Sharp As a Tack

by PBA Editor April 28, 2008 19:00
A summer ago, Keith Sharp came up just short in his quest to win his first PBA Senior Tour title the same week he lost his father.

This time, dealing with his mother’s recent illness, Sharp was able to come through with a victory, defeating Sam Zurich in the title match of the 2008 PBA Senior Dayton Classic at Capri Bowling Lanes in the first event of the season.

In an exciting finish which saw both bowlers finish with a 210 in the title match, Sharp won a one-ball roll-off, 10-8, for his first victory.

Sharp quietly put together one of the best seasons on Tour in 2007, culminating with a third-place finish in the season-ending Dick Weber Invitational which took the same week his father passed away. Recently, his mother fell ill and was in the hospital, making Sharp unsure if he’d be able to bowl this summer.

With his family in his thoughts, Sharp rallied to win all six of his matches Tuesday with a 13-3 record. After a 3-1 win in the Round of 32, Sharp swept three-time defending PBA Senior Player of the Year Tom Baker, 3-0, which gave him a boost of confidence.

“He told me, ‘You better win this whole thing or I’m going to kick your you-know-what,’” Sharp said of Baker.

And that he did. After wins of 3-1 in the best-of-five Round of 16 and 2-1 in the best-of-three Round of 8, Sharp knocked off Bill Argenbright, 218-181 in the semifinals to set up a match against Zurich, the 2007 PBA Senior Rookie of the Year.

Sharp jumped out to an early lead against Zurich with strikes in the first three frames and looked like he might threaten to take home the $50,000 Capri Bowling Lanes Proprietor Mike Irwin offered to any bowler who could shoot 300 in the title match. But after he failed to strike in the next frame, Sharp missed the single-pin conversion and opened in two of the next three frames.

In the driver’s seat to win his second career title, Zurich left a pocket 7-10 split in the eighth frame and Sharp took advantage by striking three consecutive times in the eighth, ninth and 10th to tie the match.

Zurich went first in the roll-off and left the 2-8. Sharp then stepped up and got a tough nine pins for the victory.

“When it left my hand I actually didn’t think it was going to hit the head pin and it barely got back,” Sharp (Orlando, Fla.), who used a ball Tuesday he hadn’t used all week, said. “I’m exhausted. I’m excited, happy and all of the above. Last year I won two Senior Regional events and those were my first two PBA titles. And now to top it off with a national title, I feel like all the hard work has paid off.”

Sharp took home $8,000 for his victory while Zurich pocketed $4,500 for his runner-up finish. Argenbright (Fisherville, Va.) and Dale Traber (Cedarburg, Wis.) took home $3,000 each for third and fourth.

The PBA Senior Tour moves to Rockford, Ill., for the Columbia 300 PBA Ladies and Legends presented by MGD 64, May 2-5 at The Cherry Bowl. The event features the top senior bowlers and top female bowlers coming together for a doubles event, with the winning team taking home $15,000 on Monday, May 5.


PBA Senior Dayton Classic
Capri Bowling Lanes
Dayton, Ohio
Tuesday, April 29

TITLE MATCH

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

#9 SAM ZURICH201 (8)
#22 KEITH SHARP201 (9)


SEMIFINALS

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

#9 SAM ZURICH243
#4 DALE TRABER238
Zurich Advances


#23 BILL ARGENBRIGHT181
#22 KEITH SHARP218
Sharp Advances


ROUND OF 8

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

#17 BRIAN BRAZEAU278236 (6)227
#9 SAM ZURICH259236 (10)264
Zurich Advances


#12 DENNIS PSAROPOULOS221201
#4 DALE TRABER247216
Traber Advances


#2 BILL HENSON190244204
#23 BILL ARGENBRIGHT205238237
Argenbright Advances


#22 KEITH SHARP190221215
#14 BOBBY JOHNSON222171168
Sharp Advances


ROUND OF 16

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

#17 BRIAN BRAZEAU204199227
#1 SAM MACCARONE159170184
Brazeau Advances


#9 SAM ZURICH237236199247
#8 PATRICK KING158205200170
Zurich Advances


#5 ROHN MOHR225173180195
#12 DENNIS PSAROPOULOS195199192204
Psaropoulos Advances


#4 DALE TRABER268279225
#20 FRANK GALLO JR.180215176
Traber Advances


#15 MICHAEL CHRZANOWSKI203201163
#2 BILL HENSON268235167
Henson Advances


#23 BILL ARGENBRIGHT170204238
#7 HENRY GONZALEZ142203236
Argenbright Advances


#6 DALE CSUHTA215244182193
#22 KEITH SHARP234232202207
Sharp Advances


#3 MICHAEL LLANEZA236171197190
#14 BOBBY JOHNSON212201233231
Johnson Advances


ROUND OF 24

(Single elimination, best-of-five games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,150.)

#17 BRIAN BRAZEAU199244222246
#16 DON BLATCHFORD212180164162
Brazeau Advances


#24 TOM CARTER233205201196
#9 SAM ZURICH235203202266
Zurich Advances


#12 DENNIS PSAROPOULOS176243203239246
#21 KEITH KOLOZSI243183258151219
Psaropoulos Advances


#13 KENNY PARKS224244228243181
#20 FRANK GALLO JR.184266230223203
Gallo Advances


#18 KARL WOLF196277214258185
#15 MICHAEL CHRZANOWSKI190268228267267
Chrzanowski Advances


#23 BILL ARGENBRIGHT225236254215
#10 RON PROFITT169257235202
Argenbright Advances


#11 TOM BAKER219201211
#22 KEITH SHARP223229236
Sharp Advances


#14 BOBBY JOHNSON221203182
#19 DOUG SPICER169182161
Johnson Advances


ROUND OF 32

(Single elimination, best-of-five games. Losers eliminated, earn $1,050.)

#17 BRIAN BRAZEAU195222178190
#32 ANDY IPPOLITO124142200146
Brazeau Advances


#25 TED HANNAHS160191178191
#24 TOM CARTER137208189192
Carter Advances


#21 KEITH KOLOZSI213215176242
#28 GARY BURZ165205202183
Kolozsi Advances


#29 BARRY MEFFORD205191191
#20 FRANK GALLO JR.243269256
Gallo Advances


#18 KARL WOLF187200205180
#31 TEATA SEMIZ179204125179
Wolf Advances


#26 MICHAEL LUCENTE179257143268195
#23 BILL ARGENBRIGHT202214171241223
Argenbright Advances


#22 KEITH SHARP192248279247
#27 RANDY RAU211215255212
Sharp Advances


#30 JOHN SHREVE SR.178196201181
#19 DOUG SPICER190227184235
Spicer Advances
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