Hometown Favorite Eugene McCune Wins First official PBA50 Tour Title
By Jill Winters
Hammond, Indiana – Munster, Indiana resident Eugene McCune is used to working long days, but you would think after winning a PBA50 title the hard-throwing righty would sit back and enjoy his victory at the 2021 PBA50 South Shore Open on Thursday.
Instead, he collected his trophy and $7,500 check, smiled for some pictures, and headed to work at the Horseshoe Casino.
The hometown favorite was triumphant inside Olympia Lanes after he defeated Norm Duke, 225-205, in the title match.
“It feels good to win again here,” McCune said about the bowling center that is not far from his house.
Back in 2018, he won in his PBA50 debut at the South Shore Open but at the time he wasn’t a PBA50 member, so he didn’t get credit for the title.
“It’s nice to have an official title.”
McCune, who was the number one seed after two rounds of match play, started the championship match with five strikes over the first six frames to take a 30-pin lead over Duke, who up to that point, was climbing the stepladder as the fifth seed. McCune was able to stay clean for the rest of the match to get the win.
“This win means the world to me, and it was great to have my son, Kevin here,” McCune said.
In the first match, Duke defeated Lennie Boresch Jr. 244-203. Then it was a showdown of PBA Hall of Famers as he beat Parker Bohn III, 242-232.
Amleto Monacelli, who had posted an impressive match play record of 10-1-1 on the day, was Duke’s next opponent. Monacelli struggled to find success on the lanes losing, 223-158.
The PBA50 now heads to Wyoming, Michigan for the Spectrum Lanes Open, which begins at 10 a.m. Eastern August 2 live on FloBowling.
2021 PBA50 SOUTH SHORE OPEN FINAL STANDINGS:
- Eugene McCune $7,500
- Norm Duke $4,000
- Amleto Monacelli $3,000
- Parker Bohn III $2,500
- Lennie Boresch Jr. $2,000
View the full standings at PBA50 South Shore Open | PBA
MATCH SCORES
Match 1 – Duke def. Boresch Jr. 244-203
Match 2 – Duke def. Bohn III 242-232
Match 3 – Duke def. Monacelli 223-158
Championship match – McCune def. Duke 225-205