David Ozio MANASSAS, Va. – After bowling part-time on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Senior Tour the last three seasons, David Ozio showed Tuesday night a full season of the PBA Hall of Famer could be a scary predicament for the rest of the Tour.
Ozio captured the season-opening PBA Senior Manassas Open at Bowl America Manassas, knocking off fellow PBA Hall of Famer Johnny Petraglia, 258-232, to win his second career PBA Senior Tour title.
The 2004 PBA Senior Rookie of the Year handed Petraglia his only loss of the day after he went 6-0 in match play to advance to the final. Petraglia was looking for his first win on the PBA Senior Tour since 2001.
Petraglia (Manalapan, N.J.) held the lead midway through the match. Facing an important shot in the 7th frame, Ozio chose to re-rack the right lane twice. The move paid off as he struck to stay close to Petraglia who then made a key mistake in the 8th frame when he chopped a 3-6 spare attempt. Ozio responded with four consecutive strikes to close out the match.
“That rack was closed and all week it was blower 7-10 when that happened. When you’re under that much pressure, and with that much adrenaline going, you tend to throw it hard so I was trying to slow it down. I didn’t want to throw a rocket,” Ozio said. “(Norm) Duke taught me to have all the different tools in the tool box. When you’re bowling the caliber of these players you are never comfortable until the wood is out.”
With his first victory since the 2004 PBA Senior U.S. Open, Ozio will be a force on this year’s Tour which is loaded with PBA Hall of Famers and other senior stars.
“I’m back to bowling for a living and I never thought that would be the case. This last year has been pretty amazing. I have bowled really well the whole year and it’s indescribable to get into synch like that,” Ozio (Beaumont, Texas) said. “This was an interesting week in that early in the week my pin carry was so bad that I spent three days trying to get the corner pins out. I made a big swing change the second game of the second round and after that I averaged 250 for the rest of the block. It managed to hold all the way through.”
To get to the finals, Ozio had to knock off two-time defending PBA Senior Player of the Year Tom Baker, 212-206, in the semifinal. Baker (King, N.C.) could have doubled in the 10th to lock out Ozio, but he left a 10-pin on his first shot in the 10th, and Ozio doubled for the win.
Petraglia advanced to the title match with a 258-195 win over Rohn Morton (Vancouver, Wash.)
The PBA Senior Tour next heads to Rockford, Ill., for the 2007 Hammer Ladies and Legends presented by the Illinois State Bowling Proprietors Association, May 5-10, at The Cherry Bowl. It marks he first PBA Ladies and Legends event since 1996. The top 24 senior bowlers and top 24 females after qualifying will team up for match play and a chance to take home $15,000.
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Ozio captured the season-opening PBA Senior Manassas Open at Bowl America Manassas, knocking off fellow PBA Hall of Famer Johnny Petraglia, 258-232, to win his second career PBA Senior Tour title.
The 2004 PBA Senior Rookie of the Year handed Petraglia his only loss of the day after he went 6-0 in match play to advance to the final. Petraglia was looking for his first win on the PBA Senior Tour since 2001.
Petraglia (Manalapan, N.J.) held the lead midway through the match. Facing an important shot in the 7th frame, Ozio chose to re-rack the right lane twice. The move paid off as he struck to stay close to Petraglia who then made a key mistake in the 8th frame when he chopped a 3-6 spare attempt. Ozio responded with four consecutive strikes to close out the match.
“That rack was closed and all week it was blower 7-10 when that happened. When you’re under that much pressure, and with that much adrenaline going, you tend to throw it hard so I was trying to slow it down. I didn’t want to throw a rocket,” Ozio said. “(Norm) Duke taught me to have all the different tools in the tool box. When you’re bowling the caliber of these players you are never comfortable until the wood is out.”
With his first victory since the 2004 PBA Senior U.S. Open, Ozio will be a force on this year’s Tour which is loaded with PBA Hall of Famers and other senior stars.
“I’m back to bowling for a living and I never thought that would be the case. This last year has been pretty amazing. I have bowled really well the whole year and it’s indescribable to get into synch like that,” Ozio (Beaumont, Texas) said. “This was an interesting week in that early in the week my pin carry was so bad that I spent three days trying to get the corner pins out. I made a big swing change the second game of the second round and after that I averaged 250 for the rest of the block. It managed to hold all the way through.”
To get to the finals, Ozio had to knock off two-time defending PBA Senior Player of the Year Tom Baker, 212-206, in the semifinal. Baker (King, N.C.) could have doubled in the 10th to lock out Ozio, but he left a 10-pin on his first shot in the 10th, and Ozio doubled for the win.
Petraglia advanced to the title match with a 258-195 win over Rohn Morton (Vancouver, Wash.)
The PBA Senior Tour next heads to Rockford, Ill., for the 2007 Hammer Ladies and Legends presented by the Illinois State Bowling Proprietors Association, May 5-10, at The Cherry Bowl. It marks he first PBA Ladies and Legends event since 1996. The top 24 senior bowlers and top 24 females after qualifying will team up for match play and a chance to take home $15,000.
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