NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (April 23, 2018) – Warren Eales of Chandler, Ariz., bowling as a non-member, fired the last eight strikes in the championship match against Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Fla., to win the PBA50 Lucas Magazine Classic Monday at Lane Glo Bowl.

Eales, who is the Port Director for the United States Customs Service in Las Vegas, beat Williams 258-247 to become the first non-member to win a PBA50 Tour event since Nick Morgan of Sacramento, Calif., won the Senior Northern California Classic in 2008.

“Who knew this was going to happen,” said the 58-year-old Eales, who was the top qualifier for the stepladder finals of the first PBA50 tournament of the season. “To strike out in the 10th frame to beat Walter Ray, how could you script it any better? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime bowling experience.”

Williams, who was trying for his 12th PBA50 Tour title, finished the match with his 247 game forcing Eales to throw the first two strikes in the 10th frame for the win but Eales left little doubt about the outcome when he threw three pocket strikes.

“I have a pre-shot routine and I executed it exactly the way I wanted,” Eales said. “I just had to concentrate on keeping my hand underneath the ball, throw a soft shot and let it roll. The first shot in the 10th went exactly according to plan and then I just thought to myself I just need to do it one more time.”

Eales, who was a PBA member for two years in the mid-1980s, owns four USBC Open Championships titles. He’s had several top 10 finishes in PBA regional tournaments and once finished 18th in a PBA Tour tournament. He’s a member of the Arizona, Phoenix and Mesa bowling halls of fame and now bowls tournaments mainly on the state and local level.

Eales trip to Florida for the Lucas Magazine Classic was actually part of a vacation with his wife Yeong.

“Once a year my wife and I take a week’s vacation around a tournament in a different part of the country,”  he said. “This year we picked this tournament because there was also a regional in Sarasota a couple days before. Needless to say, it will be a vacation I’ll never forget.”

In the semi-final match Williams, who qualified third for the finals, beat one-time PBA Tour winner Mike Mineman of St. Louis 248-201 to advance to the title match. Mineman, who qualified second and was making his first PBA50 Tour finals appearance, won the 2006 Bayer Classic PBA Tour event.

In the second stepladder match, Williams beat No. 5 qualifier 56-year-old insurance agent Joel Carlson of Omaha, Neb., 268-241, to advance to the semi-final match.

Carlson, who has a best PBA50 Tour finish of third, which came in the 2016 Sun Bowl In The Villages, took advantage of a missed 10-pin and a gutter ball on a double by PBA Hall of Famer and two-time PBA50 Player of the Year Ron Mohr of Las Vegas to win the opening stepladder match 207-197.

The PBA50 Tour moves to The Villages, Fla. for the PBA50 National Championship presented by Spanish Springs Lanes and Radical April 24-28 which is the first major of the season.

Fans can catch all the action on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. For subscription and schedule information visit www.xtraframe.tv.

PBA50 LUCAS MAGAZINE CLASSIC

Lane Glo Bowl, New Port Richey, Fla., Monday

Final Standings:

1, n-Warren Eales, Chandler, Ariz., $7,500.

2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., $4,000.

3, Mike Mineman, St. Louis, Mo., $2,500.

4, Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., $2,000.

5, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, $1,750.

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Carlson def. Mohr, 207-197.

Match Two – Williams def. Carlson, 268-241.

Semifinal Match – Williams def. Mineman, 248 -201.

Championship Match – Eales def. Williams, 258-247.

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

1, n-Warren Eales, Chandler, Ariz., 5-1, 1,602.
2, Mike Mineman, St Louis, Mo, 3-2-1, 1,572.
3, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 3-2-1, 1,562.
4, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 5-1, 1,549.
5, Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 4-2, 1,518.
6, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 3-3, 1,517, $1,500.
7, Lee Brosius, Ashburn, Va., 3-3, 1,508, $1,600.
8, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 3-3, 1,475, $1,500.
9, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 3-3, 1,464, $1,350.
10, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 4-2, 1,447, $1,450.
11, Sammy Ventura, Norwich, N.Y., 2-4, 1,407, $1,350.
12, Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 2-4, 1,382, $1,450.
13, George Litwin, Miami, 2-4, 1,364, $1,350.
*14, Brian LeClair, Albany, N.Y., 3-3, 1,300, $1,300.
15, Warren Nelson, Hemet, Calif., 1-5-0, 1,264, $1,350.
16, John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 1-5-0, 1,207, $1,350.

*LeClair withdrew after fourth match because of injury and was replaced by Amleto Monacelli.

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

17, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 3-2, 1,233, $1,300.
18, James Hansen, Anchorage, Alaska, 3-2, 1,217, $1,250.
19, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 2-3, 1,209, $1,350.
20, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 3-2, 1,208, $1,250.
21, Don Breeden, Clive, Iowa, 3-2, 1,205, $1,250.
22, Jeff Bellinger, Columbia, S.C., 2-3, 1,195, $1,250.
23, Sam Maccarone, Williamstown, N.J., 3-2, 1,182, $1,250.
24, Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 2-3, 1,175, $1,250.
25, Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 2-3, 1,167, $1,150.
26, Bill Watson, Monroe, Ohio, 3-2, 1,132, $1,150.
27, Ralph Brunt Jr., Jensen Beach, Fla., 1-4, 1,127, $1,250.
28, William Peters, Dayton, Ohio, 2-3, 1,113, $1,150.
29, Steve Bova, Massapequa, N.Y., 2-3, 1,063, $1,150.
30, Danny Clark, New Palestine, Ind., 2-3, 1,062, $1,150.
31, John Donovan, Melbourne, Fla., 2-3, 1,030, $1,150.
32, John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 0-5, 918, $1,150.

Other Cashers (after five-game cashers’ round)

33, Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., 1,091, $1,050.

34, Henry Dawson, Elma, Wash., 1,090, $1,050.

35, Tony Johnson, Canton, Ohio, 1,082, $1,050.
36, Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 1,080, $1,050.
37, James Knoblauch, Waukesha, Wis., 1,068, $1,050.
38, Kimmo Lehtonen, Finland, 1,061, $1,050.
39, Ray Valdovino, Sacramento, Calif., 1,059, $1,050.
40, Dale Traber, Cedarburg, Wis., 1,058, $1,050.
41, Patrick King, Yankton, S.D., 1,049, $1,000.
42, Todd Haney, Boiling Springs, S.C., 1,043, $1,000.
43, Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 1,042, $1,000.
44, Harry Alchin, Madeira Beach, Fla., 1,026, $1,000.
45, Jeff Schrum, Cherryville, N.C., 1,025, $1,000.
46, Jim Pitts, Elmira, N.Y., 1,004, $1,000.
47, John DiSantis, Wilmington, Del., 998, $1,000.
48, Keith Lesko, Prosper, Texas, 996, $1,000.
49, Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 968, $1,000.
50, Christopher Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 931, $1,000.
51, Fred Ferreira, Kings Park, N.Y., 930, $1,000.
52, Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 873, $1,000.

n-non-member