It had been three years of frustration since George Branham III won the 1993 Tournament of Champions in Fairlawn, Ohio, but, at the Cleveland Open in Bedford, Ohio, Branham returned to the Professional Bowlers Association winner's circle. Branham, Indianapolis, defeated Mark Williams, 223-194 in the title match for his fifth title and the $16,000 first-place check. "I was surprised at how nervous I was," Branham said. "I may have been more nervous than when I won the T of C. After going more than three years without winning, it really makes this win special. I'm just really relieved." If he was nervous for the championship match of the ESPN telecast, it didn't show. Branham qualified as tournament leader and waited in the wings as Williams, Beaumont, Texas, squeaked out a 193-191 win over John Mazza in the semifinal match. In the title match Williams' two open frames proved to be the difference between another runner-up performance and that victory he has been looking for since his last title in 1988. The opening match of the championship round saw Mazza, who was seeded fourth, knock off fifth-seeded Walter Ray Williams Jr., 246-228. Mazza then defeated Bob Learn Jr., 247-236, before being stopped in the semifinal. CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND | Pos. |  | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 1 | | George Branham III, Indianapolis | 234 (1 game) | $16,000 | | 2 | | Mark Williams, Beaumont, TX | 387 (2 games) | 8,500 | | 3 | | John Mazza, Shelby Township, MI | 684 (3 games) | 5,000 | | 4 | | Bob Learn Jr., Erie, PA | 236 (1 game) | 4,000 | | 5 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, CA | 228 (1 game) | 3,000 | |
PLAYOFF RESULTS-Mazza defeated Williams Jr., 246-228; Mazza defeated Learn, 247-236; M. Williams defeated Mazza, 193-191; and in the championship game, Branham defeated M. Williams, 234-194.
42-GAME TOTALS | | | Name, City | | Pins | | Avg | | WLT | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | 1 | | George Branham III, Indianapolis | | 9755 | | 232.3 | | 17-6-1 | | 525 | | 10280 | | | | 2 | | Mark Williams, Beaumont, TX | | 9705 | | 231.1 | | 14-9-1 | | 435 | | 10140 | | | | 3 | | Bob Learn Jr., Erie, PA | | 9601 | | 228.6 | | 17-7-0 | | 510 | | 10111 | | | | 4 | | John Mazza, Shelby Township, MI | | 9592 | | 228.4 | | 17-7-0 | | 510 | | 10102 | | | | 5 | | Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, CA | | 9630 | | 229.3 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 10080 | | | | 6 | | Steve Jaros, Bolingbrook, IL | | 9542 | | 227.2 | | 16-8-0 | | 480 | | 10022 | | $2,500 | | #7 | | Brian Voss, Atlanta | | 9558 | | 227.6 | | 14-9-1 | | 435 | | 9993 | | 2,350 | | #8 | | Bob Spaulding, Greenville, SC | | 9558 | | 227.6 | | 13-10-1 | | 405 | | 9963 | | 2,300 | | 9 | | Dave Arnold, Gilbert, AZ | | 9404 | | 223.9 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9824 | | 2,200 | | 10 | | DeL Ballard Jr., North Richland Hills, TX | | 9391 | | 223.6 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9811 | | 2,100 | | 11 | | Billy Orlikowski, Grand Rapids, MI | | 9431 | | 224.5 | | 11-12-1 | | 345 | | 9776 | | 2,000 | | 12 | | Ron Palombi Jr., Erie, PA | | 9379 | | 223.3 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9739 | | 1,900 | | 13 | | Parker Bohn III, Jackson, NJ | | 9295 | | 221.3 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9715 | | 1,800 | | 14 | | Johnny Petraglia, Manalapan, NJ | | 9427 | | 224.4 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 9697 | | 1,700 | | 15 | | Tim Criss, Bel Air, MD | | 9358 | | 222.8 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 9688 | | 1,600 | | 16 | | Joe Firpo, Bedford, TX | | 9263 | | 220.5 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9623 | | 1,550 | | 17 | | Justin Hromek, Andover, KS | | 9267 | | 220.6 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9567 | | 1,500 | | 18 | | Eric Forkel, Tucson, AZ | | 9233 | | 219.8 | | 10-13-1 | | 315 | | 9548 | | 1,450 | | 19 | | Chris Warren, Dallas | | 9210 | | 219.3 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9510 | | 1,400 | | 20 | | Billy Myers Jr., Temple City, CA | | 9068 | | 215.9 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 9368 | | 1,350 | | 21 | | Norm Loescher, Grafton, OH | | 8931 | | 212.6 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 9201 | | 1,300 | | 22 | | John Handegard. Las Vegas | | 9002 | | 214.3 | | 6-18-0 | | 180 | | 9182 | | 1,250 | | 23 | | Eddie Williams, Van Nuys, CA | | 8820 | | 210.0 | | 7-17-0 | | 210 | | 9030 | | 1,200 | | 24 | | Jason Couch, Clermont, FL | | 8834 | | 210.3 | | 3-21-0 | | 90 | | 8924 | | 1,150 | |
OTHER CASHERS | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Amount | | | 25 | | Brian LeClair, Hudson, NY | $9 | | 26 | | Danny Wiseman, Baltimore | 8 | | 27 | | Scott Alexander, Seattle | 8 | | 28 | | Ed Richardson, Corpus Christi, TX | 8 | | 29 | | Len Blakey, Tacoma, WA | 8 | | | | Ron Williams, Fort Worth, TX | 8 | | *31 | | Dennis Jacques, Brooklyn, NY | 9 | | 32 | | Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, FL | 8 | | 33 | | Dave D'Entremont, Middleburg Hts.,OH | 8 | | 34 | | Ken McNeely, Morganton, NC | 8 | | 35 | | Curtis Odom, Coldwater, MI | 8 | | 36 | | Tom Baker, Buffalo, NY | 190 | | 37 | | Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, KS | 180 | | 38 | | Roger Bowker, Ocala, FL | 170 | | 39 | | Mike Aulby, Indianapolis | 160 | | 40 | | Doug Kent, Canandaigua, NV | 145 | | | | Butch Soper, Lake Havasu City, AZ | 145 | | 42 | | Dale Eagle, Lewisville, TX | 130 | | 43 | | Terry Taylor, Grand Prairie, TX | 120 | | 44 | | Martin Letscher, Niles, OH | 110 | | 45 | | Jimmy Davis, Houston | 350 | | | | Jeff Hickenbottom, Tustin Ranch, CA | 350 | |
*-Match play alternate. 18-game qualifying leader-Walter Ray Williams Jr., 4232. 24th place-Justin Hromek, 4038. 45th place-Jeff Hickenbottom and Jimmy Davis, 3953. #-Brian Voss, Bob Spaulding, Don Moser, Carl Bishop and Greg Kemp rolled 300 games ($100 each). PRO-AM CASHERS-Bryon Smith, Dale Eagle. Bryan Goebel, Greg Newtson and Norm Duke ($50 each); Johnny Petraglia and Bob Learn Jr. ($25 each).
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