Pensacola, Fla.  – Amateur Kristopher Prather of Milton, Fla., defeated the most successful bowler in Professional Bowlers Association history, 47-time PBA Tour champion Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., 268-258, to win the PBA South Region Pensacola Open at New Liberty Lanes Sunday.

The victory was Prather’s first in PBA Regional competition, but because he is an amateur, he doesn’t receive credit for a PBA title. The Wichita (Kan.) State University bowling team member earned $4,000 while Williams earned $2,100 as the runner-up in a field of 99 competitors.

Prather advanced to the title match by defeating Shawn Naumann of Orlando, Fla., 245-195, and Williams defeated Matt Gasn of Laurel, Md., 214-207, in his semifinal round match. Naumann and Gasn each earned $1,000.

The PBA South Region’s next tournament will be at Franklin Bowl, Franklin, Va., March 16-18.

PBA SOUTH REGION PENSACOLA OPEN
New Liberty Lanes Pensacola, Fla., Sunday

Championship: a-Kristopher Prather, Milton, Fla. ($4,000) def. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla. ($2,100), 268-258.

Semifinal Round (losers earned $1000): Prather def. a-Shawn Naumann, Orlando, Fla., 245-195.
Williams def. a-Matt Gasn, Laurel, Md., 214-207.

Round of 8 (best of three games, losers eliminated and earned $800 each):
a-Naumann def. Jason Sterner, Riverdale, Ga., 2-0.
a-Prather def. Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 2-1.
Williams def. Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2-1.
a-Gasn def. a-Greg Heck, Pensacola, Fla.,2-1.

Round of 16 (best of five games, losers eliminated and earned $700 each):
a-Naumann def. a-Chris Polizzi, Spring Hill, Fla., 3-2.
Daugherty def. a-Ronjay Johnson, Madison, Ala., 3-0.
Newell def. Neil Croinex, Port Orange, Fla.,3-0.
a-Prather def. Rhino Page, Dade City, Fla., 3-1.
Williams def. David O’Sullivan, Orlando, Fla.,3-0.
Sterner def. Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 3-1.
a-Heck def. Ken Simard, Simpsonville, S.C., 3-2.
a-Gasn def. a-Dan Hannagan, Mt. Juliet, Tenn.,3-0.

a – denotes amateur

300 games: Jason Sterner