Professional Bowlers Association

Dave Patchen used a little karmic retribution Thursday to take home his first career PBA Senior Tour title.

After throwing a perfect shot in the ninth frame and leaving a stone 9-pin when a strike would have given him the lead, Patchen watched as Henry Gonzalez left a 2-10 split and opened in the 10th frame needing only a mark to win, giving Patchen a 202-196 win in the title match of the 2007 PBA Senior Council Bluffs Open at Thunderbowl.
The 53-year-old was moved to tears by winning his first title, which didn’t come easy on Thursday.

Patchen needed a 279 in the final game of his best-of-three-games Round of 8 match to beat 10-time PBA Senior Tour titlist Dale Eagle, who came in on a three-match winning streak. He then had to double in the 10th frame against PBA Hall of Famer David Ozio in the semifinals to squeak by with a 245-242 win.

In the title match, it looked like Gonzalez might run away with his third PBA Senior Tour title when Patchen split and opened in the third frame, but Gonzalez was unable to capitalize, and Patchen was able to stay within five pins of Gonzalez until the ninth frame. After Gonzalez left the 3-6-10 and converted, Patchen had a chance to take the lead with a strike, but the 9-pin meant Gonzalez only needed a mark to win.

“That shot in the ninth frame was the best ball I threw all day and it just didn’t go down,” Patchen (Oregon, Ohio) said. “I told (roommate) Tim (Kauble) ‘if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. If not, that’s the way it is.’ When he left that split it was just total shock. I was about ready to cry. I’m just so happy I get a banner.”

Patchen credits his win against Ozio, in which he overcame a 7-10 split in the sixth frame, for giving him the confidence he needed in the title match.

“That match against Ozio was my toughest match. This is the fourth time I’ve bowled him this year and I always bowl well against him but he always seems to get me,” Patchen, who used a Roto Grip Mystic the entire tournament, said. “I figured if I could get past him I’d have a chance.

“I was really nervous against Ozio but I wasn’t nervous in the championship. I felt really comfortable. I guess I figured if I left a 7-10 split (Gonzalez) could leave one too, but I really didn’t think he’d leave that split. My heart is still pounding. This is one of the best days of my life.”

Patchen earned $8,000 for the win, while Gonzalez (Colorado Springs, Colo.) took home $4,500. Ozio (Beaumont, Texas) and Jerry Swank (Chouteau, Okla.), who Gonzalez beat, 230-213, earned $3,000 each for third and fourth, respectively.

The PBA Senior Tour heads to Hammond, Ind., next week for the 2007 PBA Lake County Open, Aug. 6-9 at Olympia Lanes. The winner will take home $8,000.


PBA Senior Tour
PBA Senior Council Bluffs Open
Thunderbowl
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Thursday, August 2

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

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

#20 Henry Gonzalez		X		X		9/		9/		X		9/		X		7/		X		s81
		29		49		68		88		108		128		148		168		187		196
#7 Dave Patchen		X		X		s72		X		X		9/		9/		X		9/		9/X
		27		46		55		84		104		123		143		163		182		202

ROUND OF 4

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

#9 Jerry Swank		213
#20 Henry Gonzalez		230
Gonzalez Advances
#7 Dave Patchen		245
#11 David Ozio		242
Patchen Advances

ROUND OF 8

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

#16 Don Sylvia		194		226
#9 Jerry Swank		224		245
Swank Advances
#12 Keith Sharp		192		222		216
#20 Henry Gonzalez		222		195		268
Gonzalez Advances
#31 Dale Eagle		177		186		217
#7 Dave Patchen		236		170		279
Patchen Advances
#11 David Ozio		220		245		259
#3 Barry Gurney		238		204		226
Ozio Advances

ROUND OF 16
(Single elimination, best-of-five-games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,300.)

#16 Don Sylvia		235		193		216		211		279
#1 Mika Dias		248		178		212		258		218
Sylvia Advances
#9 Jerry Swank		243		279		208
#8 Ronald Krippelcz		221		204		200
Swank Advances
#5 Gary Smith		184		228		216		225		217
#12 Keith Sharp		226		236		193		200		229
Sharp Advances
#4 Bob Brady		232		178		238		189		187
#20 Henry Gonzalez		217		229		188		210		193
Gonzalez Advances
#31 Dale Eagle		244		279		227		227		279
#2 Vince Mazzanti Jr.		227		218		247		268		247
Eagle Advances
#26 Rich Holden		169		190		234
#7 Dave Patchen		266		205		236
Patchen Advances
#6 Gary Dickinson		207		245		268		210		226
#11 David Ozio		205		235		300		256		279
Ozio Advances
#3 Barry Gurney		164		163		213		233
#19 Mel Wolf		148		211		209		194
Gurney Advances

ROUND OF 24

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

#17 Kevin Croucher		226		169		156
#16 Don Sylvia		245		184		200
Sylvia Advances
#24 Fred Kaczmarczyk		234		236		199
#9 Jerry Swank		248		266		254
Swank Advances
#12 Keith Sharp		226		203		163		232
#21 Michael Henry		190		170		189		211
Sharp Advances
#13 Roger Kossert		190		174		201
#20 Henry Gonzalez		254		235		257
Gonzalez Advances
#31 Dale Eagle		268		209		267		247
#15 John Shreve Sr.		225		213		183		211
Eagle Advances
#26 Rich Holden		197		257		224		221		244
#10 Sam Zurich		236		248		212		256		197
Holden Advances
#11 David Ozio		253		235		258
#27 Robert Holzbauer		176		203		229
Ozio Advances
#14 Tom Carter		200		191		240		206
#19 Mel Wolf		235		215		226		214
Wolf Advances

ROUND OF 32

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

#17 Kevin Croucher		167		177		245		234		202
#32 Jimmy Johnson		168		213		216		219		193
Croucher Advances
#25 Chuck Pierce		146		193		217
#24 Fred Kaczmarczyk		182		194		268
Kaczmarczyk Advances
#21 Michael Henry		209		263		215		247
#28 Dale Traber		199		248		255		185
Henry Advances
#29 Bob Chamberlain		231		196		191		169
#20 Henry Gonzalez		237		244		178		224
Gonzalez Advances
#18 Terry Norton		159		191		237		224
#31 Dale Eagle		258		225		207		266
Eagle Advances
#26 Rich Holden		247		212		227
#23 Greg Shields		213		198		184
Holden Advances
#22 Bill Henson		182		178		213
#27 Robert Holzbauer		256		216		237
Holzbauer Advances
#30 George Lord		206		225		202		299		181
#19 Mel Wolf		226		192		222		191		248
Wolf Advances

300 games (1) - David Ozio.