Professional Bowlers Association

It took two extra frames, but Kevin Croucher finally came away with his first career PBA Senior Tour title.

Croucher won a sudden death roll-off, 20-18, over Gary Smith after the two tied at 227 through 10 frames Tuesday to win the 2007 PBA Senior Decatur Open at Spare Time Lanes.

Smith came into the match on fire, averaging 279.67 in his previous three games in the Round of 8 and Round of 4, but he cooled off enough for Croucher to pull even with him with three clutch strikes in the 10th frame.

Croucher then started the one-ball, sudden death roll-off with a strike, which Smith matched. On the second ball, Croucher struck again while Smith left the 6- and 10-pins, giving Croucher the win.

“I’ve played a lot of sports my whole life and they all pertain to staying calm,” Croucher said. “After a while you get used to it and that’s the fun part. The fun part is having to throw shots in that situation and perform under pressure. That’s when you find out how good you are.”

Croucher was good enough to knock off Smith, who swept his best-of-three match in the Round of 8 with wins of 276-243 and 279-210 over Keith Sharp (Orlando, Fla.). Smith then overcame PBA Hall of Famer David Ozio (Beaumont, Texas) in a semifinal shootout in which both bowlers struck with their first nine shots and seemed destined for the first 300-300 tie in PBA Senior Tour history. Ozio left a 10-pin with his first shot in the 10th, however, and Smith struck once in the 10th for the win.

Croucher, meanwhile, had to overcome Bob Kelly (Dayton, Ohio) in the Round of 8, winning the final two games for a 2-1 win. It was a small measure of revenge for Croucher, who was edged in the 2006 PBA Senior Rookie of the Year voting by Kelly last season.

After knocking off 10-time PBA Senior Tour titlist Dale Eagle in the semifinals, 231-180, Croucher took the lead early in the title match, until back-to-back spares in the fifth and sixth frames. Smith, meanwhile, struck four consecutive times to take the lead and looked like he might cruise to his first career PBA Senior Tour title.

Smith (E. Peoria, Ill.) needed a strike with is first ball in the 10th to shut Croucher out, but a nine-spare gave the Grants Pass, Ore., resident an opening. He took it by striking all three times in the 10th to send the match to a roll-off.

“I made one bad shot in the match but then he gave me a window. You look forward to getting that window out here but when it comes up you have to remain calm,” Croucher said. “I wasn’t thinking about anything other than making a good shot. Once we tied I knew I could start on the lane I finished on. I threw it a little light but luckily it carried.”

Croucher earned $8,000 for the win while Smith took home $4,500 for second. Ozio and Eagle earned $3,000 each for third and fourth.

Next week the PBA Senior Tour wraps up with the PBA Senior Dick Weber Invitational, Aug. 17-21 at West County Lanes in Ballwin, Mo. The winner will take home $9,000 and a berth in the 2008 H&R Block Tournament of Champions, one of four Majors on the Denny’s PBA Tour.

Notes
It's been a big week in the world of sports for Croucher, who extended a thank you and hello to his wife, Sharon, and daughters, Brandy, Jill and Karah, who were unable to attend.

On Friday, Croucher shot 73 at Redtail Run Golf Club in Decatur. The most impressive part of his feat - he played with rental clubs and tennis shoes. Croucher is part of a large contingent of PBA Senior Tour bowlers who play golf every week.

On a side note, Croucher did not use a house ball or street shoes for the final Tuesday night.

PBA Senior Tour
PBA Senior Decatur Open
Spare Time Lanes
Decatur, Ill.
Tuesday, Aug. 14

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

(Single-game match. Winner earns $8,000. Losers earns $4,500.)

#7 Kevin Croucher		9/		9/		X		X		9/		9/		X		9/		X		XXX		(10)		(10)
		19		39		68		88		107		127		147		167		197		227
#9 Gary Smith		X		9/		X		9/		X		X		X		X		8/		9/X		(10)		(8)
		20		40		60		80		110		140		168		188		207		227

ROUND OF 4

(Single-game matches. Losers eliminated, earn $3,000.)

#9 Gary Smith		284
#4 David Ozio		279
Smith Advances
#7 Kevin Croucher		231
#11 Dale Eagle		180
Croucher Advances

ROUND OF 8

(Single elimination, best-of-three-games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,700.)

#16 Keith Sharp		243		210
#9 Gary Smith		276		279
Smith Advances
#5 Tom Baker		213		237		239
#4 David Ozio		238		183		245
Ozio Advances
#15 Bob Kelly		232		214		224
#7 Kevin Croucher		202		268		254
Croucher Advances
#11 Dale Eagle		207		249
#3 Roger Kossert		187		244
Eagle Advances

ROUND OF 16

(Single elimination, best-of-five games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,300.)

#16 Keith Sharp		204		244		257		225		213
#1 Vince Mazzanti Jr.		207		237		214		247		194
Sharp Advances
#9 Gary Smith		237		204		214		256		247
#8 Dale Traber		213		255		222		185		216
Smith Advances
#5 Tom Baker		197		245		247		257
#12 Rohn Morton		205		190		213		210
Baker Advances
#4 David Ozio		268		245		269
#20 Don Blatchford		235		200		229
Ozio Advances
#15 Bob Kelly		202		222		237		235
#2 Jim Knoblauch		210		201		215		217
Kelly Advances
#23 Michael Henry		195		242		288		244		199
#7 Kevin Croucher		203		198		212		246		268
Croucher Advances
#6 Kenny Parks		238		192		257		236
#11 Dale Eagle		255		195		199		241
Eagle Advances
#3 Roger Kossert		255		206		243		195		203
#19 Tom Carter		209		258		195		254		146
Kossert Advances

ROUND OF 24

(Single elimination, best-of-five-games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,100.)

#32 David Axon		213		195		246		224		216
#16 Keith Sharp		220		278		228		193		219
Sharp Advances
#24 Don Sylvia		213		187		235		201
#9 Gary Smith		245		225		164		225
Smith Advances
#12 Rohn Morton		269		189		258		269
#21 Fred Cole		210		269		221		267
Morton Advances
#13 Barry Mefford		201		222		285		258		217
#20 Don Blatchford		244		247		183		213		256
Blatchford Advances
#31 Bill Keenan		190		225		190		200
#15 Bob Kelly		193		215		254		212
Kelly Advances
#23 Michael Henry		202		243		238		278
#10 Butch Woolen Jr.		225		196		227		197
Henry Advances
#11 Dale Eagle		158		242		247		193		207
#22 Andy Ippolito		236		176		190		227		182
Eagle Advances
#14 Mark Roth		224		267		175		210
#19 Tom Carter		246		248		245		229
Carter Advances

ROUND OF 32

(Single elimination, best-of-five-games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,000.)

#17 George Hall		208		248		202		237		210
#32 David Axon		193		258		237		213		220
Axon Advances
#25 Sam Zurich		235		258		248		228		191
#24 Don Sylvia		266		246		268		166		222
Sylvia Advances
#21 Fred Cole		216		233		216		206		289
#28 Billy Young Jr.		205		216		257		208		238
Cole Advances
#29 Patrick King		180		204		236		192
#20 Don Blatchford		258		237		202		194
Blatchford Advances
#18 Jerry Edwards		205		227		197		210
#31 Bill Keenan		280		215		238		226
Keenan Advances
#26 Dennis Lane		181		178		245		212		187
#23 Michael Henry		171		212		222		258		191
Henry Advances
#22 Andy Ippolito		208		204		184		255		186
#27 Barry Gurney		248		215		175		224		171
Ippolito Advances
#30 Jay Aono		268		190		199		235		186
#19 Tom Carter		233		250		222		157		269
Carter Advances