Rick Vittone (pictured left), a native of Oregon who now lives in Canada, took the opening round lead Monday at the 2011 United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters.

Vittone had a five-game total of 1,124, an average of 224.8, to lead a field of 249 of the country's top bowlers age 50 and older at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl. Dave Patchen (right) of Oregon, Ohio, sits in second place with 1,121.

"My wife (Reis) of 24 years is here with me, and she's been a huge part of my success," Vittone said. "She knows my game inside and out and several times today she spotted something that helped me."

Vittone, who won the Storm Bowlers Journal Championships Senior Singles event in Reno, Nev., earlier this year, had games of 235, 195, 223, 224 and 247 in Monday's first round. The second round of qualifying takes place Tuesday with an additional five games and qualifying concludes Wednesday with five final games.

"Tomorrow is going to be totally different because I will be bowling on the fresh," Vittone said. "Hopefully my experience in the past two or three years will help me come out and make good shots and read the lanes well."

Following Vittone and Patchen in the standings is 2008 Senior Masters champion Kenny Parks (above left) of Hammond, Ind., who is third with 1,113. Steve Ferraro (above right) of Kingston, N.Y., is fourth with 1,110.

PBA super star Walter Ray Williams Jr. (left) of Ocala, Fla., finished the day in eighth place with 1,073. Tournament host and defending champion Wayne Webb (right), Grove City, Ohio, is tenth with 1,072. Alaskan Ron Mohr, who holds a commanding lead in the Senior Player of the Year points race misses the event to attend a family wedding.

The top 63 players after 15 games will join Webb and advance to the double-elimination match-play bracket on Thursday and Friday. The winner will earn $14,000 and the total prize pool is more than $110,000.

 

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2011 USBC Senior Masters - Round One Qualifying

Players with position, hometown and 5-game total

1, Rick Vittone, Canada, 1,124
2, Dave Patchen, Oregon, Ohio, 1,121
3, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 1,113
4, Steve Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y., 1,110
5, Ron Boroff, Mansfield, Texas, 1,107
6, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,093
7, Mark Glover, Woodbridge, Va., 1,079
8, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 1,073
9, Robert Rudnick, Lancaster, N.Y., 1,072
10, Wayne Webb, Grove City, Ohio, 1,072
11, Sam Maccarone, Sewell, N.J., 1,062
12, Bill Henson, Westerville, Ohio, 1,060
13, Tim Pierce, Portland, Ore., 1,058
14, Peter Thomas, Oklahoma City, Okla., 1,054
15, John Shreve Sr., Sheffield Village, Ohio, 1,053
16, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield, Mich., 1,046
17, Sal Bongiorno, Hollywood, Fla., 1,045
18, Johnny Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 1,041
19, Fred McClain, Allen Park, Mich., 1,038
20, Gary Skidmore, Albuquerque, N.M., 1,037
21, Bobby Johnson, Chillicothe, Ohio, 1,036
22, Andrew Ippolito, Forest Hills, N.Y., 1,032
23, Al Rezendes, Aurora, Colo., 1,027
24, Dick Selgo, Archbold, Ohio, 1,025
25, Dale Csuhta, Wadsworth, Ohio, 1,025
26, Henry Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1,022
27, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 1,019
28, Lee Brosius, Ashburn, Va., 1,017
29, Terry Metzner, Kentwood, Mich., 1,017
30, Patric Donaghue, Honeoye Falls, N.Y., 1,016
31, Chris Fedden, Albany, N.Y., 1,013
32, Dale Eagle, Union City, Tenn., 1,013
33, Jeff Garrison, Hawthorne, Calif., 1,013
34, Rick Pollard, Versailles, Ind., 1,011
35, Richard Casey, Roanoke, Va., 1,010
36, Marc Lineberry, Camanche, Iowa, 1,008
37, Dave Rossi, Morgantown, W.Va., 1,005
38, Kent Wagner, Bradenton, Fla., 1,005
39, Peter Knopp, Germany, 1,004
40, John Chapman, Canada, 1,001
41, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 999
42, Dan Carbone, Broomfield, Colo., 999
43, Donald Griffin, St. Louis, Mo., 998
44, Bill McCorkle, Westerville, Ohio, 996
45, Timothy Kauble, Marion, Ohio, 992
46, George Lord, Mullberry, Fla., 992
47, Ernie Segura Jr., Taylor, Mich., 990
48, Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, 990
49, Dave Kucera, Urbandale, Iowa, 990
50, Brad Snell, Mt. Prospect, Ill., 987
51, Ricky Beck, Box Elder, S.D., 986
52, Richard Holmes, Culpepper, Va., 986
53, Michael Tryniski, Fulton, N.Y., 986
54, Bruce Heim, Marietta, Ga., 985
55, Vince Mazzanti, Langhorn, Pa., 985
56, Rick Lawrence, Waxahachie, Texas, 983
57, James Pierson, Hilliard, Ohio, 983
58, Larry Popp, Marion, Ohio, 982
59, James Souder, Greenville, Tenn., 981
60, Robert Callari, Manchester, N.Y., 980
61, Ray Johnson, Battle Creek, Mich., 979
62, Randy Evans, Gahanna, Ohio, 978
63, Randy Peterson, Carrington, N.D., 978
64, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 977
65, Darwin Wimer, Mesquite, Nev., 976
66, Dave Fleming, Fairborn, Ohio, 976
67, Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 976
68, Roy Buckley, Westerville, Ohio, 975
69, Shannon Starnes, Ft. Worth, Texas, 975
70, Robert Harvey, Boise, Idaho, 975
71, Alan Runkel, Cincinnati, Ohio, 974
72, Sam Perrotta, Lincoln Park, N.J., 974
73, Ron Garr, Ridgedale, Mo., 971
74, Gary Brobson, N. Canton, Ohio, 971
75, Jeff Suma Sr., Auburn Hills, Mich., 971
76, Charlie Tomey, Spartanburg, S.C., 971
77, Marty Berke, Allentown, Pa., 969
78, Brendan Bierch, Grafton, Mass., 969
79, Paul Gerard, Cincinnati, Ohio, 968
80, Emilio Mora, Defiance, Ohio, 967
81, Frank Verni, Bronx, N.Y., 967
82, Kevin Johnson, Uniontown, Ohio, 967
83, Tom Smith, Wilmington, DE, 966
84, Alden Anderson, Falls Church, Va., 965
85, M. Bradley Harrison, San Marcos, Texas, 965
86, Carl Heinl, Cleveland, Ohio, 964
87, Don Boone, S. Euclid, Ohio, 963
88, Tom Lazaro, Allentown, Pa., 963
89, Gregory Turner, Lanham, Md., 962
90, Gary Hiday, Indianapolis, Ind., 961
91, David Bernhardt, Romeo, Mich., 961
92, Steve Lang, Avon, Ind., 961
93, Gary Dickinson, Edmond, Okla., 960
94, Gerry Loudin, Bridgeport, W.Va., 960
95, Edward Marzka, Orlando, Fla., 960
96, Mike Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 959
97, Ronald Glick, Wickatunk, N.J., 958
98, Richard Campbell, Phippsburg, Maine, 958
99, Gary Kinyon, Lockport, N.Y., 957
100, Pete McCordic, Katy, Texas, 956
101, Steve Jakubowski, Temperance, Mich., 956
102, Ted Hannahs, Zanesville, Ohio, 956
103, Gary Morgan, Marietta, Ga., 955
104, Mikie Lucente, Warren, Mich., 955
105, Tim Ruelle, Racine, Wis., 952
106, Robert Michaux, Detroit, Mich., 951
107, Ed Austreng, Waterford, Mich., 951
108, Dennis Dedmon, Houston, Texas, 949
109, Mike Moore, Marietta, Ohio, 949
110, Mitchell Jabczenski, Novi, Mich., 948
111, Ralph Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo., 946
112, Michael Llaneza, Columbus, Ohio, 945
113, Steve Martin, San Antonio, Texas, 945
114, Keith Gabbert, Bluffton, S.C., 944
115, Kevin Humble, Lake Mary, Fla., 943
116, Richard Parschen, Strongsville, Ohio, 943
117, William Hudson, Danville, Va., 942
118, Kerry Painter, Henderson, Nev., 942
119, Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., 942
120, Lee Groscost, Mentor, Ohio, 941
121, Dave Sill, Rockledge , Fla., 940
122, Michael LaRocca, New Hudson, Mich., 939
123, Francis McClellan, Germany, 939
124, Thomas Lovely, Pittsburgh, Pa., 938
125, Les Ash, Washington CH, Ohio, 937
126, Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 937
127, Tony Churchey, Madison, Ala., 936
128, Gary Reh, Southaven, Miss., 934
129, Bruce Boyd, Warren, Ohio, 934
130, Kenny Waters, Kingsport, Tenn., 931
131, Roger Bowker, Ocala, Fla., 930
132, Gregory Popham, Crestview Hills, Ky., 929
133, Nick Panicaro, Naples, Fla., 929
134, Derrick Smith, Fort Wayne, Ind., 929
135, Norman Cave, Portsmouth, Ohio, 928
136, Bill Kalaytowicz, Volo, Ill., 926
137, Bill Flachbart, Rootstown, Ohio, 925
138, Dennis Neal, Thaxton, Va., 925
139, Gary Pryor, Norcross, Ga., 924
140, Dave Soutar, Bradenton, Fla., 924
141, Tom DeSimpelaere, Northwood, Ohio, 922
142, Henry Blough, Elizabethtown, Pa., 921
143, Larry Graybeal, Elizabethton, Tenn., 920
144, Randy Robertson, Evansville, Ind., 920
145, Dick Gran, Hartville, Ohio, 920
146, Donald Breihan, Columbia, S.C., 918
147, Charles Vashaw, Deephaven, Minn., 917
148, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 916
149, Edward Kramarcik Sr., Sanford, Fla., 914
150, David Frazier, Parkersburg, W.Va., 914
151, Steve Fehr, Cincinnati, Ohio, 913
152, Larry Hoffman, Fountain Hills, Ariz., 913
153, William Stewart, Plainwell, Mich., 912
154, Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., 911
155, Don Sylvia, Reno, Nev., 911
156, Richard Nesbit, Pittsburgh, Pa., 910
157, Steven Jansson, Barnes, Wis., 909
158, Charles Linden, Rocky River, Ohio, 909
159, Richard Wilkinson, Bennington, Neb., 908
160, Jeff Schlehuber, Highland Ranch, Colo., 908
161, Steve Easterday, Strasburg, Ohio, 908
162, Lee Rucker, Ft. Myers, Fla., 908
163, Dennis Amato, Pinebrook, N.J., 908
164, Garry Blanton, Owensboro, Ky., 907
165, Thomas Howison, Chillicothe, Ohio, 907
166, Michael Chrzanowski, Shepard, Mich., 905
167, Robert Brown, Cody, Wyo., 904
168, William Banks, Laurel Hill, N.C., 903
169, Leif Carlson, Apple Valley, Minn., 901
170, Steve Smith, Toledo, Ohio, 901
171, Don Hicks, West Babylon, N.Y., 899
172, Terry Wellman, Marengo, Ohio, 899
173, Walter Sova, Columbus, Ohio, 898
174, Barry Gurney, West Hills, Calif., 896
175, Dennis Briggs, New Gailiee, Pa., 896
176, Kenneth Ball, Avon, N.Y., 894
177, Willie Hammett, Marion, AR, 894
178, Dale Holgate, Silver Lake, Ohio, 894
179, Harv Pallas, Stevensville, Mich., 893
180, Bert Morrison, Cleburne, Texas, 893
181, Guppy Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 892
182, Larry Montgomery, Safety Harbor, Fla., 891
183, Jeff Schrum, Cherryville, N.C., 891
184, Thomas Ream, Tampa, Fla., 890
185, Ross McDonald, Clarksville, Md., 890
186, Jim Price, Harrisburg, N.C., 888
187, Greg McMahan, Dandridge, Tenn., 885
188, Ed Hawkins, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 884
189, Jerry Owczarski, S. Lyon, Mich., 884
190, Darryl Bowers, Middletown, Pa., 883
191, Bobby Moyers, Akron, Ohio, 883
192, Bob Janego, Longwood, Fla., 882
193, Dale Reh, Menasha, Wis., 880
194, Sam Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 880
195, Perry Keplinger, Amherst, Ohio, 879
196, Roger Painter, Woodbridge, Va., 878
197, Chris Buonaugurio, W. Henrietta, N.Y., 878
198, Robert Pazur, Venice, Fla., 876
199, Gary Simon, Philippi, W.Va., 874
200, Dean Hebner, Vancouver, Wash., 874
201, David Dunphy, Canada, 872
202, James West Jr., Catonsville, Md., 867
203, James Dilyard, Burbank, Ohio, 866
204, Clyde Gehringer, Memphis, Tenn., 864
205, Greg Smith, Hicksville, Ohio, 863
206, Harold Pinkston, Bourbonnais, Ill., 861
207, William Keenan, Orlando, Fla., 861
208, Richard Nardozza, Clearfield, Pa., 860
209, Pete Bryan, Laurel, DE, 859
210, Mark Sabatine, Syracuse, N.Y., 859
211, Dennis Frawley, Binghamton, N.Y., 858
212, Ken Liedes, Kenai, Alaska, 857
213, Joseph Andreone, New Freedom, Pa., 855
214, Jim Hunt, Albion, Mich., 854
215, Randy Mitchell, Mechanicsburg, Ohio, 854
216, Harley Trumbull, New Boston, Mich., 853
217, Allen Meskan, Addison, Ill., 852
218, Mike Flinchbaugh, Marion, Ohio, 851
219, Christopher Keane, New City, N.Y., 851
220, Tim Weisbrod, Loveland, Ohio, 848
221, Bill Peters, Dayton, Ohio, 846
222, Robert Kemp, Beavercreek, Ohio, 845
223, Mark D'Amore, Brook Park, Ohio, 842
224, Burdette Walker, Rockwood, Pa., 835
225, Jay Jakubowski, Lambertville, Mich., 834
226, Leonard Cianciolo, Warren, Mich., 831
227, Bill Ursillo, Bluffton, S.C., 829
228, Charles McWilliams, Avon, Ind., 824
229, Ernest Bourque, Acushnet, Mass., 820
230, Paul Sedar, Parma Heights, Ohio, 817
231, Tom Ferry, De Pere, Wis., 816
232, Dan Clausse, Reno, Nev., 811
233, Tom Corbett, Brooklyn Park, Minn., 810
234, Fred Baldwin, Sturgis, Mich., 804
235, David Osim, Roscommon, Mich., 797
236, Jim Gochis, Ivanhoe, Ill., 796
237, Jim Sherlock, Allen Park, Mich., 788
238, Frank Gallo Jr., Jacksonville, Fla., 786
239, Charles Huckelberry, Rockford, Ill., 776
240, Tom Giffin, Patrick Springs, Va., 772
241, George Mays, Norwalk, Ohio, 772
242, Ray Randall, Dearborn, Mich., 771
243, David Nebe, Richmond, Va., 771
244, Donald Walker, Canal Winchester, Ohio, 767
245, Bob Teeters, Anderson, Ind., 762
246, Fred Augustin, Burlington, Ky., 759
247, Gene Rossi, Sharon, Pa., 759
248, David Axon, Bellevue, Neb., 755
249, Jeff Circle, Indianapolis, Ind., 753