Walter Ray Williams Jr. Wins PBA50 Mooresville Open for

Third Consecutive Title and Record-Tying 14th of His Career

Williams defeats fellow hall of famer Danny Wiseman 229-227 after comeback in title match

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 1, 2019) – Walter Ray Williams Jr., the Professional Bowlers Association’s all-time PBA Tour career titles leader, won the PBA50 Mooresville Open presented by the Mooresville Convention & Visitors Bureau and Storm Wednesday to start the 2019 season with three consecutive wins and record his 14th career title, tying him for the all-time career titles record in PBA’s tour for players 50 and over.

Williams, the Go Bowling! PBA Tour’s all-time career titles leader with 47 wins, tied John Handegard for most career PBA50 Tour titles.

In a dramatic comeback effort in the title match, the 59-year-old Williams, who was the top qualifier for the finals, threw the last five strikes of the match to beat fellow hall of famer Danny Wiseman 229-227. Wiseman, a 12-time PBA Tour winner bowling in his second PBA50 Tour tournament, had an opportunity to win the match with a strike on the first ball in the 10th frame but left a 10 pin.

“I came out of practice all lined up on both lanes, but things got a little tricky in the middle of the game,” said Williams, who left the 3-6-10 in the fifth frame and 3-6 in the seventh frame. “The right lane was a little tighter for me, so I thought I needed to hit the ball a little more at release but the reaction I got was totally unexpected.

“In the ninth frame I moved one board left and that was the right move,” Williams added, after being down as much as 28 pins in the match. “You’ve got to bowl well and get the breaks to win. I was able to finish strong and caught a break when Danny left the 10 pin in the 10th frame.”

The win also marked the second time this season that Williams advanced all the way from the cashers round to reach the finals. He won the season-opening PBA50 Johnny Petraglia BVL Open by advancing from the cashers round.

“Even though I’m bowling pretty well, I’ve been a little frustrated in qualifying,” Williams admitted. “In general, it seems like I’m not getting good pin carry until I get to match play for whatever reason.”

Williams, who won the 2010 Senior Miller High Life Classic at Victory Lanes for his first PBA50 Tour title, was especially fortunate to advance to match play earlier Wednesday bowling a 256 in the final game of the cashers round to earn a spot in the first match play round.

“All I can say is it’s crazy,” Williams said about his journey to the Mooresville Open title. “I didn’t expect to win the first three titles of the season, but it feels awesome.”

Williams’ second win of the season came in last week’s PBA50 National Championship for his third career major title.

The stepladder final, streamed live on FloBowling, began with No. 5 qualifier hall of famer Parker Bohn III of Jackson, New Jersey beating No. 4 qualifier Todd Kjell of Roscoe, Illinois, 196-181.

Bohn, trying for his fifth PBA50 Tour title, then beat No. 3 qualifier Scott Greiner of Sunrise Beach, Missouri, 258-229, to advance to the semifinal match against Wiseman.

Wiseman, who finished 10th in last week’s PBA50 National Championship, then beat Bohn 258-223 to advance to the title match against Williams. Greiner and Kjell were both trying for their first PBA50 Tour titles.

The PBA50 Tour heads to Hamilton Lanes in Trenton, New Jersey for the PBA50 Hamilton Lanes & Entertainment Center Open presented by Columbia 300 May 3-5. Fans can catch all the action from start to finish via PBA’s online streaming partner FloBowling.  For subscription and schedule information visit www.flobowling.com.

PBA50 MOORESVILLE OPEN

Presented by the Mooresville Convention & Visitors Bureau and Storm

Victory Lanes Family Entertainment Center, Wednesday

Final Standings:

1, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., $7,500.

2, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, $4,000.

3, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., $2,700.

4, Scott Greiner, Sunrise Beach, Mo., $2,200.

5, Todd Kjell, Roscoe, Ill.,$1,900.

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Bohn def. Kjell, 196-181.

Match Two – Bohn def. Greiner, 258-229.

Semifinal Match – Wiseman def. Bohn, 258-223.

Championship Match – Williams def. Wiseman, 229-227.

Match Play Round 2 (after six games, including match play bonus pins. Top five advance to stepladder finals)

1, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 4-2, 1,601.
2, Danny Wiseman, Baltimore, 4-2, 1,590.
3, Scott Greiner, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 4-2, 1,562.
4, Todd Kjell, Roscoe, Ill., 5-1, 1,532.
5, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 4-2, 1,515.
6, Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 4-2, 1,513, $1,600.
7, Ricky Schissler, Brighton, Colo., 4-2, 1,510, $1,600.
8, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 3-3, 1,496, $1,600.
9, ss-Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 2-4, 1,471, $1,350.
10, Rick Graham, Lancaster, Pa., 3-3, 1,461, $1,350.
11, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3-3, 1,396, $1,350.
12, Chris Collins, Myrlte Beach, S.C., 2-4, 1,376, $1,350.
13, John Marsala, St. Louis, Mo., 2-4, 1,351, $1,350.
14, n-Jerry Horn, West Columbia, S.C., 2-4, 1,326, $1,350.
15, Doug Henry, Columbus, Ind., 2-4, 1,304, $1,450.
16, Tony Johnson, Canton, Ohio, 0-6, 1,123, $1,350.

Match Play Round 1 (After five games, including match play bonus pins)

17, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 3-2, 1,239, $1,250.
18, ss-Widmar Vargas, Sun City Center, Fla., 3-2, 1,226, $1,250.
19, ss-Jeff Bellinger, Columbia, S.C., 3-2, 1,209, $1,250.
20, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 3-2, 1,204, $1,250.
21, Brian LeClair, Albany, N.Y., 2-3, 1,149, $1,250.
22, Brian Menini, Brookfield, Mo., 2-3, 1,142, $1,250.
23, Mac Sanders, Taylors, S.C., 3-2, 1,139, $1,250.
24, ss-Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 2-3, 1,133, $1,350.
25, Greg Thomas, Irmo, S.C., 0-5, 1,128, $1,150.
26, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 1-4, 1,124, $1,150.
26, ss-Chuck Richardson, The Villages, Fla., 3-2, 1,109, $1,150.
28, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 2-3, 1,093, $1,150.
29, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 1-3-1, 1,092, $1,150.
30, ss-Brian Voss, Centennial, Colo., 1-4, 1,091, $1,150.
31, ss-Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 1-4, 1,034, $1,150.
32, Michael Smith, Centennial, Colo., 0-5, 1,015, $1,150.

Other Cashers (after five-game cashers round)

33, Troy McKinney, Yorktown, Va., 1,122, $1,050.
34, Keith Lesko, Prosper, Texas, 1,113, $1,050.
35, ss-Mike Mineman, St Louis, 1,108, $1,050.
36, ss-Frank Gallo Jr, Jacksonville, Fla., 1,107, $1,050.
37, n-Tony Todd, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 1,105, $1,050.
38, Terry Metzner, Kentwood, Mich., 1,099, $1,050.
39, Stoney Baker, Canton, Ga., 1,097, $1,050.
40, ss-Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, 1,092, $1,050.
41, ss-Greg McMahan, Dandridge, Tenn., 1,079, $1,025.
42, ss-Henry Dawson, Elma, Wash., 1,043, $1,025.
43, ss-Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., 1,003, $1,025.
44, ss-Tom Baker, King, N.C., 998, $1,025.
45, (tie) , ss-Lee Brosius, Ashburn, Va., 994, and Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 994, $1,025.
47, ss-Tom Carter, Columbus, Ohio, 989, $1,000.
48, ss-Mike Moore, Marietta, Ohio, 986, $1,000.
49, ss-Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 982, $1,000.
50, ss-John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 978, $1,000.
51, ss-William Peters, Dayton, Ohio, 975, $1,000.
52, Craig Auerbach, Sunrise, Fla., 974, $1,000.
53, n,ss-Paul Kreins, Mooresville, N.C., 967, $1,000.

n-non-member

ss-PBA60 player ages 60 years and older