Bowlers Journal International - April 2008 - (Page 29)

PROBOWLING ESPN TO AIR 'ROLL TO RICHES' ON APRIL 13 AS THIS ISSUE WENT TO PRESS, FIVE OF THE SIX participants in the PBA's 2008 Motel 6 Roll to Riches had been determined. The only missing link: the winner of the 65th U.S. Open, which closed out the PBA Tour's 2007-08 season in late March. The Roll to Riches features a $150,000 winner-take-all prize, and taping is scheduled to take place at Colonial Lanes in Orlando, Fla., on April 8. The competition will unfold April 13 on ESPN from 1 to 3 p.m. Eastern. Three of the players with guaranteed spots in the event are the winners of this season's first three "majors" on the Denny's Tour: Sean Rash (USBC Masters), Michael Haugen Jr. (H&R Block Tournament of Champions) and Norm Duke (Denny's World Championship). Also scheduled to compete are Doug Kent (the defending champion) and Parker Bohn III (who won a fan vote). If the U.S. Open was won by any of the five eligible players, the sixth spot would go to Chris Barnes, who finished second in the fan voting — and has won the Roll to Riches twice. event. Subsequently, he has posted consecutive finishes of sixth, 10th, second, first, third and seventh in Senior Regional tournaments, as his competitors have grown accustomed to conceding a spot in match play to the “new guy“ at every event. “When I first came back, guys looked at me and said, ’You’ve got some old equipment,’” he jokes. “I just had one or two new balls.” That gradually has changed as Sullins is essentially bowling full-time again, supplementing his income by assisting at a pro shop near home. Sullins plans to bowl the entire 2008 national Senior Tour, except one event that conflicts with his team’s scheduled appearance at the USBC Open Championships. There are some other notable Senior rookies, including PBA Hall of Famers Wayne Webb and potentially Brian Voss in August, along with national Tour champions Ted Hannahs, Randy Lightfoot and Mark Fahy. But nobody seems more primed, tuned and eager for the Senior season to begin than the man who used to be the national Tour’s most reliable entry. THE REGIONAL ROUTE As Ken Simard stepped up in the 10th frame needing to strike out to win the Don Johnson Buckeye State Classic, few realized he was attempting to make exempt Tour history. Of all the players (28 over four years) who have earned a Denny’s PBA Tour exemption by leading their respective region in points, not one has won a national title. Dave D’Entremont, Chris Warren, accident that, going into 2007-08, Jack Jurek and Ray Edwards had an established core of 30 bowlers previously won national Tour titles had managed to perpetuate their and then worked their way back exempt status every year since on Tour through the Regional point the system was put in place. If all system. But had Simard succeeded exempt players were equal in abilin besting Chris Barnes in ity, the laws of probabilColumbus, he would have ity would indicate that been the first to notch a just a handful would survictory as a regional rep vive four straight cuts. entrant. Instead, just like in other If that sounds like a rap sports, the most skilled against the players who and proven bowlers have gotten on Tour via have been the toughest the Regional route, it’s to beat. While there is an not meant to be. Even so, absurd difference in the the PBA has announced prize money available, a new way of determining there are valid measures those spots for 2009-10. The annual Resident Pro Regional graduate Ken Simard of comparison between Championship becomes (right) was featured on the golf and bowling. It turns the vehicle for up to 175 February cover of BJI. A few out the recidivism rate of the country’s best weeks later, he bowled for a for new players advancing onto the PGA Tour is Regional PBA members title against Chris Barnes. just as high as those who to take a shot at one of get to the Denny’s PBA Tour via the the seven annual Regional exempRegional and Tour Trials methods. tions for the Denny's Tour. In golf, 25 players annually earn Actually, qualifiers from the first four PGA status by being leaders on the PBA Tour Trials have not fared much Nationwide Tour (similar to a Triplebetter than those coming through the A baseball league), while approxiRegional process. Chris Collins came mately 35 others earn berths via out of the Trials to win the 2006 Pepsi a three-tier Tour Qualifying School. Championship, yet lost his exempBut a recent analysis showed that tion a year later. The major success less than 15% of those players mainstories from the Tour Trials have been tained continuous playing privileges Ritchie Allen and Michael Haugen on the PGA Tour for five years or Jr., but they weren’t newcomers to longer. the Tour. Rather, they reclaimed lost In both sports, gaining exempt staexemptions through the tense pretus is a tremendous feat. Keeping it, season tourney, paving the way for however, requires raising one’s game subsequent titles. What does it all mean? It’s not an to yet another level. APRIL 2008 bowlers journal international 29

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Bowlers Journal International - April 2008

Bowlers Journal International - April 2008 Contents Leading Off Letters Bowlitically Incorrect Calendar Par Bowling The Coach Frame of Mind Inside Line The Truth Be Bowled Tournaments Pro Bowling PBA Bayer Classic PBA Pepsi Championship PBA Don Johnson Classic Regional Roundup Cover Story Up Close Senior Tour The USBC Move USBC Convention Pattern Play Anniversary Flashback Time Capsule Media Beat No Holes Barred Shop Talk Spotlight Marketplace Hall Marks Profit Prophet Advertisers' Index Classified Advertising Intelligencer Business Calendar Business People Strikes Me

Bowlers Journal International - April 2008

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