FOUR BOWLERS STILL UNDEFEATED
AT 2009 USBC SENIOR MASTERS

Keith Sharp of Orlando, Fla., has been on a roller coaster ride this week at South Point Bowling Center, and now he's one of four undefeated players at the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters.

Sharp was the leader after the tournament's opening squad and finished the first of three qualifying days third overall, but slowly dropped in the standings and nearly missed the cut to match play. The 54-year-old right-hander entered the double-elimination match-play bracket as the No. 62 seed and rolled through four opponents to remain unbeaten Thursday.

"I came in this morning with almost no expectations after the way I bowled the last two days," said Sharp, who owns one Professional Bowlers Association Senior Tour title. "But the best thing about this tournament is that the pins don't carry over, so even if you barely make the cut, you're never out of it. It really was like the start of a new tournament today."

The three competitors joining Sharp in the winners bracket are Bob Handley of Winter Park, Fla., Dale Traber of Cedarburg, Wis., and left-hander Ross Packard of San Jose, Calif. The four will hit the lanes again Friday at 9:15 a.m., just three wins away from the $17,000 top prize.

"The biggest difference today was that I was able to play the gutter, which meant a better ball reaction and looser arm swing because that's where I'm most comfortable," Sharp said. "Tomorrow is another day, and I hope that shot is there again. If not, I'll make the necessary adjustments and do my best."

Eight bowlers are still alive in the losers bracket, including top qualifier Brain Brazeau of Ocala, Fla., and PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss of Kennesaw, Ga., who finished second in last week's PBA Senior U.S. Open. Brazeau is the only bowler remaining who qualified in the top 20 this week.

Defending champion Kenny Parks of Hammond, Ind., struggled early in a 667-498 opening-round loss to PBA Hall of Famer Mark Williams of Beaumont, Texas, and then was eliminated by Roger Kossert of Lithia, Fla., 651-618.

"I waited all week to get to this point, and then I didn't bowl well enough to win my matches," said Parks, who defeated two-time defending champion Tom Baker of King, N.C., to win the 2008 USBC Senior Masters. "I wasn't sure what the lanes were going to be like or how they were going to transition, and I ended up starting in the wrong area. I'm pretty disappointed, but I had fun this week, anyway."

All 338 Senior Masters competitors bowled 15 qualifying games over three days, before the field was cut to the top 63, who joined Parks in the double-elimination match-play bracket.

Match play continues Friday at 8 a.m. PDT. All matches consist of three games, with total pins determining the winners. Competition will continue throughout the day, and the championship match is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

For more information on the USBC Senior Masters, visit bowl.com.

United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services to nearly 2.5 million adult and youth members and enhances the bowling experience.

2009 USBC Senior Masters
At South Point Bowling Center, Las Vegas
Thursday's results

MATCH PLAY
Double elimination, three-game matches decided by total pinfall
(Name/hometown followed by three-game pinfall total)

OPENING MATCH PLAY ROUND
(Winners remain in winners bracket. Losers move to losers bracket)

(61) Jay Aono, Boise, Idaho, def. (1) Brian Brazeau, Ocala, Fla., 556-507
(33) Ron Boroff, Mansfield, Texas, def. (29) William Anthony, Converse, Texas, 555-549
(45) Jim Murtishaw, Menifee, Calif., def. (17) Michael Karch, Edgewood, Wash., 625-580
(13) Don Sylvia, Orlando, Fla., def. (49) Robert Faragon, Schenectady, N.Y., 596-479
(21) Sam Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., def. (41) Nick Morgan, Sacramento, Calif., 635-609
(9) Keith Kolozsi, Las Vegas, def. (53) Leo Plaia, Metairie, La., 607-534
(37) Bob Handley, Winter Park, Fla., def. (25) Dennis Psaropoulos, Lake Worth, Fla., 636-562
(5) Jeff Suma, Auburn Hills, Mich., def. (57) Roger Kossert, Lithia, Fla., 609-602

(63) John DiSantis, Wilmington, Del., def. (3) Terry Leong, Henderson, Nev., 554-539
(31) Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., def. (35) Michael LaRocca, New Hudson, Mich., 676-495
(47) Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., def. (19) Bob Chamberlain, The Villages, Fla., 663-518
(15) Marv Sargent, Temecula, Calif., def. (51) John Muller, Gervais, Ore., 697-622
(23) Brian Voss, Kennesaw, Ga., def. (43) Joe Staton, Alta Loma, Calif., 643-558
(11) Vinnie Atria, Louisville, Ky., def. (55) Jim King, New Braunfels, Texas, 665-550
(39) Kevin Foley, Reno, Nev., def. (27) Gary Skidmore, Albuquerque, N.M., 537-524
(59) Barry Gurney, West Hills, Calif., def. (7) Harry Sullins, Chesterfield, Mich., 557-541

(62) Keith Sharp, Orlando, Fla., def. (2) Tom Carter, Rockford, Ill., 534-501
(30) Max Shellabarger, Ogden, Utah, def. (34) Sal Bongiorno, Hollywood, Fla., 606-523
(18) Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, def. (46) Kent Wagner, Palmetto, Fla., 678-566
(14) Les Shirwindt, Las Vegas, def. (50) Mark Van Meter, Albuquerque, N.M., 603-561
(42) John Cocchi, Las Vegas, def. Tom Baker, King, N.C., 694-620
(10) Hugh Miller, Marcos Island, Wash., def. (54) Scott Hansel, Stockton, Calif., 711-613
(38) Steve Wright, Cypress, Texas, def. (26) Rod McLean, Las Vegas, 564-557
(6) Ziggy Czaja, Fontana, Calif., def. (58) Norm Palomares, San Francisco, 621-524

(64) Shannon Starnes, Fort Worth, Texas, def. (4) Mike Henry, Brunswick, Ohio, 600-532
(36) Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, def. (32) Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 667-498
(48) Scott Weston, Auburn, Mich., def. (20) Ron De Groat, Las Vegas, 542-540
(16) Wayne Webb, Sacramento, Calif., def. (52) Mark Estes, Grapevine, Texas, 775-549
(44) Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., def. (24) Danny Carbone, Broomfield, Colo., 647-634
(12) Darwin Wimer, Mesquite, Nev., def. (56) Donald Breihan, Columbia, S.C., 618-615
(28) Ross Packard, San Jose, Calif., def. (40) Warren Nelson, Las Vegas, 661-505
(60) Rick Talley, Enid, Okla., def. (8) Marc Scherlis, Littleton, Colo., 671-514


ROUND 1 WINNERS BRACKET

Boroff def. Aono, 702-512
Murtishaw def. Sylvia, 731-638
Kolozsi def. Ventura, 679-581
Handley def. Suma, 576-567

DiSantis def. Staikoff, 548-511
Traber def. Sargent, 677-629
Voss def. Atria, 743-677
Gurney def. Foley, 680-593

Sharp def. Shellabarger, 630-555
Shirwindt def. Mohr, 641-617
Cocchi def. Miller, 567-563
Czaja def. Wright, 592-541

Williams def. Starnes, 621-571
Webb def. Weston, 675-505
Schlegel def. Wimer, 684-598
Packard def. Talley, 608-607


ROUND 1 LOSERS BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $1,000)

Brazeau def. Nelson, 668-647
Anthony def. Scherlis, 605-562
Carbone def. Karch, 648-580
Faragon def. Breihan, 645-612

Morgan def. De Groat, 662-479
Estes def. Plaia, 608-533
Henry def. Psaropoulos, 621-584
Kossert def. Parks, 651-618

McLean def. Leong, 588-564
La Rocca def. Palomares, 579-495
Baker def. Chamberlain, 674-524
Muller def. Hansel, 653-541

Wagner def. Staton, 648-588
Van Meter def. King, 659-623
Skidmore def. Carter, 647-616
Sullins def. Bongiorno, 651-619
ROUND 2 LOSERS BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $1,100)

Brazeau def. Foley, 715-619
Anthony def. Sargent, 617-506
Carbone def. Atria, 588-577
Faragon def. Staikoff, 697-621

Ventura def. Morgan, 593-571
Aono def. Estes, 657-636
Suma def. Henry, 662-595
Sylvia def. Kossert, 622-612

McLean def. Talley, 594-587
Weston def. La Rocca 786-578
Baker def. Wimer, 708-616
Muller def. Starnes, 656-604

Miller def. Wagner, 625-600
Shellabarger def. Van Meter, 675-584
Wright def. Skidmore, 622-542
Mohr def. Sullins, 684-565


ROUND 2 WINNERS BRACKET

Cocchi def. Czaja, 563-517
Traber def. DiSantis, 607-537
Packard def. Schlegel, 646-628
Boroff def. Murtishaw, 654-619

Handley def. Kolozsi, 658-516
Gurney def. Voss, 651-569
Sharp def. Shirwindt, 652-604
Williams def. Webb, 620-603


ROUND 3 LOSERS BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $1,200)

Mohr def. Wright, 665-532
Brazeau def. Anthony, 636-630
Suma def. Sylvia, 585-558
Ventura def. Aono, 607-544

Faragon def. Carbone, 611-499
Weston def. McLean, 592-585
Muller def. Baker, 680-650
Shellabarger def. Miller, 653-603


ROUND 4 LOSERS BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $1,300)

Brazeau def. Schlegel, 580-567
Shirwindt def. Faragon, 640-525
DiSantis def. Ventura, 611-524
Murtishaw def. Suma, 578-538

Weston def. Kolozsi, 607-459
Muller def. Czaja, 595-587
Webb def. Shellabarger, 630-590
Voss def. Mohr, 742-676


ROUND 3 WINNERS BRACKET

Handley def. Boroff, 595-552
Traber def., Gurney, 758-592
Sharp def. Cocchi, 637-508
Packard def. Williams, 695-592


ROUND 5 LOSERS BRACKET
(Losers eliminated, earn $1,600)

Murtishaw def. DiSantis, 658-636
Brazeau def. Shirwindt, 654-603
Muller def. Weston, 678-524
Voss def. Webb, 678-668