Don Sylvia Wins PBA Senior
Northern California Classic

Don Sylvia of Reno, Nev., defeated J.P. Muller of Gervais, Ore., 209-173, to win his third career Professional Bowlers Association Senior Tour title in the PBA Senior Northern California Classic at Harvest Park Bowl June 2 at Brentwood, Calif.

Sylvia, who won his last title in the Lake County Indiana Open in Hammond, Ind., three years ago, earned $8,000 while Muller, a non-titlist bowling in only his seventh Senior Tour event, won $4,500 as runner-up.

“I had a couple of bleak years, personally and with injuries,” Sylvia said, “but I’m in a good place in my life now. I feel like things are back on track. I have a job, my problems with my arm, neck and wrist are finally under control, and I have a new lady in my life who has made me believe in myself again. All of the planets are in line again.

“I also worked at Harvest Park Bowl for a long time,” he continued. “I’ve always had a great feel for this place. I couldn’t ask for a better place to start my life over. It all feels like a dream.”

Sylvia was nearly perfect in defeating Kerry Painter of Henderson, Nev., 289-187, in the semifinal round while Muller eliminated Ross Packard of San Jose, Calif., 235-201.

In other featured matches, Ron Garr of Ridgedale, Mo., dispatched top qualifier Ron Mohr of Eagle River, Alaska, 3-0, in their best-of-five-game Round of 16 match. Sam Ventura of Syracuse, N.Y., spoiled Walter Ray Williams Jr.’s Senior Tour return to the Northern California area where he spent most of his earlier career, 3-2, in the Round of 24. Ventura’s 247-245 decision in their fifth game ended Williams’ hopes. Painted ended Dale Traber’s bid to defend his title in the Round of 24, 3-2.

The PBA Senior Tour now heads to Las Vegas, Nev., for back-to-back major championships. Wayne Webb of Columbus, Ohio, will try for his third consecutive Senior U.S. Open title June 6-11 at Suncoast Bowling Center on the north side of Las Vegas. The following week, Dale Traber of Cedarburg, Wis., will try to defend his USBC Senior Masters title across town at South Point Bowling Center, June 13-18.

The Senior Tour will then go on hiatus until late summer when it returns to the Midwest to wrap up its year with the Senior Lake County Indiana Open at Olympia Lanes in Hammond, Ind., Aug. 9-12; the Senior Decatur Open at Spare Time Lanes in Decatur, Ill., Aug. 14-17, and the Senior Jackson Open at Airport Lanes in Jackson, Mich., Aug. 21-24.

PBA SENIOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CLASSIC
Harvest Park Bowl, Brentwood, Calif., June 1

Championship match
Don Sylvia, Reno, Nev. ($8,000) def. J.P. Muller, Gervais, Ore. ($4,500), 209-173.

Semifinal Round (losers earn $3,000)
Sylvia def. Kerry Painter, Henderson, Nev., 289-187.
Muller def. Ross Packard, San Jose, Calif., 235-201.

Round of 8 (best-of-three games, losers eliminated, $1,700 each)
Syvia def. Ron Garr, Ridgedale, Mo., 2-0.
Painter def. Bob Chamberlain, The Villages, Fla., 2-1.
Packard def. Paul Danforth, Laguna Hills, Calif., 2-0.
Muller def. Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, Wash., 2-0.

Round of 16 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,300 each)
Garr def. Ron Mohr, Eagle River, Alaska, 3-0.
Sylvia def. Noel Vazquez, Sacramento, Calif., 3-0.
Painter def. Hugh Miller, Seattle, 3-2.
Chamberlain def. Darryl Traber, Waterford, Wis., 3-1.
Packard def. Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3-2.
Danforth def. Sam Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 3-1.
Muller def. Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 3-2.
Schlegel def. Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Township, Mich., 3-0.

Round of 24 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,150 each)
Garr def. Kevin Foley, Reno, Nev., 3-1.
Vazquez def. Dave Flemming, Fairborn, Ohio, 3-0.
Painter def. Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 3-2.
Chamberlain def. Jim Joy, San Pablo, Calif., 3-0.
Packard def. Rodney Garrick, San Francisco, 3-0.
Ventura def. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 3-2.
Muller def. Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., 3-1.
Schlegel def. Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, 3-1.

Round of 32 (best-of-five games, losers eliminated, $1,050 each)
Foley def. Bob Brady, Santa Monica, Calif., 3-0.
Vazquez def. Frank Gallo Jr., Newport News, Va., 3-2.
Dale Traber def. Harley Trumbull, New Boston, Mich., 3-1.
Joy def. Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 3-1.
Garrick def. Junichi Yajima, Japan, 3-1.
Venture def. Dan Roberts, Brentwood, Calif., 3-0.
Staikoff def. Ed Silva, Manteca, Calif., 3-2.
Profitt def. Koichiro Tamaki, Japan, 3-0.