PBA Senior Lake County Indiana Open Begins Stretch Drive for 2010 PBA Senior Tour Season

Another win makes two-time defending champion Mark Williams Senior Player of the Year contender

When the 2010 Professional Bowlers Association Senior Tour season resumes with the Senior Lake County Indiana Open Aug. 9-12 at Olympia Lanes in Hammond, Ind., a third consecutive title there for two-time defending champion Mark Williams will put him in contention for 2010 Senior Player of the Year honors.

“I think I’m going to have to win at least another tournament to be in contention but I like my chances (at Olympia Lanes) because in all the times I’ve bowled there I’ve never really had a bad tournament,” said the PBA Hall of Famer. “I’m feeling pretty good about the last three tournaments of the season because I’ve also bowled well in Decatur (Ill.).”

Williams, a seven-time Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour titlist and two-time Tournament of Champions winner, won his third Senior Tour title in June by capturing the Senior U.S. Open in Las Vegas to put himself into the Senior Player of the Year race as a dark horse contender.

Following the Hammond event will be the PBA Senior Pepsi Open from Spare Time Lanes in Decatur, Ill., Aug. 14-17, and the PBA Senior Jackson Open from Airport Lanes in Jackson, Mich., Aug. 21-24 to wrap up the season.

Williams joins two other PBA all-time greats – Wayne Webb and Walter Ray Williams Jr. – in the Senior PBA Player of the Year showdown.

Webb currently has the inside track on Senior Player of the Year honors after winning the USBC Senior Masters in June and Senior Columbus Open in April. Going into the final three events Webb leads the Senior Tour earnings and points lists.

Williams Jr., who earned his record seventh PBA Player of the Year honor at the conclusion of the 2009-10 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour season at the age of 50, and most recently won a “Best Bowler” ESPY, won the Senior Miller High Life Classic in his Senior Tour debut in May and finished second to Webb in the USBC Senior Masters.

Among other notable players scheduled to compete in Hammond are reigning Senior Player of the Year Ron Mohr; PBA Hall of Famers Johnny Petraglia, Dave Soutar, Carmen Salvino and four-time Senior Player of the Year Tom Baker.

Also competing will be former Senior Players of the Year Dale Eagle, Bob Chamberlain, 2009 PBA Senior World Championship winner Harry Sullins and Hammond’s own Kenny Parks who won the 2008 USBC Senior Masters.

Competition in Hammond begins with eight-game qualifying rounds on Aug. 10-11 at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Eastern. The top 32 players after qualifying advance to match play beginning Aug. 12 at 9 a.m. with the Round of 8 and finals scheduled for 7 p.m. Practice and pro-ams will be conducted on Monday, Aug. 9.

PBA.com’s Xtra Frame video service will provide coverage of the three remaining Senior Tour events. Click here for schedule information and to subscribe to Xtra Frame to catch all the action.

PBA Senior Lake County Indiana Open

Olympia Lanes, Hammond, Ind., Aug. 9-12

Monday, August 9
9 a.m. – A squad practice
11 a.m. - B squad practice
Pro Am squads to follow

 
Tuesday, August 10
9 a.m. - A squad qualifying (eight games)
3 p.m. - B squad qualifying (eight games)

Wednesday, August 11
9 a.m. - B squad qualifying (eight games)
3 p.m. - A squad qualifying (eight games)

 
Thursday, August 12
9 a.m. – Round of 32: Players qualifying 17-32 bowl (best-of-five-game match play) beginning at 9 a.m.
11 a.m. – Round of 24: Winners and players qualifying 9-16 (best-of-five-game match play)
2 p.m. – Round of 16: Winners and players qualifying 1-8 bowl (best-of–five-game match play)
5 p.m. - Round of 8 (best-of-three-game match play) begins at 5 p.m.
7 p.m. - Round of 4 (one game)
Round of 2 (one game) immediately following