Norway’s Torgersen Defeats Finland’s Koivuniemi in Title Match

to Win Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open

Torgersen thwarts Koivuniemi’s bid for a second consecutive Senior U.S. Open

Title with 184-178 title match win

LAS VEGAS (June 14, 2019) – Tore Torgersen of Norway, a highly-decorated bowler on the international stage, thwarted PBA Hall of Famer Mika Koivuniemi’s bid for a second consecutive Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open presented by Storm title Friday by winning the low-scoring title match 184-178 at the Suncoast Bowling Center.

In a title match where strikes were hard to come by, the 50-year-old Torgersen, bowling as a non-PBA member, was able to take an early lead in the match when Finland native Koivuniemi, who was top qualifier for the stepladder finals for the second consecutive year, failed to convert the 1-2-10 washout in the fourth frame. Torgersen missed a 10 pin in the seventh frame, but the 52-year-old Koivuniemi couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity, giving the win in the season’s third and final major for players 50 and over to the Norwegian.

“I made the mistake about thinking about the 10 pin,” said Torgersen, the 2000 World Amateur Bowler of the Year and a member of the World Bowling Writers Hall of Fame. “I was thinking that I hadn’t missed a 10 pin in a while, no problem – and what happened? I missed it. I was very fortunate to get away with winning after missing that.”

Torgersen joined 2007 Senior U.S. Open winner Rick Minier as the only non-members to win the major.

Torgersen, who lists the 1994 Qubica/AMF World Cup title and the 1999 World Championships all-events gold medal among his many accomplishments in international competition, qualified second for the stepladder finals.

In the semifinal match he beat No. 3 qualifier PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke who was trying for his second Senior U.S. Open win and sixth career PBA50 Tour title, 196-180, to advance to the title match.

“I could tell it wasn’t going to be a strikefest but I like the challenge of thinking your way out of trouble and that’s the way it was the whole tournament,” Torgersen said. “Once you get in that mindset that’s how the tournament is going to be, you just adjust to it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll join in on a strikefest party, but if it’s not, I’m not afraid of making the big changes you need to make on a challenging condition.”

Torgersen also had a two-season stint on the Go Bowling! PBA Tour 15 years ago when he had a career high third-place finish in the 2005 Birmingham Open.

In the opening stepladder match, No. 5 seed 2018 PBA50 Rookie of the Year Rolando Sebelen of the Dominican Republic, defeated No. 4 seed three-time Team USA member Steven Smith of San Diego, 246-200, to advance to the second stepladder match against Duke. Sebelen, who finished fourth, improved on his 10th-place finish in his Senior U.S. Open debut in 2018. Smith, also bowling as a non-member, finished fifth improving on his eighth-place finish in 2018.

In the second match, Duke defeated Sebelen 245-193 to advance to the semifinal against Torgersen.

Earlier this season the 55-year-old Duke won the Go Bowling! Indianapolis and Go Bowling! Jonesboro Opens for the 39th and 40th PBA Tour titles of his career becoming the oldest player to win back-to-back PBA Tour titles.

The 2019 PBA50 Tour season will take a four-week break before starting up again with the PBA50 River City Extreme Open presented by Hammer July 9-12.  Fans can catch all the action onFloBowling.com. Visit www.flobowling.com for subscription and schedule information.

SUNCOAST PBA SENIOR U.S. OPEN

Presented by Storm

Suncoast Bowling Center, Las Vegas, Friday

Final Standings:

1, Tore Torgersen, Norway, $15,000

2, Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, $7,500

3, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., $5,000

4, Rolando Sebelen, Dominican Republic, $4,000

5, Steven Smith, San Diego, $3,000

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Sebelen def. Smith, 246-200.

Match Two – Duke def. Sebelen, 245-193.

Semifinal Match – Torgersen def. Duke, 196-180.

Championship Match – Torgersen def. Koivuniemi, 184-178.

SIXTH ROUND (after 36 games. Includes match play record and total pinfall including bonus pins. Top five players advance to stepladder finals)

1, Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, 10-2, 8,172.
2, n-Tore Torgersen, Norway, 8-4, 8,109.
3, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 7-5, 8,057.
4, n-Steven Smith, San Diego, 9-3, 8,049.
5, Rolando Sebelen, Dominican Republic, 8-4, 7,985.
6, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 9-3, 7,899, $2,700.
7, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 10-2, 7,885, $2,400.
8, Brian LeClair, Albany, N.Y., 8-4, 7,857, $2,250.
9, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 9-3, 7,847, $2,150.
10, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 4-8, 7,844, $2,100.
11, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 8-4, 7,771, $2,050.
12, Blaine Weninger, Happy Valley, Ore., 7-5, 7,757, $2,000.
13, Kimmo Lehtonen, Finland, 7-5, 7,749, $1,950.
14, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 5-7, 7,720, $1,900.
15, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 7-5, 7,685, $1,850.
16, Paul Fleming, Ft. Worth, Texas, 7-5, 7,674, $1,800.
17, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 5-7, 7,664, $1,750.
18, n-Ron Nelson Jr., Bridgeview, Ill., 6-6, 7,652, $1,700.
19, Steven Badovinac, Parker, Colo., 5-7, 7,639, $1,650.
20, Greg McDaniel, Kimball, Neb., 7-5, 7,609, $1,600.
21, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 6-6, 7,606, $1,575.
22, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 5-7, 7,568, $1,550.
23, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 6-5-1, 7,549, $1,525.
24, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 4-8, 7,548, $1,500.
25, Robert Lawrence, Austin, Texas, 5-7, 7,543, $1,475.
26, Mark Mazzulla, Brentwood, Calif., 5-7, 7,535, $1,450.
27, Dennis Horan Jr., Oakley, Calif., 6-6, 7,501, $1,425.
28, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 5-7, 7,489, $1,400.
29, Stoney Baker, Canton, Ga., 3-8-1, 7,457, $1,380.
30, Greg Thomas, Irmo, S.C., 2-10, 7,451, $1,360.
31, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 6-6, 7,440, $1,340.
32, Tony Johnson, Canton, Ohio, 4-8, 7,425, $1,320.
33, Steve Hoskins, New Port Richey, Fla., 4-8, 7,400, $1,300.
34, Eric Forkel, Henderson, Nev., 2-9-1, 7,386, $1,280.
35, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 5-7, 7,358, $1,260.
36, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 5-7, 7,357, $1,240.
37, Jay Hess, Gotha, Fla., 4-8, 7,270, $1,220.
38, Martin Bedford, Gasport, N.Y., 3-8-1, 7,168, $1,200.

FIFTH ROUND (after 30 games. Includes match play record and total pinfall including bonus pins.  All players advance to the sixth round)

1, n-Tore Torgersen, Norway, 5-1, 6,742.
2, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 5-1, 6,741.
3, Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, 5-1, 6,718.
4, n-Steven Smith, San Diego, 5-1, 6,628.
5, Rolando Sebelen, Dominica Republic, 4-2, 6,516.
6, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 5-1, 6,504.
7, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 4-2, 6,487.
8, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1-5, 6,486.
9, Brian LeClair, Albany, N.Y., 4-2, 6,470.
10, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 5-1, 6,428.
11, Blaine Weninger, Happy Valley, Ore., 3-3, 6,422.
12, n-Ron Nelson Jr., Bridgeview, Ill., 4-2, 6,398.
13, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 4-2, 6,390.
14, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 2-4, 6,380.
15, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 3-3, 6,376.
16, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 4-2, 6,355.
17, Wayne Garber, Modesto, Calif., 4-1-1, 6,304.
18, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 1-5, 6,300.
19, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 2-4, 6,297.
20, Robert Lawrence, Austin, Texas, 2-4, 6,295.
21, Steven Badovinac, Parker, Colo., 2-4, 6,284.
22, Stoney Baker, Canton, Ga., 2-4, 6,240.
23, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 4-2, 6,237.
23, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 4-2, 6,237.
25, Mark Mazzulla, Brentwood, Calif., 2-4, 6,233.
26, Greg Thomas, Irmo, S.C., 1-5, 6,231.
27, Paul Fleming, Ft. Worth, Texas, 3-3, 6,228.
28, Kimmo Lehtonen, Finland, 3-3, 6,211.
29, Tony Johnson, Canton, Ohio, 2-4, 6,201.
30, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 2-4, 6,199.
31, Dennis Horan Jr., Oakley, Calif., 3-3, 6,195.
32, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 1-5, 6,193.
33, Steve Hoskins, New Port Richey, Fla., 3-3, 6,189.
34, Greg McDaniel, Kimball, Neb., 3-3, 6,175.
35, Eric Forkel, Henderson, Nev., 1-4-1, 6,110.
36, Tom Baker, King, N.C., 2-4, 6,105.
37, Jay Hess, Gotha, Fla., 1-5, 6,095.
38, Martin Bedford, Gasport, New York, 2-4, 6,013.

n-non-member