Gervais, Ore., 1,096
21, Warren Nelson, Las Vegas, 1,096
22, William Anthony, Converse, Texas, 1,094
23, Kevin Foley, Reno, Nev., 1,080
24, Barry Gurney, West Hills, Calif., 1,079
25, Marv Sargent, Temecula, Calif., 1,075
26, Darwin Wimer, Mesquite, Nev., 1,073
27, John Cocchi, Las Vegas, 1,065
28, Miguel Aguilar, Guatemala, 1,064
29, Sam Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 1,064
30, Michael Karch, Edgewood, Wash., 1,062
31, Don Sylvia, Orlando, Fla., 1,061
32, Bill Argenbright, Waynesboro, Va., 1,060
33, Bob Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 1,058
34, Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., 1,058
35, Kent Wagner, Palmetto, Fla., 1,057
36, Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., 1,053
37, Stan Winters, Simi Valley, Calif., 1,053
38, Gary Hiday, Indianapolis, 1,052
39, Ron Hosler, Denver, 1,052
40, Yasutomo Bannai, Japan, 1,051
41, Bruce Hall, Palo Alto, Calif., 1,049
42, Michael Bruce Heim, Marietta, Ga., 1,049
43, Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, 1,047
44, Dave Sill, Cary, Ill., 1,047
45, Dale Traber, Cederburg, Wis., 1,046
46, Bob Purzycki, Las Vegas, 1,045
47, Dennis Psaropoulos, Lake Worth, Fla., 1,044
48, Hugh Miller, Marcos Island, Wash., 1,043
49, Wayne Webb, Sacramento, Calif., 1,040
50, Tim Dunbar, Largo, Fla., 1,039
51, Rod Mclean, N. Las Vegas, 1,039
52, Max Shellabarger, Ogden, Utah, 1,039
53, Steve Kiss, Clackmas, Ore., 1,038
54, Keith Kolozsi, Las Vegas, 1,033
55, William Keenan Jr., Orlando, Fla., 1,031
56, Pete Mc Cordic, Katy, Texas, 1,031
57, Jeff Suma, Auburn Hills, Mich., 1,031
58, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield, Mich., 1,029
59, Donald Breihan, Columbia, S.C., 1,024
60, Henry Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1,024
61, Jim Murtishaw, Menifee, Calif., 1,024
62, Brad Newhouse, Henderson, Nev., 1,023
63, Les Shirwindt, Las Vegas, 1,023
64, Sam Zurich, Grant, Fla., 1,023
65, Bob Priess, Las Vegas, 1,022
66, Van Fenner, Reno, Nev., 1,021
67, Leo Plaia, Metairie, La., 1,021
68, Norb Wetzel, Fond Du Lac, Wis., 1,021
69, Daniel Emmett, Las Vegas, 1,019
70, Edward Silva, Manteca, Calif., 1,017
71, Russ Davies, Las Vegas, 1,016
72, Vaughn Doody, Las Vegas, 1,015
73, Jim Hutchinson, Ludlow Falls, Ohio, 1,014
74, Bob Chamberlain, The Villages, Fla., 1,013
75, Brian Voss, Kennesaw, Ga., 1,013
76, Scott Weston, Auburn, Mich., 1,012
77, Charles Cannon, Green Cove Springs, Fla., 1,011
78, Will Friedrich, Green Bay, Wis., 1,009
79, Greg Shields, Independence, Mo., 1,009
80, Paul Herrera, San Jose, Calif., 1,008
81, Skip Pavone, San Jose, Calif., 1,007
82, Ross Packard, San Jose, Calif., 1,006
83, Mark Scime, Winter Garden, Fla., 1,006
84, Mitch Vernon, Olympia, Wash., 1,006
85, Willie Wells, Garland, Texas, 1,005
86, Nick Morgan, Sacramento, Calif., 1,003
87, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,001
88, Duane Podgorski, Lakeland, Fla., 1,000
89, Bob Bohler, St Louis, 999
90, Steve Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y., 999
91, Gary Skidmore, Albuquerque, N.M., 998
92, Kenneth Racette, San Diego, 997
93, Jim Micus, Renton, Wash., 996
94, Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 996
95, Douglas Talsma, Las Vegas, 996
96, Michael Lucente, Warren, Mich., 993
97, Michael Monyak, Las Vegas, 993
98, Bill Nichols, Roseville, Calif., 993
99, George Lord, Mulberry, Fla., 992
100, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 992
101, Mark Estes, Grapevine, Texas, 990
102, Claes Gauffin, Sweden, , 990
103, William Banks, Laurel Hill, N.C., 989
104, Jim King, New Braunfels, Texas, 989
105, Jim Schwichtenberg, Peoria, Ariz., 989
106, Mark Van Meter, Albuquerque, N.M., 987
107, Dennis Powell, Eugene, Ore., 986
108, Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 986
109, Edward Bordenka, Las Vegas, 984
110, Matt Buxton, Holts Summit, Mo., 984
111, Thomas Dorn, Canton, Ga., 983
112, Jim Harvey, Culver City, Calif., 983
113, Dan Clausse, Reno, Nev., 982
114, Michael Snell, Plattsmouth, Neb., 981
115, Steve Freeman, Hermantown, Minn., 980
116, Rohn Morton, Portland, Ore., 980
117, Glen Smith, Seattle, 979
118, Steve Tripp, Garwood, N.J., 979
119, Robert Anderson, Forest City, N.C., 978
120, Jay Aono, Boise, Idaho, 978
121, Craig Kisro, Granada Hills, Calif., 978
122, Bob Teeters, Lapel, Ind., 978
123, Harley Trumbull, New Boston, Mich., 978
124, Gale Voshell, Dover, Del., 978
125, Steve Wright, Cypress, Texas, 978
126, Marc Clyburn, Pittsburg, Calif., 977
127, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 977
128, Ralph Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo., 977
129, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 977
130, Jerry Calvin, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 976
131, Curt Aemisegger, Wauconda, Ill., 975
132, Raymond Cobb, Highland, Calif., 975
133, Toby Contreras, Raytown, Mo., 975
134, Frank Gallo Jr., Cape Carteret, N.C., 975
135, Michael La Rocca, New Hudson, Mich., 975
136, John Masiello, Kenmore, N.Y., 974
137, Tony Maresca, Mesa, Ariz., 973
138, Dave Bernhardt, Romeo, Mich., 972
139, Ed Roberts, Braintree, Mass., 972
140, Gary James, Spring, Texas, 971
141, Norm Palomares, San Francisco, 971
142, Howard Partell, Las Vegas, 971
143, David Chew, Brentwood, Calif., 970
144, Frankie May, West Reading, Pa., 970
145, Gary Bessette, Summerdale, Ala., 969
146, Richard Darnell, Boise, Idaho, 969
147, Melvin Shirey, Sun City West, Ariz., 969
148, Lawrence Richards, Fernley, Nev., 968
149, Gary Dickinson, Edmond, Okla., 967
150, Charles Moore, Redding, Calif., 967
151, Nelson Sand, Maple Valley, Wash., 967
152, Rod Tramp, Porterville, Calif., 967
153, Sandy Kay, Culver City, Calif., 966
154, Randy Lightfoot, St Charles, Mo., 966
155, Gary Morgan, Marietta, Ga., 966
156, Thomas Ream, Tampa, Fla., 966
157, Tom Smith, Wilmington, Del., 966
158, Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 965
159, Sal Bongiorno, Hollywood, Fla., 965
160, Ron Garr, Ridgedale, Mo., 965
161, Joe Staton, Alta Loma, Calif., 965
162, Gordon Stuntz, Hellertown, Pa., 965
163, Bill Henson, Westerville, Ohio, 964
164, Danny Carbone, Broomfield, Colo., 963
165, Steve Cook, Granite Bay, Calif., 962
166, Ted Balleras, Carlsbad, Calif., 961
167, Bob Knipple, Long Beach, Calif., 961
168, Kerry Painter, Henderson, Nev., 961
169, Donald Robinson, Houston, 961
170, Jay Boyle, Garnet Valley, Pa., 959
171, Bill Spigner, Vernon Hills, Ill., 959
172, Dewaine West, Temecula, Calif., 959
173, Bob Neuerburg, Ceres, Calif., 958
174, Brien Show - Yin, Australia, 957
175, John Di Santis, Wilmington, Del., 956
176, Dave Gualeni, Roswell, N.M., 956
177, Jim Moran, Las Vegas, 955
178, Rickey Smith, Gulf Breeze, Fla., 955
179, Max Martinez, Tijeras, N.M., 953
180, Fred Strasser, Arroyo Grande, Calif., 953
181, Bob Pazur, Venice, Fla., 952
182, Steve Stein, Staten Island, N.Y., 952
183, Ron Winger, Las Vegas, 952
184, Hal Abrams, Prior Lake, Minn., 951
185, Rick Burford, Canon City, Colo., 951
186, Terry Leong, Henderson, Nev., 951
187, Robert Mcguire, Warrenton, Va., 950
188, Thomas Howison, Chillicothe, Ohio, 949
189, Ector Rodriguez, Penrose, Colo., 949
190, Tim Ruelle, Racine, Wis., 949
191, John Weltzien, Wellington, Fla., 949
192, William Kalaytowicz, Volo, Ill., 948
193, Gus Yannaras, Milwaukee, 948
194, Dave Flemming, Fairborn, Ohio, 947
195, James Martin, Vero Beach, Fla., 946
196, Gregory Waldon, Sun City West, Ariz., 946
197, Mike Procaccino, Las Vegas, 944
198, Shannon Starnes, Fort Worth, Texas, 944
199, Rick Talley, Enid, Okla., 944
200, Ron Briick, Ormand Beach, Fla., 942
201, Michael Dutcher, Moorpark, Calif., 942
202, Russ Freeman, Antioch, Ill., 941
203, Rich Cook, Olympia, Wash., 939
204, Dale Eagle, Tavares, Fla., 939
205, Atilio Garcia, Guatemala, 939
206, Rick Herndon, Scottsdale, Ariz., 939
207, Dan Miner, East Moline, Ill., 939
208, Tony Myers, Pensacola, Fla., 939
209, Harry Villavicecio, Puerto Rico, 939
210, Lee Ellison, Alvin, Texas, 938
211, Harry Mickelson, Yakima, Wash., 938
212, John Reed, Pueblo, Colo., 936
213, Bob Sturges, Portland, Ore., 936
214, Jim Gordin, Modesto, Calif., 935
215, Joe Salvemini, Las Vegas, 935
216, Charlie Tomey, Spartanburg, S.C., 935
217, Don Jackson, Bonita, Calif., 933
218, Ken Lindsey, Yuma, Ariz., 933
219, Donald Mc Andrews, Angola, N.Y., 933
220, Paul Mc Cordic, Sugar Land, Texas, 933
221, Frank De Filippo, Las Vegas, 931
222, Rick Cashell, Dedham, Mass., 930
223, Gary Carter, Woodinville, Wash., 929
224, Ray Shuel, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 929
225, Allen Sobelman, Moorpark, Calif., 929
226, James Anderson, Woodland, Calif., 928
227, Richard Kemper, Port Orchard, Wash., 928
228, Hal Wilber, Las Vegas, 927
229, Bernard Iwasczyszyn, North Las Vegas, 926
230, Randee Fry, Scottsbluff, Neb., 925
231, Robert Harvey, Boise, Idaho, 925
232, David Zonfrilli, Las Vegas, 925
233, Robert Callari, Bloomfield, N.Y., 924
234, Robert Caruso, Dayton, N.J., 924
235, Julius Glockner, Raeford, N.C., 924
236, Pat King, Yankton, S.D., 924
237, Guy Gorman, Elko, Nev., 923
237, Dean Hebner, Vancouver, Wash., 923
239, Kay Burris, Grandview, Mo., 922
239, Michael Chrzanowski, Shepherd, Mich., 922
240, 241, Daniel Young, Kathleen, Fla., 922
242, Dale Ballou, Seaside, Ore., 921
243, Char Hammel, Las Vegas, 921
244, Jeffery Klante, Antigo, Wis., 921
245, Allen Meskan, Addison, Ill., 921
246, Dan Duskin Sr., Atlantic, Iowa, 920
247, Ralph Presley, Atlanta, Ga., 920
248, Edward Regehr, Hesperia, Calif., 920
249, Dick Baker, Henderson, Nev., 919
250, Don Torok, South Bend, Ind., 919
251, Earl Yohn, Shermans Dale, Pa., 919
252, Butch Hrouda, Dickinson, N.D., 916
253, Pete Zerger, Redford, Mich., 916
254, Mark Fennell, Sumner, Wash., 915
255, Paul Mielens, Menomonie, Wis., 912
256, Anthony Cangialosi, Dolan Springs, Ariz., 910
257, Ken Ball, Avon, N.Y., 908
258, Pete Heim, Omaha, Neb., 907
259, Clark Poelzer, Arden Hills, Minn., 907
260, Mike Schmid, St Paul, Minn., 906
261, Fred Cole, Visalia, Calif., 905
262, Pete Couture, Cocoa, Fla., 905
263, Vernon Allison, St Joseph, Mo., 902
264, Larry Graybeal, Elizabethton, Tenn., 900
265, Brad Harrison, San Marcos, Texas, 900
266, Emilio Mora, Defiance, Ohio, 899
267, Ted Karbownik, Clarkston, Mich., 897
268, Bill Walters, Grand Junction, Colo., 897
269, Jeff Gordon, Ventura, Calif., 896
270, Leon Uzelac, Woods Cross, Utah, 896
271, Darrel Curtis, Las Vegas, 895
272, Glen Nakagawa, Highland Village, Texas, 895
273, Dale Rider, Las Vegas, 895
274, Ron Schmidt, Altaloma, Calif., 895
275, Robert Walters, North Las Vegas, 895
276, John Wukasch, Montgomery, Texas, 894
277, Ross McDonald, Clarksville, Md., 887
278, Dale Reh, Menasha, Wis., 887
279, Gene Johnson, Brier, Wash., 886
280, Fred Kouri, Castle Rock, Colo., 886
281, Rick Winther, Fairbanks, Alaska, 885
282, Terry Tuttle, King, N.C., 883
283, Carl Hendrickson, Cloquet, Minn., 882
284, Jerry Watkins, Bloomfield, N.M., 882
285, Mark Tucker, Kenwood, Calif., 881
286, Leon Loucks, Marysville, Wash., 880
287, Gene Knight, Slidell, La., 876
288, Arnold Rueda, Guatemala, 874
289, Timothy Bates, Orlando, Fla., 873
290, Gary Reh, Nesbit, Miss., 872
291, Jace Peterson, Elkhorn, Wis., 871
292, Steven Lentz, Hartland, Wis., 870
293, Charles Nibert, Soldotna, Alaska, 869
294, George Norris Jr., Elk Grove, Calif., 869
295, Steven Withrow, Richland, Wash., 869
296, Randolph Kerr, Troutdale, Ore., 868
297, Gregory Jackson, Bellflower, Calif., 867
298, Willie Tunson, Las Vegas, 867
299, Ron Bloodworth, Yukon, Okla., 864
300, Kerry Fulford, Gatesville, Texas, 863
301, Timothy Pierce, Portland, Ore., 862
302, Dennis Farris, Swanton, Ohio, 858
303, Jerry Wawro, Las Vegas, 857
304, Lamonte Lovering, San Mateo, Calif., 855
305, Felix Toro, North Bergen, N.J., 855
306, James Link, Mt Dora, Fla., 853
307, Randy Niehaus, Rockford, Ill., 853
308, Bill Kaiser, Las Vegas, Nev., 852
309, Ray Randall, Dearborn, Mich., 852
310, Phillip Vogt, Sellersburg, Ind., 852
311, Marvin Dickey, Mineral Wells, Texas, 850
312, Lee Taylor, Las Vegas, 849
313, Don Lane, Oakland, Calif., 846
314, Gary Johnson, Las Vegas, 842
315, Sam Perrotta Jr., Lincoln Park, N.J., 842
316, Randy Rau, Belleville, Ill., 841
317, Jerry Beavers, Oklahoma City, 840
318, Gary Friedman, Farmingdale, N.Y., 839
319, Clyde Gehringer, Memphis, Tenn., 838
320, Hubert Harrison, Middletown, Ind., 836
321, Rick Miller, St George, Utah, 833
322, Donald Rhoda, Charleston, Mo., 828
323, Bernard Kuhn Jr, Abingdon, Md., 824
324, David Zebrowski, New York Mills, N.Y., 824
325, Rich Cutler, Valley Springs, Calif., 822
326, Stan Wells, Kingdport, Tenn., 817
327, Jim Cote, Spokane, Wash., 816
328, David Rhoads, Las Vegas, 816
329, Spencer Combs, Troy, Idaho, 813
330, Gerry Chinn, Castaic, Calif., 804
331, Bob Amoruso, Glenview, Ill., 792
332, Tom Addison, La Vista, Neb., 791
333, Rod Michael, Florissant, Mo., 790
334, Marvin Nezvensky, Pueblo, Colo., 783
335, Gerard Heinle, Hardin, Mont., 775
336, Ross Larsen, Riverside, Calif., 771
337, John Wilson, Flagstaff, Ariz., 759
338, Larry Vigil, Amarillo, Texas, 747