Professional Bowlers Association

Walter Ray Williams Jr. started 1997 the same way he finished 1996, on top.

The 1996 IOF/PBA Player of the Year defeated Andy Neuer, 233-200, in the title match of the Columbia 300 Open at Highland Lanes In Austin, Texas. The win was the 22nd of Wllliams' hall of fame career and tied him with Marshall Holman for career wins.

The win came after a 24th place showing at the season-opening Brunswick World T of C, the only time in Williams' career he has finished "last" In match play.

"I really wanted to bowl well because I was so disappointed with the way I bowled at the Brunswick World T of C," said the 37-year-old Williams. "This is redemption of sorts, but I think 1 still need to bowl well for the next couple of weeks to make up for the showing last week."

Williams faced Neuer In the title match on a pair of lanes that had yielded a 181 average for Neuer's first three opponents. But the three-time PBA Player of the Year didn't have the same problems as Neuer's earlier foes as he started the match with six consecutive strikes.

Neuer, whose only title came in 1994 when he defeated Williams in the Bud Light Championship in Richmond Heights, Mo., struck on three of his first four shots in the title match before leaving the 6-8 split in the fifth frame for an open frame. He followed the open frame with a strike and three consecutive spare conversions, a 4-9 split in the seventh stopped Williams' string, but he answered with a pair of spare conversions himself and then opened the 10th with the first strike to seal the match.

Fifth-seeded Tommy Delutz, Jamaica, N.Y., made his third career telecast while Brian Himmler, Cincinnati, Ohio, was making his second telecast.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

PLAYOFF RESULTS-Neuer defeated Delutz, 185-171; Neuer defeated Himmler, 234-161; Neuer defeated Pedersen, 219-212; and in the championship game, Williams defeated Neuer, 233-200.

42-GAME TOTALS

		Name, City		Pins		Avg		WLT		+		Tot		Amt
1		Walter Ray Williams Jr., Stockton, CA		9516		226.6		15-9-0		450		9966
2		Randy Pedersen, Hollywood, FL		9404		223.9		18-6-0		540		9944
#3		Brian Himmler, Cincinnati		9435		224.6		12-11-1		375		9810
4		Andy Neuer, Milton, PA		9344		222.5		15-9-0		450		9794
5		Tommy Delutz Jr., Jamaica, NY		9388		223.5		13-10-1		405		9793
6		Rick Steelsmith, Wichita, KS		9300		221.4		15-8-1		465		9765		$4,600
#7		Tom Baker, Buffalo, NY		9358		222.8		13-11-0		390		9748		4,200
8		Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela		9292		221.2		14-10-0		420		9712		3,800
9		Norm Duke, Clermont, FL		9242		220.0		14-10-0		420		9662		3,500
10		Brian Voss, Atlanta		9201		219.1		15-9-0		450		9651		3,200
11		Mike Edwards, Oklahoma City		9167		218.3		158-1		465		9632		3,000
12		Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, FL		9290		221.2		9-14-1		285		9575		2,800
13		Mike Aulby, Indianapolis		9223		219.6		10-14-0		300		9523		2,600
14		Steve Hoskins, Tarpon Springs, FL		9172		218.4		10-13-1		315		9487		2,400
15		Steve Jaros, Bolingbrook, IL		9115		217.0		12-12-0		360		9475		2,300
16		Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, KS		9164		218.2		10-14-0		300		9464		2,200
17		Parker Bohn III, Jackson, NJ		9136		217.5		10-14-0		300		9436		2,100
18		Jeff Lizzi, Sandusky, OH		9088		216.4		11-13-0		330		9418		2,000
19		Ryan Shafer, Elmira, NY		9129		217.4		9-15-0		270		9399		1,900
20		Bob Spaulding, Greenville, SC		9020		214.8		10-14-0		300		9320		1,800
21		Kelly Coffman, Topeka, KS		8954		213.2		12-12-0		360		9314		1,750
22		Bryon Smith, Sutherlin, OR		9041		215.3		9-15-0		270		9311		1,700
23		Bill Guthrie, Winter Park, FL		9111		216.9		6-18-0		180		9291		1,650
24		Justin Hromek, Andover, KS		8963		213.4		8-16-0		240		9203		1,600

Pos.		Name, City/State	Amount
*25		Doug Kent, Canandaigua, NY	$1,500
26		Eric Forkel, Tucson, AZ	1,330
27		Eugene McCune, Munster, IN	1,300
28		Kevin McGerr, Lincoln, NE	1,270
		Bill Oakes, Lawton, OK	1,270
30		Dave D'Entremont, Middlbg.Hts., OH	1,250
31		Patsy DellaPenna, Palm Harbor, FL	1,240
32		David Ozio, Vidor, TX	1,230
33		Dave Husted, Milwaukie, OR	1,215
		Tony Rosamilia, Ledgewood, NJ	1,215
35		Bob Learn Jr., Erie, PA	1,200
36		Norman Titus, Flemington, NJ	1,190
37		Mitchell Beasley, Benton, AR	1,180