Michael Haugen nearly perfect; rolls 289 to win in Delaware

22 August, 2016

PBA National Tour

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Michael Haugen Jr. of Phoenix, Ariz., a noted “old school” bowler who defies contemporary power-game standards, was nearly perfect in defeating Bill O’Neill of Langhorne, Pa., 289-255, Sunday to win the PBA Tour Xtra Frame Gene Carter’s Pro Shop Classic at Mid-County Bowling and Entertainment.

Haugen, in winning his fifth career PBA Tour title, started with 10 strikes before leaving a 4 pin to end his bid for a perfect game. Playing straight up the lanes with minimal hook by today’s standards, Haugen picked up his first title since winning the 2014 PBA Scorpion Championship.

From left, Gene Carter Sr., champion Michael Haugen Jr. and Mid-County Entertainment representative Kim Bowers.

“Like they say in movies, I’m old but not obsolete,” Haugen said. “Today straight was great. I got to play my ‘A’ game and it was good.”

Haugen tripped a couple of high-pocket shots, but, “You need to catch a few breaks out here to win and today I was lucky enough to get them,” he said. “I really wanted to win again.”

Haugen, who turns 50 in December, noted his fifth win means he’s halfway to PBA Hall of Fame eligibity, but he hasn’t given up hope.

“Number five is halfway. It’s a long way to go when you’re almost 50, but you never know,” he said. “Maybe someday I’ll make it to the ‘hall.’ That’s what drives me.”

In the semifinal match, O’Neill (above right) broke up a 7-10 split in the ninth frame to keep a string of five strikes intact in a 244-235 win over John Szczerbinski (left) of North Tonawanda, N.Y., ending Szczerbinski’s bid for his first PBA title.

In the first stepladder match, O’Neill struck on eight of his first nine shots to send two-hander Kyle Troup (right) of Taylorsville, N.C., to the sidelines, 255-220.

The sixth of eight events in the PBA Tour Extra Frame tournament series will be the PBA Xtra Frame Parkside Lanes Open in Aurora, Ill., Oct. 1-2.

The PBA Tour now heads to Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich., Sept. 5-11, for the PBA Fall Swing. The multi-event competition will award four PBA Tour titles (Wolf, Bear, Badger and Detroit Open titles) along with a Fall King of the Swing special event.

All preliminary rounds will be video-streamed live, exclusively on PBA’s Xtra Frame online bowling channel, and all five stepladder finals will air on CBS Sports Network on consecutive Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET, beginning Sept. 21.

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PBA Gene Carter’s Pro Shop Classic – Stepladder Finals

Mid-County Bowling & Entertainment Center in Middletown, Del., USA (Aug. 19-21, 2016)

Championship Round:
1, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, $15,000
2, Bill O’Neill, Langhorne, Pa., $7,800
3, John Szczerbinski, N. Tonawanda, N.Y., $4,000
4, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., $2,500

Playoff Results:
First Match: No. 4 O’Neill def. No. 3 Troup, 255-220
Semifinal Match: O’Neill def. No. 2 Szczerbinski, 244-235
Championship: No. 1 Haugen def. O’Neill, 289-255.

PBA Gene Carter’s Pro Shop Classic – Final Match Play Standings

Players with position, hometown, match play record and 23-game total, including match play bonus pins; top 4 advance to the stepladder finals

1, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 10-5-1, 5,537
2, John Szczerbinski, N. Tonawanda, N.Y., 11-5, 5,486
3, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 10-6, 5,412
4, Bill O’Neill, Langhorne, Pa., 10-6, 5,407

Missed Cut:
5, Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 12-3-1, 5,400, $1,700
6, Jason Sterner, Cocoa, Fla., 7-9, 5,390, $1,300
7, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 8-7-1, 5,359, $1,100

8, E.J. Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 9-7, 5,320, $1,000

9, David Stouffer, Lehigh Acres, Fla., 9-7, 5,286, $950

10, Anthony Simonsen, Austin, Texas, 8-8, 5,274, $925
11, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 8-7-1, 5,232, $900

12, A.J. Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 8-8, 5,212, $880
13, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 6-8-2, 5,210, $860

14, Alex Cavagnaro, Massapequa, N.Y., 5-11, 5,175, $850

15, Jon Van Hees, Charlestown, R.I., 7-9, 5,168, $840

16, Chris Polizzi, Spring Hill, Fla., 7-9, 5,145, $830

17, Mike Fagan, Benicia, Calif., 6-9-1, 5,140, $820

18, Billy Asbury, Odenton, Md., 8-8, 5,087, $810
19, Darren Andretta, New Hyde Park, N.Y., 8-8, 5,066, $800

20, B.J. Moore, Greensburg, Pa., 8-8, 5,048, $790

21, Paul Brion, Mansfield, Pa., 8-8, 5,013, $780

22, Sam Maccarone, Blackwood, N.J., 8-8, 4,846, $770

23, Rick Graham, Lancaster, Pa., 3-12-1, 4,792, $760

24, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 4-12, 4,760, $750