INDIANAPOLIS (MAY 16, 2017) – Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Bryan Goebel of Shawnee, Kan., a 10-time winner on the PBA Tour, won the PBA50 Miller Lite Players Championship Tuesday for his first title on PBA’s tour for players 50 and over.

Goebel won the first major of the 2017 season by beating fellow hall of famer and stepladder finals top qualifier Parker Bohn III of Jackson, N.J., 264-230, in the championship match at Woodland Bowl.

“I feel so fortunate to win because it’s so tough with all the great players we have out here,” said Goebel, who was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in February. “I had a very rewarding career on the PBA Tour but it’s a very special honor to be part of that club that has won titles on both the PBA Tour and PBA50 Tour.”

Bohn and Goebel traded strikes in the first four frames of the title match until Bohn pulled away by continuing his string with strikes in the fifth and six frames. Bohn ran into trouble in the seventh frame when he left the 7-10 split and then left the 4-7-10 split in the ninth which turned the momentum back to Goebel who put together a string of five strikes at the end of the match to seal the win.

Goebel’s win came in his 51st PBA50 Tour tournament. His previous best finishes in five full seasons were two runner-up finishes which came in 2013 and 2015.

“What makes it special is you want to beat the best and Parker is one of the best,” said the 55-year-old Goebel. “It’s a huge relief to finally get that first win and to beat a great player like Parker in a major, that makes it that much more satisfying.”

For Goebel, the Miller Lite Players Championship win was his second major title on the national stage. He won the PBA Tour’s PBA Tournament of Champions in 1998.

As the No. 2 qualifier for the finals, Goebel advanced to the title match by beating PBA50 Tour rookie Michael Haugen Jr. of Phoenix, 200-181, in the semifinal match. Haugen, a five-time PBA Tour winner who qualified fourth for the finals, was making his third championship round appearance of the season and tied his best finish of third.

In the opening match Haugen beat No. 5 qualifier Scott Greiner of Platte City, Mo., 238-159, and then defeated No. 3 qualifier Bob Learn Jr. of Erie, Pa., 222-190, to advance to the semi-final match against Goebel.

Learn, who dominated qualifying by averaging 245, was trying for his fourth career PBA50 Tour title while Greiner was trying for his first win.

The next stop for the PBA50 Tour is Harvest Park Bowl in Brentwood, Calif. for the PBA50 Northern California Classic presented by MOTIV May 28-31.

PBA50 MILLER LITE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, Tuesday

Final Standings:

1,  Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., $10,000

2,  Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., $5,500.

3,  Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, $3,000.

4,  Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., $2,500.

5,  Scott Greiner, Platte City, Mo., $2,000. 

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Haugen def. Greiner, 238-159.

Match Two – Haugen def. Learn, 222-190.

Semifinal Match – Goebel def. Haugen, 200-181.

Championship – Goebel def. Bohn, 264-230.

FOURTH ROUND

(Top five advanced to stepladder finals. Includes match play record and 32-game pinfall total including bonus)

1, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 11-5, 7,997.
2, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 11-5, 7,927.
3, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 9-7, 7,917.
4, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 11-4-1, 7,817.
5, Scott Greiner, Platte City, Mo., 13-3, 7,778, $2,000.
6, Danny Clark, New Palestine, Ind., 7-8-1, 7,731, $1,800.
7, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 10-6, 7,701, $1,700.
8, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 8-8, 7,673, $1,650.
9, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 11-5, 7,631, $1,600.
10, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 6-10, 7,527, $1,550.
11, John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 12-4, 7,461, $1,525.
12, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 10-6, 7,445, $1,500.
13, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 5-11, 7,404, $1,475.
14, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 7-9, 7,333, $1,450.
15, ss-Tom Baker, King, N.C., 5-11, 7,320, $1,425.
16, ss-Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 5-11, 7,206, $1,400.

THIRD ROUND

(Top 16 advanced to fourth round. Includes match play record and 24-game total pinfall including bonus)

1, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 6-2, 6,000.
2, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 7-1, 5,961.
3, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 4-4, 5,952.
4, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 7-1, 5,817.
5, Danny Clark, New Palestine, Ind., 4-4, 5,764.
6, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 4-4, 5,736.
7, Scott Greiner, Platte City, Mo., 6-2, 5,706.
8, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 5-3, 5,702.
9, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 5-3, 5,679.
10, *Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 5-3, 5,613.
11, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 3-5, 5,611.
12, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 7-1, 5,606.
13, John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 7-1, 5,574.
14, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 2-6, 5,566.
15, ss-Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 4-4, 5,550.
16, ss-Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3-5, 5,526.

17, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 4-4, 5,518.
18, Brian LeClair, Delmar, N.Y., 4-4, 5,484, $1,280.
19, ss-Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 4-3-1, 5,473, $1,260.
20, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 5-3, 5,459, $1,240.
21, Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 3-4-1, 5,434, $1,220.
22, Tim Shirlock, Las Vegas, 3-5, 5,428, $1,200.
23, Stoney Baker, Canton, Ga., 4-4, 5,397, $1,190.
24, Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 1-7, 5,348, $1,180.
25, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 3-5, 5,339, $1,170.
26, Larry Verble, Mason, Mich., 3-5, 5,319, $1,160.
27, Patrick Shipley, Spring Valley, Calif., 4-4, 5,308, $1,150.
28, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 2-6, 5,284, $1,140.
29, ss-John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 2-6, 5,231, $1,130.
30, ss-Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., 2-6, 5,229, $1,120.
31, (tie) ss-Dale Eagle, Twin Falls, Idaho, 2-6, and David Axon, Bellevue, Neb., 2-6, 5,185, $1,105.

*Pete Weber withdrew after third round due to injury and was replaced by Walter Ray Williams Jr. in fourth round.

ss-PBA60 player ages 60 and over