Professional Bowlers Association

PBA Tour Commissioner Fred Schreyer announced today the PBA Commissioner’s Exemption has been awarded to David Ozio for the PBA Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Open in Akron, Ohio. The 2004 PBA Senior Tour Rookie of the Year, Ozio has been a member of the PBA for 28 years. Ozio is a decorated PBA Hall of Famer and has won 11 career PBA Tour titles and the 2004 PBA Senior U.S. Open. Last season, Ozio was a dominant force on the PBA Senior Tour leading the Tour in average (226.47) and finishing 2nd in money ($27,900) and fifth in points (93,953). During the 2003-04 PBA Tour season, Ozio competed in 19 of 20 tournaments and finished the year ranked 70th on the 2003-04 PBA World Point Rankings. The Beaumont, Texas native had three top 25 finishes including 15th in the 2003 PBA GEICO Open in Babylon, N.Y., 17th in the 2004 PBA Medford Open in Medford, Ore. and 20th in the 2004 PBA World Championship in Taylor, Mich. “I’m tremendously privileged to get one of those spots,” Ozio said about receiving the Commissioner’s Exemption. “I’d like to be the guy to take that position to the show and maximize the time I get.” Ozio, who still ranks 12th on the PBA career money list, has had success in the Akron area in the past. He won the 1991 PBA Tournament of Champions at Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn, Ohio, the same stop as this season’s PBA Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Open. Ozio will join the 64-bowler field comprised of 58 exempt bowlers, as well as four non-exempt PBA members and one amateur who come from the weekly PBA Tour Qualifying Round. The round of 64 will feature two seven-game qualifying blocks with the top 32 advancing to the best-of-seven games match play round. The 2005 PBA Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Open takes place Feb. 9 – 13 at AMF Rivera Lanes in Akron, Ohio. ESPN will televise the finals on Sunday, Feb. 13, at 12:30 p.m. EST. The PBA continues its season this weekend with the PBA Dallas Open in Dallas, Texas. The tournament begins today with the PBA Tour Qualifying Round and concludes with the final four bowlers competing for the $40,000 top prize and an exemption for the 2005-06 PBA Tour season live on ESPN, Sunday, Jan. 23 at 1 p.m. EST.