Stardust Bowl II in Merrillville, Ind. (May 30 - June 3, 2007)
The list of exempt bowlers for the 2007-08 Denny's PBA Tour is set after seven new names completed the 59-man roster following the 2007 Lake County Indiana Denny's PBA Tour Trials at Stardust Bowl II. Todd Book, left, who led four out of the five nine-game rounds bowled on the five different PBA oil patterns, led the way followed by Ronnie Russell, Steve Harman, Brian LeClair, Troy Wollenbecker, Chad Kloss and Steve Weber.
Bradley Bowl in Windsor Locks, CT (March 28-April 1, 2007)
When two titles are considered a down year, it can only mean the bar has been raised to an unbelievably high level. Tommy Jones has raised the bar higher than any bowler in Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour history, capturing his 10th career title and second Major Sunday with a 257-222 win over Tony Reyes to win the 2007 PBA Tournament of Champions at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Spectrum Lanes in Wyoming, Mich. (March 21-25, 2007)
It's not how you start, but how you finish. Although a great start and a great finish are okay too, as Doug Kent can attest to. Kent became the sixth bowler in Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour history to win two Majors in one season, defeating Chris Barnes, 237-216, Sunday to win the 2007 Denny's World Championship at DeVos Place.
Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis, Ind. (March 14-18, 2007)
Norm Duke knows all too well the feeling of firing a 300 game in a national TV semifinal only to lose in the title match. That’s why Duke showed no mercy in Sunday’s 2007 Pepsi Championship title match. After third-seeded Ryan Shafer fired the 18th nationally televised 300 game in PBA Tour history in the semifinals, the top-seeded Duke showed why he dominated the tournament from start to finish, defeating Shafer 235-219 to win his third title of the season and the 26th of his career.
Brunswick Zone Carolier in North Brunswick, N.J. (Feb. 26 - March 4, 2007)
There are few things Pete Weber has yet to accomplish in his PBA Hall of Fame career, but surprisingly he has never been named PBA Player of the Year. With a win in the most grueling tournament of the season Sunday, he's one step closer to that elusive award. Weber defeated Wes Malott, 210-204, Sunday to win the 64th U.S. Open at Brunswick Zone Carolier, his fourth career U.S. Open crown and record-tying eighth career Major title.
Emerson Lanes in Parkersburg, W.V. (Feb. 21-25, 2007)
They say lightning never strikes twice in the same place, but on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour, Emerson Lanes has been hit with a historic lightning bolt two years running. Mike Mineman became just the second bowler in Tour history to win a title after advancing through the Denny's PBA Tour Qualifying Round, joining Sean Rash who became the first in last year's West Virginia Championship at Emerson Lanes.
Thunderbowl in Council Bluffs, IA (Feb. 14-18, 2007)
Though the debate over who is the best left-handed bowler on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour will never end, Patrick Allen can lay stake to that claim for at least one week. In a final round featuring the top three lefties currently on Tour, Allen captured his ninth career Denny's PBA Tour title and second this season with a 218-169 win over Parker Bohn III.
AMF Irving Lanes in Irving, Texas (Feb. 7-11, 2007)
Chris Barnes has had a lot of heartbreak and disappointment on television throughout his career, but all that seems to go away when he bowls in front of his home crowd. Barnes won his eighth career Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title Sunday – and his second in the Dallas Metroplex – defeating John May, 235-216, to win the 2007 GEICO Classic at AMF Irving Lanes.
Oasis Lanes in El Paso, Texas (Jan. 31-Feb. 4, 2007)
Mika Koivuniemi ended the longest title drought of his career, knocking off new roommate Chris Barnes, 214-185, to win the 2007 Sun City Classic at El Paso Lanes for his seventh career Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title. The Finland native and 2003-04 PBA Player of the Year won for the first time since the 2005 Baby Ruth Real Deal Classic, a span of 38 events.
Strike Zone at Sunset Station in Henderson, NV (Jan. 24-28, 2007)
Jason Couch has done just about everything in his 15-year Denny’s PBA Tour career, but he can now add back-to-back titles to his already impressive resume. Couch defeated 41-year-old rookie Billy Oatman, who was attempting to become the second African-American in history to win a Denny’s PBA Tour title, 236-228, Sunday at Strike Zone at Sunset Station in a match that came down to the final shot.
Fountain Bowl in Fountain Valley, CA (Jan. 17-21, 2007)
Jason Couch became the first No. 1 seed to win a stepladder final since February 2005 and he did it in style, repeating as the Dick Weber Open champion with a 258-236 win over Patrick Allen at Fountain Bowl. The left-hander became the first bowler to defend a Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title since Tommy Jones in the Dydo Japan Cup 2005 and just the fourth in history to defend a title in two different events.
Sean Rash became just the second bowler in Denny's PBA Tour history to win a title in his first three TV appearances, defeating Brian Himmler, 262-190, to win the 2007 Earl Anthony Medford Classic. Rash nearly made more history, as he started with the title match with eight consecutive strikes and looked like he might become the 18th bowler in history to bowl a televised 300 game. He opened in the 9th frame to end the string, but cruised to improve to 6-0 on TV in his short career.
National Bowling Stadium in Reno, NV (Jan. 3-7, 2007)
After one of the worst stretches of his career, all Patrick Allen needed to get back on track was a ball change and a week on the Chameleon oil pattern. Allen captured his eighth career Denny's PBA Tour title – his last three of which have come on the Chameleon, one of five Tour oil patterns – defeating all-time titles leader Walter Ray Williams Jr., 255-247, to win the 2007 H&R Block Classic at the National Bowling Stadium.
AMF Babylon Lanes in West Babylon, N.Y. (Dec. 13-17, 2006)
As one of the most popular bowlers in Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour history, Norm Duke might be the only bowler who could have gotten away with his mistreatment of New York bowlers on Sunday. Duke defeated four bowlers from New York to capture his fourth career title in New York state, knocking off top-seed Ryan Shafer, 218-179, to win the 2006 Columbia 300 Classic at AMF Babylon Lanes.
AMF Country Club Lanes in Baltimore, MD (Dec. 6-10, 2006)
In less than a year, Sean Rash has gone from a struggling qualifier with a lot of potential to one of the top young bowlers on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. Rash, who late last season became the first non-exempt bowler to win a Tour title, defeated PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III, 279-225, to win the 2006 Beltway Classic at AMF Country Club Lanes for his second career title.
Freeway Lanes of Wickliffe in Wickliffe, OH (Nov. 29-Dec., 3, 2006)
It's been a slow start to the 2006-07 Denny's Professional Bowler Association (PBA) Tour season for Tommy Jones by his recent standards, but the reigning PBA Player of the Year showed he's not going anywhere. Jones won his ninth title in a little over two seasons, knocking off Wes Malott, 222-221, to squeak out a win in the 2006 Ace Hardware Championship at Freeway Lanes of Wickliffe.
Hawthorn Lanes in Vernon Hills, Ill. (Nov. 22-26, 2006)
Wes Malott (left) won one for the "Young Guns" Sunday, as well as a young one close to his heart. The 30-year-old won his second career Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title, defeating top-seed Chris Barnes, 269-239, to win the 2006 Discover® Card Windy City Classic at Hawthorn Lanes, $25,000 and an exemption for the 2007-08 season.
Stardust Bowl I in Hammond, Ind. (Nov. 15-19, 2006)
In an epic battle between the Big Fin and the Little Texan, five-foot-six, 128-pound Norm Duke turned out to be the giant on Sunday. Duke moved into a tie for ninth on the all-time Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour titles list by defeating six-foot-four Finland native Mika Koivuniemi, 236-233, to capture the 2006 Lake County Indiana Classic at Stardust Bowl I for his 24th career Tour title.
At 44 years old, Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Hall of Famer Pete Weber is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, he's off to what he calls the best start of his 28-year career. Weber won his 33rd career Denny's PBA Tour title Sunday, knocking off local favorite Doug Kent, 247-196, to win the 2006 Etonic Championship at AMF Thruway Lanes.
Tony Reyes' first career Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title couldn't have been any sweeter. Reyes made history by firing the 17th televised 300 game in the 47-year history of the Tour in the semifinals Sunday at Taylor Lanes, then defeated Wes Malott, 255-238, for his first career title.
The list of exempt bowlers for the 2007-08 Denny's PBA Tour is set after seven new names completed the 59-man roster following the 2007 Lake County Indiana Denny's PBA Tour Trials at Stardust Bowl II. Todd Book, left, who led four out of the five nine-game rounds bowled on the five different PBA oil patterns, led the way followed by Ronnie Russell, Steve Harman, Brian LeClair, Troy Wollenbecker, Chad Kloss and Steve Weber.
When two titles are considered a down year, it can only mean the bar has been raised to an unbelievably high level. Tommy Jones has raised the bar higher than any bowler in Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour history, capturing his 10th career title and second Major Sunday with a 257-222 win over Tony Reyes to win the 2007 PBA Tournament of Champions at Mohegan Sun Arena.
It's not how you start, but how you finish. Although a great start and a great finish are okay too, as Doug Kent can attest to. Kent became the sixth bowler in Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour history to win two Majors in one season, defeating Chris Barnes, 237-216, Sunday to win the 2007 Denny's World Championship at DeVos Place.
Norm Duke knows all too well the feeling of firing a 300 game in a national TV semifinal only to lose in the title match. That’s why Duke showed no mercy in Sunday’s 2007 Pepsi Championship title match. After third-seeded Ryan Shafer fired the 18th nationally televised 300 game in PBA Tour history in the semifinals, the top-seeded Duke showed why he dominated the tournament from start to finish, defeating Shafer 235-219 to win his third title of the season and the 26th of his career. 
There are few things Pete Weber has yet to accomplish in his PBA Hall of Fame career, but surprisingly he has never been named PBA Player of the Year. With a win in the most grueling tournament of the season Sunday, he's one step closer to that elusive award. Weber defeated Wes Malott, 210-204, Sunday to win the 64th U.S. Open at Brunswick Zone Carolier, his fourth career U.S. Open crown and record-tying eighth career Major title.
They say lightning never strikes twice in the same place, but on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour, Emerson Lanes has been hit with a historic lightning bolt two years running. Mike Mineman became just the second bowler in Tour history to win a title after advancing through the Denny's PBA Tour Qualifying Round, joining Sean Rash who became the first in last year's West Virginia Championship at Emerson Lanes.
Though the debate over who is the best left-handed bowler on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour will never end, Patrick Allen can lay stake to that claim for at least one week. In a final round featuring the top three lefties currently on Tour, Allen captured his ninth career Denny's PBA Tour title and second this season with a 218-169 win over Parker Bohn III.
Chris Barnes has had a lot of heartbreak and disappointment on television throughout his career, but all that seems to go away when he bowls in front of his home crowd. Barnes won his eighth career Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title Sunday – and his second in the Dallas Metroplex – defeating John May, 235-216, to win the 2007 GEICO Classic at AMF Irving Lanes.
Mika Koivuniemi ended the longest title drought of his career, knocking off new roommate Chris Barnes, 214-185, to win the 2007 Sun City Classic at El Paso Lanes for his seventh career Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title. The Finland native and 2003-04 PBA Player of the Year won for the first time since the 2005 Baby Ruth Real Deal Classic, a span of 38 events.
Jason Couch has done just about everything in his 15-year Denny’s PBA Tour career, but he can now add back-to-back titles to his already impressive resume. Couch defeated 41-year-old rookie Billy Oatman, who was attempting to become the second African-American in history to win a Denny’s PBA Tour title, 236-228, Sunday at Strike Zone at Sunset Station in a match that came down to the final shot.
Jason Couch became the first No. 1 seed to win a stepladder final since February 2005 and he did it in style, repeating as the Dick Weber Open champion with a 258-236 win over Patrick Allen at Fountain Bowl. The left-hander became the first bowler to defend a Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title since Tommy Jones in the Dydo Japan Cup 2005 and just the fourth in history to defend a title in two different events.
Sean Rash became just the second bowler in Denny's PBA Tour history to win a title in his first three TV appearances, defeating Brian Himmler, 262-190, to win the 2007 Earl Anthony Medford Classic. Rash nearly made more history, as he started with the title match with eight consecutive strikes and looked like he might become the 18th bowler in history to bowl a televised 300 game. He opened in the 9th frame to end the string, but cruised to improve to 6-0 on TV in his short career.
After one of the worst stretches of his career, all Patrick Allen needed to get back on track was a ball change and a week on the Chameleon oil pattern. Allen captured his eighth career Denny's PBA Tour title – his last three of which have come on the Chameleon, one of five Tour oil patterns – defeating all-time titles leader Walter Ray Williams Jr., 255-247, to win the 2007 H&R Block Classic at the National Bowling Stadium. 
As one of the most popular bowlers in Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour history, Norm Duke might be the only bowler who could have gotten away with his mistreatment of New York bowlers on Sunday. Duke defeated four bowlers from New York to capture his fourth career title in New York state, knocking off top-seed Ryan Shafer, 218-179, to win the 2006 Columbia 300 Classic at AMF Babylon Lanes. 
In less than a year, Sean Rash has gone from a struggling qualifier with a lot of potential to one of the top young bowlers on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. Rash, who late last season became the first non-exempt bowler to win a Tour title, defeated PBA Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III, 279-225, to win the 2006 Beltway Classic at AMF Country Club Lanes for his second career title. 
It's been a slow start to the 2006-07 Denny's Professional Bowler Association (PBA) Tour season for Tommy Jones by his recent standards, but the reigning PBA Player of the Year showed he's not going anywhere. Jones won his ninth title in a little over two seasons, knocking off Wes Malott, 222-221, to squeak out a win in the 2006 Ace Hardware Championship at Freeway Lanes of Wickliffe.
Wes Malott (left) won one for the "Young Guns" Sunday, as well as a young one close to his heart. The 30-year-old won his second career Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title, defeating top-seed Chris Barnes, 269-239, to win the 2006 Discover® Card Windy City Classic at Hawthorn Lanes, $25,000 and an exemption for the 2007-08 season. 
In an epic battle between the Big Fin and the Little Texan, five-foot-six, 128-pound Norm Duke turned out to be the giant on Sunday. Duke moved into a tie for ninth on the all-time Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour titles list by defeating six-foot-four Finland native Mika Koivuniemi, 236-233, to capture the 2006 Lake County Indiana Classic at Stardust Bowl I for his 24th career Tour title. 
At 44 years old, Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Hall of Famer Pete Weber is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, he's off to what he calls the best start of his 28-year career. Weber won his 33rd career Denny's PBA Tour title Sunday, knocking off local favorite Doug Kent, 247-196, to win the 2006 Etonic Championship at AMF Thruway Lanes.
Tony Reyes' first career Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour title couldn't have been any sweeter. Reyes made history by firing the 17th televised 300 game in the 47-year history of the Tour in the semifinals Sunday at Taylor Lanes, then defeated Wes Malott, 255-238, for his first career title.