Professional Bowlers Association

Walter Ray Williams Jr. barely made the cut to match play in the Rochester Open, but once he was in he made it miserable on the other 23 bowlers who qualified ahead of them.

Williams defeated tournament leader David Traber, 235-232, in the title match (televised live by ESPN) to win his 16th career title and $17,500. Williams struck on his last seven shots to earn the win and became just the 12th player in PBA history to qualify 24th and go on to win the title.

Traber, who led the tournament by 349 pins, started the final match quickly striking in five of his first six frames while Williams struggled early. Williams spared in the first, struck in the second, had an open frame after a 4-6-7 split in the third and then decided to switch balls.

Said Williams, "I figured I was losing the match anyway, so I might as well try something."

That "something" turned out to be the key victory as Williams spared after a solid eight-pin in the fourth, then struck out.

Traber, of Woodstock, Ill., found himself needing the first strike in the 10th for the win, or 9-spare, strike to insure a lie. He got eight on his first shot and ended up losing by two.

Williams, of Stockton, Calif., entered the finals fourth-seeded and set-up the title match against Traber with wins over Marc McDowell, 233-200, Steve Wilson, 226-212, and Roger Bowker, 228-227.

McDowell, of Madison, Wis., won his last title here in 1992, but a missed 4-7 spare conversion left him with the fifth-place check of $3,500. Wilson, of Tamarac, Fla., was making his fourth career telecast and was in search of his first win, but finished fourth for $4,500. Bowker, a two-time winner in Rochester (1990 and '93) from Ocala, Fla., settled for third and $5,500.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

PLAYOFF RESULTS-Williams defeated McDowell, 233-200; Williams defeated Wilson, 226-212; Williams defeated Bowker, 228-227; and in the championship game, Williams defeated Traber, 235-232.

42-GAME TOTALS

		Name, City		Pins		Avg		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
#1		David Traber, Woodstock, IL		9990		237.9		18-6-0		540		10530
2		Roger Bowker, Ocala, FL		9731		231.7		15-9-0		450		10181
3		Steve Wilson, Tamarac, FL		9629		229.3		15-9-0		450		10079
#4		Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, CA		9611		228.8		14-9-1		435		10046
5		Marc McDowell, Madison, WI		9599		228.5		14-9-1		435		10034
6		Bob Learn Jr., Erie, PA		9526		226.8		15-9-0		450		9976		$2,925
7		Bryan Goebel, Merriam. KS		9550		227.4		12-11-1		375		9925		2,800
8		Ernie Schlegel, Vancouver, WA		9484		225.8		13-10-1		405		9889		2,675
9		John Handegard, Las Vegas		9548		227.3		11-13-0		330		9878		2,550
10		Jeff Lizzi, Medford, NY		9460		225.2		13-11-0		390		9850		2,425
11		Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, NY		9434		224.1		13-10-1		405		9839		2,300
#12		Warren Nelson, Fresno, CA		9502		226.2		11-13-0		330		9832		2,175
13		Steve Jaros, Bolingbrook, IL		9422		224.3		13-10-1		405		9827		2,050
#14		Mike Edwards. Oklahoma City		9485		225.8		9-13-2		300		9785		1,950
15		Robby Porter, Portland, OR		9414		224.1		12-12-0		360		9774		1,850
16		Mark Williams, Beaumont, TX		9453		225.1		10-13-1		315		9768		1,750
17		Jim Johnson, Wilmington, DE		9534		227.0		6-16-2		210		9744		1,650
18		Ron Williams. Fort Worth, TX		9381		223.4		12-12-0		360		9741		1,550
19		Randy Pedersen, Hollywood, FL		9354		222.7		12-12-0		360		9714		1,450
#20		Bill Oakes, Lawton, OK		9342		222.4		7-16-1		225		9567		1,350
21		Steve Wishner, Port Chester, NY		9230		219.8		10-14-0		300		9530		1,250
22		Jeff Morin, Rockaway, NJ		9194		218.9		10-14-0		300		9494		1,150
23		Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg HIS., OH		9126		217.3		10-14-0		300		9426		1,050
24		Jimmy Johnson, Columbus, OH		9171		218.4		7-17-0		210		9381		1,000

Pos.		Name, City/State	Amount
*25		Philip Ringener, Big Spring, TX	$975
26		Wayne Webb, Barberton, OH	830
27		Don Moser, San Jose, CA	810
28		George Mielnik, Holidaysburg, PA	795
		Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela	795
30		Doug Kent, Canandaigua, NV	780
31		Len Blakey, Tacoma, WA	775
32		John Losito, Elmira, NY	770
33		Avery LeBlanc, Houma, LA	765
34		Mike Miller, Albuquerque, NM	760
35		Tommy Delutz Jr., Jamaica, NY	755
36		Norm Duke, Edmond, OK	750
37		Billy Orlikowski, Grand Rapids, MI	745
38		Adam Apo, Florissant, MO	738
		Bob Belmont, Dunedin, FL	738
40		Rick Steelsmith, Wichita. KS	730
41		Pat Malone, Erie, PA	723
		Eugene McCune, Munster, IN	723
43		Dave Arnold, Gilbert, AZ	715