Tour Trials and Tribulations

Tour Trials and Tribulations
http://www.pba.com/news/default.asp?ID=3883
Merrillville, IN - June 2, 2005

Brandon brings it
Jon Brandon, who has bowled in just four PBA Tour events in his career, had a huge day Thursday to move right into the thick of the race for one of 10 exemptions up for grabs. Brandon, Santa Clarita, Calif., had the best nine-game set of all 77 bowlers Thursday, averaging 224.89 including a 257 and 269 back-to-back in games 13 and 14. Brandon’s big day helped him move up from 20th to 4th.

Rudy! Rudy!
Rudy Kasimakis, who finished 65th at the 2004 PBA Tour Trials, has made quite a turnaround so far in the 2005 PBA Tour Trials. Kasimakis, Tupelo, Miss., is currently 5th after two solid days of bowling. Kasimakis was 3rd after Wednesday’s first round of qualifying after averaging 232.89.

Kasimakis did drop off a little Thursday, averaging 208.22, but he stayed in the top five, finishing 5th with a 3,970 18-game pinfall.

“The lanes aren’t as easy as they were last year. The scores are a lot lower and the field is nowhere near as stronger as last year,” said Kasimakis, who was 9th after two days last season. “I’m just trying to play the lanes straighter early and as they open up I can go to my “A” game.”

International infliction
Two of the top 10 bowlers after two days are from outside the United States. Andres Gomez, Colombia, moved up nine places on Thursday, averaging 221.89 to move up from 12th to 3rd. His average Thursday was the third-best on the squad. Roberto Silva, Mexico, is currently 9th with a 3,916 18-game pinfall.

Other international players in the hunt are Canadian Bill Rowe, who finished 9th in the 2004 PBA Tour Trials to earn last season’s final exemption, and two-hander Osku Palermaa, Finland, who finished 5th in the 61st U.S. Open presented by Jackson-Hewitt Tax Service two seasons ago. Rowe is currently 23rd while Palermaa, who had one of three 300-games on Wednesday, is 28th.

Big Movers
Two bowlers who were exempt in 2004-05 made big moves Thursday to get back into contention. Four-time PBA title holder Dennis Horan Jr., who was 53rd after averaging just 203.22 on Wednesday, moved up 38 spots by averaging 224.78 Thursday, the second-highest total of the day. His was the biggest jump in the standings from day one to day two.

Horan started the day slow, shooting 168 and 198 in his first two games, but shot over 200 in his final seven games. He fired a 246 and 253 in games 13 and 14 and later shot a high of 263 in game 16. Horan finished with a 244 to end the day 15th.

Shannon Buchan also had a big day, moving up from 40th to 19th. Buchan averaged 207.89 on Wednesday and 214.89 Thursday, highlighted by a 254 in game 12.

Here’s a look at the biggest risers and fallers from day two of the 2005 PBA Tour Trials:

Largest Improvement in Round Two

Bowler		Rd. 1 Rank		Rd. 2 Rank		Pos. Improved
Dennis Horan Jr.		53		15		38
Brian Waliczek		58		31		27
Chris Marshall		57		33		24
Del Ballard Jr.		44		21		23
Shannon Buchan		40		19		21

Largest Decline in Round Two

Bowler		Rd. 1 Rank		Rd. 2 Rank		Pos. Fell
Elliot Ten		10		50		-40
Mathius Arup		20		52		-32
Nick Smith		39		67		-28
Kelly Kulick		11		32		-21
Liz Johnson		19		37		-18

Family Matters
Husband and wife Del Ballard Jr. and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard must have given each other a pep talk last night. Ballard was 44th after day one, averaging 206.89, while Dorin-Ballard was 28th, averaging 213.11. They moved up 23 and 11 spots, respectively, as Ballard moved all the way up to 21st and Dorin-Ballard moved up to 17th.

Dorin-Ballard, the highest ranked of the four women competing, had an up-and-down day, shooting over 240 four times – including a high of 257 in game 18 – but also shot under 200 four times.

Jeff Lizzi, who is married to Dorin-Ballard’s sister Cathy, is also in contention, finishing the day 11th with 3,883.

Woman’s Worth
Speaking of women, three other females besides Dorin-Ballard are in contention heading into the final three days. Kelly Kulick shot over 200 in three of her first four games Thursday, moving up as high as 12th at one point. She did shoot under 200 in her last five games, but she’s still in the hunt, finishing the day 32nd.

Kari Schwager is right behind Kulick in 36th with 3,698 while Liz Johnson, who finished 2nd in the 2005 PBA Banquet Open, is 37th with 3,692. Johnson, who defeated Ritchie Wolfe in the round of 8 in Grand Rapids to become the first woman to make a televised finals appearance, will bowl on the same pair as Wolfe during Friday’s competition.