BubbaRay
10-26-2007, 08:37 AM
WAUWATOSA, Wis. - 10/25/2007
Sean Rash is trying to single-handedly make sure none of last year’s USBC Masters finalists return to the championship round in 2007.
Rash defeated defending champion Doug Kent in his first match of double elimination match play, then defeated 2006 USBC Masters runner-up Jack Jurek in their first winners’ bracket match Thursday to head into Friday’s play undefeated in the 2007 USBC Masters, the first of four Majors on the 2007-08 Denny’s PBA Tour.
Double elimination features three-game matches based on total pins.
The 25-year-old Rash has established himself as one of the top young stars on the Denny’s PBA Tour, winning three titles and going 6-0 on television in two seasons. He is still looking to get over the hump in a Major event, however, where he has yet to make a championship round.
Rash endured a tough battle with Kent, the 2006-07 PBA Player of the Year, in the first match. After Rash took the lead after game one, 224-154, Kent clawed back with a 198-167 win in game two to get within 40 pins. Rash got a break in the 10th frame of game three, however, to outscore Kent 224-211 and win the match, 602-576.
Against Jurek, Rash put the match away early with a 299 in game two, giving him a big cushion in the final game where he cruised to the 801-680 win.
“After the first match, I changed balls to a Brunswick Twisted Fury that I drilled today, and knowing we were following Walter Ray is a good thing because he uses surface and plays the front of the lane,” Rash said. “I just got comfortable and got a good swing going and finally got in a rhythm. (Jurek) bowled great. 680 is normally a good score and I’m sure anyone would be happy with that.”
The Alaska native who lives in Wichita, Kan., doesn’t feel any pressure to prove himself this week.
“After I won my first title in West Virginia, I led the U.S. Open with six games to go,” Rash said about his performance as a non-exempt bowler in 2005-06. “I led at one point in the U.S. Open last year too, so I’ve bowled well there. I like Majors because of the formats and because spare shooting is the key. The Majors are the ones you want to bowl well in. It’s the most money and the most prestige.”
Rash has struggled recently in the Masters, failing to make match play twice and going 0-2 in one other appearances, but he did finish seventh in the 2003 USBC Masters at the age of 21 in his first adult tournament.
Denny’s PBA Tour veteran and seven-time titlist Steve Jaros had the highest series of the night, shooting 823 against Liz Johnson in the winners’ bracket to stay undefeated. Jaros has never won his first two matches in a USBC Masters event until tonight.
“I’m usually in the losers bracket after the first round,” Jaros said of his performance in the Masters. “More often than not, I’ve managed to make it to match play but for some reason I can never get it going. It’s so important to stay out of the losers’ bracket. If I can get a couple more wins under my belt tomorrow, I’ll start feeling pretty good.”
PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber knocked out top-seed Chris Loschetter in the losers’ bracket. Loschetter fell in the first round to 2004-05 PBA Player of the Year Patrick Allen. He was then dropped by Weber, who is looking to become just the second bowler in PBA history to complete the “Super Slam,” a win in all five PBA Majors, including the now-defunct Touring Players Championship. Allen is still undefeated after defeating Chad Maas in the second round and will face Wes Malott in the winners’ bracket.
Kent stayed alive with, 695-655, win over Parker Bohn III, eliminating his brother-in-law from the tournament.
Match play continues Friday until the field is narrowed down to four bowlers. The final four will bowl for the $100,000 top-prize and two-year exemption Sunday, live on ESPN at 1 p.m. ET at the Milwaukee Brewers’ Miller Park. Non-PBA members, however, are not eligible to receive exemptions.
Sean Rash is trying to single-handedly make sure none of last year’s USBC Masters finalists return to the championship round in 2007.
Rash defeated defending champion Doug Kent in his first match of double elimination match play, then defeated 2006 USBC Masters runner-up Jack Jurek in their first winners’ bracket match Thursday to head into Friday’s play undefeated in the 2007 USBC Masters, the first of four Majors on the 2007-08 Denny’s PBA Tour.
Double elimination features three-game matches based on total pins.
The 25-year-old Rash has established himself as one of the top young stars on the Denny’s PBA Tour, winning three titles and going 6-0 on television in two seasons. He is still looking to get over the hump in a Major event, however, where he has yet to make a championship round.
Rash endured a tough battle with Kent, the 2006-07 PBA Player of the Year, in the first match. After Rash took the lead after game one, 224-154, Kent clawed back with a 198-167 win in game two to get within 40 pins. Rash got a break in the 10th frame of game three, however, to outscore Kent 224-211 and win the match, 602-576.
Against Jurek, Rash put the match away early with a 299 in game two, giving him a big cushion in the final game where he cruised to the 801-680 win.
“After the first match, I changed balls to a Brunswick Twisted Fury that I drilled today, and knowing we were following Walter Ray is a good thing because he uses surface and plays the front of the lane,” Rash said. “I just got comfortable and got a good swing going and finally got in a rhythm. (Jurek) bowled great. 680 is normally a good score and I’m sure anyone would be happy with that.”
The Alaska native who lives in Wichita, Kan., doesn’t feel any pressure to prove himself this week.
“After I won my first title in West Virginia, I led the U.S. Open with six games to go,” Rash said about his performance as a non-exempt bowler in 2005-06. “I led at one point in the U.S. Open last year too, so I’ve bowled well there. I like Majors because of the formats and because spare shooting is the key. The Majors are the ones you want to bowl well in. It’s the most money and the most prestige.”
Rash has struggled recently in the Masters, failing to make match play twice and going 0-2 in one other appearances, but he did finish seventh in the 2003 USBC Masters at the age of 21 in his first adult tournament.
Denny’s PBA Tour veteran and seven-time titlist Steve Jaros had the highest series of the night, shooting 823 against Liz Johnson in the winners’ bracket to stay undefeated. Jaros has never won his first two matches in a USBC Masters event until tonight.
“I’m usually in the losers bracket after the first round,” Jaros said of his performance in the Masters. “More often than not, I’ve managed to make it to match play but for some reason I can never get it going. It’s so important to stay out of the losers’ bracket. If I can get a couple more wins under my belt tomorrow, I’ll start feeling pretty good.”
PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber knocked out top-seed Chris Loschetter in the losers’ bracket. Loschetter fell in the first round to 2004-05 PBA Player of the Year Patrick Allen. He was then dropped by Weber, who is looking to become just the second bowler in PBA history to complete the “Super Slam,” a win in all five PBA Majors, including the now-defunct Touring Players Championship. Allen is still undefeated after defeating Chad Maas in the second round and will face Wes Malott in the winners’ bracket.
Kent stayed alive with, 695-655, win over Parker Bohn III, eliminating his brother-in-law from the tournament.
Match play continues Friday until the field is narrowed down to four bowlers. The final four will bowl for the $100,000 top-prize and two-year exemption Sunday, live on ESPN at 1 p.m. ET at the Milwaukee Brewers’ Miller Park. Non-PBA members, however, are not eligible to receive exemptions.