Warren Eales of Chandler, Ariz., bowling as a non-member, fired the last eight strikes in the championship match against Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Fla., to win the PBA50 Lucas Magazine Classic Monday at Lane Glo Bowl in New Port Richey, Florida.

Eales, who is the Port Director for the United States Customs Service in Las Vegas, beat Williams, 258-247, to become the first non-member to win a PBA50 Tour event since Nick Morgan of Sacramento, Calif., won the PBA Senior Northern California Classic in 2008.

From left: Warren Eales, host proprietors Chris and Christine Langlo.

“Who knew this was going to happen,” said the 58-year-old Eales, who was the top qualifier for the stepladder finals of the first PBA50 tournament of the season. “To strike out in the 10th frame to beat Walter Ray, how could you script it any better? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime bowling experience.”

Williams (right), who was trying for his 12th PBA50 Tour title, finished the match with his 247 game forcing Eales to throw the first two strikes in the 10th frame for the win but Eales left little doubt about the outcome when he threw three pocket strikes.

“I have a pre-shot routine and I executed it exactly the way I wanted,” Eales said. “I just had to concentrate on keeping my hand underneath the ball, throw a soft shot and let it roll. The first shot in the 10th went exactly according to plan and then I just thought to myself I just need to do it one more time.”

Eales, who was a PBA member for two years in the mid-1980s, owns four USBC Open Championships top 10 finishes. He’s had several top 10 finishes in PBA regional tournaments and once finished 18th in a PBA Tour tournament. He’s a member of the Arizona, Phoenix and Mesa bowling halls of fame and now bowls tournaments mainly on the state and local level.

Eales trip to Florida for the Lucas Magazine Classic was actually part of a vacation with his wife Yeong.

“Once a year my wife and I take a week’s vacation around a tournament in a different part of the country,” he said. “This year we picked this tournament because there was also a regional in Sarasota a couple days before. Needless to say, it will be a vacation I’ll never forget.”

In the semi-final match Williams, who qualified third for the finals, beat one-time PBA Tour winner Mike Mineman of St. Louis 248-201 to advance to the title match. Mineman, who qualified second and was making his first PBA50 Tour finals appearance, won the 2006 Bayer Classic PBA Tour event.

In the second stepladder match, Williams beat No. 5 qualifier 56-year-old insurance agent Joel Carlson of Omaha, Neb., 268-241, to advance to the semi-final match.

Carlson, who has a best PBA50 Tour finish of third, which came in the 2016 Sun Bowl In The Villages, took advantage of a missed 10-pin and a gutter ball on a double by PBA Hall of Famer and two-time PBA50 Player of the Year Ron Mohr (left) of Las Vegas to win the opening stepladder match 207-197.

The PBA50 Tour moves to The Villages, Fla. for the PBA50 National Championship presented by Spanish Springs Lanes and Radical April 24-28 which is the first major of the season.

Fans can catch all the action on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. For subscription and schedule information click here.

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PBA50 Lucas Magazine Classic – Stepladder Results

Lane Glo Bowl in New Port Richey, Fla., USA (April 21-23, 2018)

Championship Round:
1, n-Warren Eales, Chandler, Ariz., 258 (1 game), $7,500
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 763 (3 games), $4,000
3, Mike Mineman, St. Louis, Mo., 201 (1 game), $2,500
4, Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 448 (2 games), $2,000
5, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 197 (1 game), $1,750

Playoff Results:
First Match: No. 5 Carlson def. No. 4 Mohr, 207-197
Second Match: No. 3 Williams def. Carlson, 268-241
Semifinal Match: Williams def. No. 2 Mineman, 248 -201
Championship Match: No. 1 Eales def. Williams, 258-247

PBA50 Lucas Magazine Classic – Match Play Round 2

Players with position, hometown, match play record and 6-game total, including match play bonus pins. Top five advance to stepladder finals. Places 6-16 show earnings. n indicates non-member.

1, n-Warren Eales, Chandler, Ariz., 5-1, 1,602
2, Mike Mineman, St Louis, Mo, 3-2-1, 1,572
3, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 3-2-1, 1,562
4, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 5-1, 1,549
5, Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 4-2, 1,518

Missed Cut:
6, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 3-3, 1,517, $1,500
7, Lee Brosius, Ashburn, Va., 3-3, 1,508, $1,600.
8, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 3-3, 1,475, $1,500
9, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 3-3, 1,464, $1,350
10, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 4-2, 1,447, $1,450
11, Sammy Ventura, Norwich, N.Y., 2-4, 1,407, $1,350
12, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 2-4, 1,382, $1,450
13, George Litwin, Miami, 2-4, 1,364, $1,350
*14, Brian LeClair, Albany, N.Y., 3-3, 1,300, $1,300
15, Warren Nelson, Hemet, Calif., 1-5-0, 1,264, $1,350
16, John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 1-5-0, 1,207, $1,350

*LeClair withdrew after fourth match because of injury and was replaced by Amleto Monacelli.

PBA50 Lucas Magazine Classic – Match Play Round 1

Places 17-24 with position, hometown, match play record, 5-game total, including match play bonus pins, and earnings. Top 16 advanced to the second.

17, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3-2, 1,233, $1,300
18, James Hansen, Anchorage, Alaska, 3-2, 1,217, $1,250
19, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 2-3, 1,209, $1,350
20, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 3-2, 1,208, $1,250
21, Don Breeden, Clive, Iowa, 3-2, 1,205, $1,250
22, Jeff Bellinger, Columbia, S.C., 2-3, 1,195, $1,250
23, Sam Maccarone, Williamstown, N.J., 3-2, 1,182, $1,250
24, Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 2-3, 1,175, $1,250
25, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 2-3, 1,167, $1,150
26, Bill Watson, Monroe, Ohio, 3-2, 1,132, $1,150
27, Ralph Brunt Jr., Jensen Beach, Fla., 1-4, 1,127, $1,250
28, William Peters, Dayton, Ohio, 2-3, 1,113, $1,150
29, Steve Bova, Massapequa, N.Y., 2-3, 1,063, $1,150
30, Danny Clark, New Palestine, Ind., 2-3, 1,062, $1,150
31, John Donovan, Melbourne, Fla., 2-3, 1,030, $1,150
32, John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 0-5, 918, $1,150

Other Cashers (after five-game cashers’ round)
33, Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., 1,091, $1,050
34, Henry Dawson, Elma, Wash., 1,090, $1,050
35, Tony Johnson, Canton, Ohio, 1,082, $1,050
36, Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 1,080, $1,050
37, James Knoblauch, Waukesha, Wis., 1,068, $1,050
38, Kimmo Lehtonen, Finland, 1,061, $1,050
39, Ray Valdovino, Sacramento, Calif., 1,059, $1,050
40, Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 1,058, $1,050
41, Patrick King, Yankton, S.D., 1,049, $1,000
42, Todd Haney, Boiling Springs, S.C., 1,043, $1,000
43, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,042, $1,000
44, Harry Alchin, Madeira Beach, Fla., 1,026, $1,000
45, Jeff Schrum, Cherryville, N.C., 1,025, $1,000
46, Jim Pitts, Elmira, N.Y., 1,004, $1,000
47, John DiSantis, Wilmington, Del., 998, $1,000
48, Keith Lesko, Prosper, Texas, 996, $1,000
49, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 968, $1,000
50, Christopher Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 931, $1,000
51, Fred Ferreira, Kings Park, N.Y., 930, $1,000
52, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 873, $1,000