After bowling 15 years without a Professional Bowlers Association championship, Pete McCordic earned his second title in five tournaments by coming from fourth place to win the $140,000 Miller Lite Challenge. McCordic, Houston, routed top-seeded Walter Ray Williams Jr., 236-180, for the $23,000 top prize at Golden Pin Lanes on the heels of his first victory in the Fresno Open on the Spring Tour. The 35-year-old McCordic practically owned the right lane of the championship round pair, where he fired strikes on 22 of 24 shots, including a clinching strike in a first game roll-off against Kent Wagner after the two had tied at 210. Venezuela's Amleto Monacelli was the next to fall, succumbing, 268-194, and second-seeded southpaw Joe Salvemini fared no better, bowing to McCordic by a score of 247-201. McCordic took an early lead in the title match while sitting on the bench as Williams left a 4-6-7 split in the second frame. McCordic put together strikes in the third and fourth frames and posted four more strikes in succession beginning in frame six. Williams, who could not double until the 10th frame, picked up $12,000 for the runnerup finish. CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND | Pos. |  | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 1 | | Pete McCordic, Houston | 961 (4 games) | $23,000 | | 2 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, Calif. | 180 (1 game) | 12,000 | | 3 | | Joe Salvemini, Colo. Springs, Colo. | 201 (1 game) | 7,500 | | 4 | | Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela | 194 (1 game) | 6,000 | | 5 | | Kent Wagner, Palmetto, Fla. | 210 (1 game) | 5,000 | |
PLAYOFF RESULTS - McCordic defeated Wagner, 50-38, in a two-frame roll-off after a 210 tie; McCordic defeated Monacelli, 268-194; McCordic defeated Salvemini, 247-201; and in the championship game, McCordic defeated Williams, 236-180.
42-GAME TOTALS | | | Name, City | | Pins | | Avg | | WLT | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | 1 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, Calif. | | 9523 | | 226.7 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9943 | | | | 2 | | Joe Salvemini, Colo. Springs, Colo. | | 9436 | | 224.6 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9826 | | | | 3 | | Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela | | 9347 | | 222.6 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9767 | | | | 4 | | Pete McCordic, Houston | | 9367 | | 223.0 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9757 | | | | 5 | | Kent Wagner, Palmetto, Fla. | | 9260 | | 220.5 | | 16-7-1 | | 495 | | 9755 | | | | 6 | | Brian Voss, Tacoma, Wash. | | 9297 | | 221.3 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9657 | | $4,000 | | 7 | | Troy Kendrick, Garden Grove, Calif. | | 9232 | | 219.8 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9652 | | 3,600 | | 8 | | Mark Baker, Garden Grove, Calif. | | 9212 | | 219.3 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9602 | | 3,300 | | 9 | | Parker Bohn III, Freehold, N.J. | | 9236 | | 219.7 | | 11-12-1 | | 345 | | 9581 | | 3,000 | | 10 | | Tom Laskow, Commack, N.Y. | | 9069 | | 215.9 | | 16-8-0 | | 480 | | 9549 | | 2,800 | | 11 | | Jimmy Keeth, W. Palm Beach, Fla. | | 9211 | | 219.3 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9541 | | 2,600 | | 12 | | Rusty Greiner, Richmond, Calif. | | 9239 | | 219.9 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9539 | | 2,400 | | 13 | | Dave Arnold, Campbell, Calif. | | 9261 | | 220.5 | | 8-14-2 | | 270 | | 9531 | | 2,300 | | 14 | | Corey Groth, La Verne, Calif. | | 9048 | | 215.4 | | 16-8-0 | | 480 | | 9528 | | 2,200 | | 15 | | George Branham III, San Diego, Calif. | | 9158 | | 218.1 | | 11-12-1 | | 345 | | 9503 | | 2,100 | | 16 | | Bob Handley, Pompano Beach, Fla. | | 9051 | | 215.5 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9441 | | 2,000 | | 17 | | Roger Bowker, Ocala, Fla. | | 9092 | | 216.5 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9422 | | 1,900 | | 18 | | Tony Westlake, Edmond, Okla. | | 9086 | | 216.3 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9416 | | 1,800 | | 19 | | Jim Pencak, Richmond Hts., Ohio | | 9083 | | 216.3 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9413 | | 1,700 | | 20 | | Rod Pasteur, Miami, Fla. | | 9012 | | 214.6 | | 11-12-1 | | 345 | | 9357 | | 1,600 | | 21 | | Eric Forkel, Van Nuys, Calif. | | 9102 | | 216.7 | | 7-17-0 | | 210 | | 9312 | | 1,500 | | 22 | | Tony Marrese, Hilton Head, S.C. | | 9011 | | 214.5 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9311 | | 1,450 | | 23 | | Matt Ballard, Phoenix, Ariz. | | 8886 | | 211.6 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9216 | | 1,400 | | 24 | | Brad Roseling, Riverside, Calif. | | 8826 | | 210.1 | | 8-16-0 | | 240 | | 9066 | | 1,350 | |
OTHER CASHERS | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Amount | | | *25 | | Ron Palombi Jr., Erie, Pa. | $1,270 | | 26 | | Rowdy Morrow, St. Louis | 1,135 | | 27 | | Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind. | 1,120 | | 28 | | Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas | 1,110 | | 29 | | Jimmie Pritts Jr., Manchester, N.H. | 1,100 | | 30 | | Tony Figuiera, Waianae, Hawaii | 1,090 | | 31 | | Wayne Webb, Beaumont, Texas | 1,080 | | 32 | | Hugh Miller, Everett, Wash. | 1,070 | | 33 | | Alan Bishop, Louisville, Ky. | 1,060 | | 34 | | John Mazza, Mt. Clemens, Mich. | 1,050 | | 35 | | Scott Devers, Centerville, Ind. | 1,040 | | 36 | | Michael Byers, Akron, Ohio | 1,030 | | 37 | | Randy Pedersen, Santa Maria, Calif. | 1,020 | | 38 | | Art Trask, Fresno, Calif. | 1,010 | | 39 | | Norm Duke, Fort Worth, Texas | 1,000 | | 40 | | Don Moser, Santa Clara, Calif. | 990 | | 41 | | James A. Miller, Scottsdale, Ariz. | 980 | | 42 | | Paul Renteria. Tucson, Ariz. | 970 | | 43 | | Larry Laub, Tucson, Ariz. | 960 | | 44 | | Steve Jaros, Bolingbrook, Ill. | 945 | | | | George Pappas, Charlotte, N.C. | 945 | | 46 | | Ricky Corona. Diamond Bar, Calif. | 930 | | 47 | | Frank Ellenburg, Mesa, Ariz. | 920 | | 48 | | Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore. | 910 | | 49 | | Chuck Mogavero, Sun Lakes, Ariz. | 900 | | 50 | | Mats Karlsson, Sweden | 890 | | 51 | | Jess Stayrook, San Diego, Calif. | 880 | | 52 | | Michael Karch, Tacoma, Wash. | 870 | | 53 | | Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y. | 860 | |
* - Match play alternate. 18-game qualifying leader - Walter Ray Williams Jr., 4101. 24th place - Corey Groth, 3884. 53rd place - Ryan Shafer, 3773. PRO-AM CASHERS - Don Moser, Corey Groth, Earl Ziemann, Guppy Troup, Mike Aulby and Randy Pedersen.
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