Johnny Guenther, Seattle, Wash., opened the Professional Bowlers Association 1976 season in auspicious fashion by winning the $75,000 Ford Open. Guenther bowled over three opponents in the nationally televised (ABC) finals as he rang up his 11th career victory in his 16 years on the tour. His victim in the 227-199 championship game was top-seeded Jimmy Certain, Huntsville, Ala., who rejoined the tour last fall after an absence of five years and who has been bowling well ever since. TELEVISED FINALS | Pos. |  | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 1 | | Johnny Guenther, Seattle, Wash | 686 (3 games) | $8,000 | | 2 | | Jimmy Certain, Huntsville, Ala. | 199 (1 game) | 5,000 | | 3 | | Dennis Lane, Kingsport, Tenn. | 160 (1 game) | 4,000 | | 4 | | Roy Buckley, Columbus, Ohio | 451 (2 games) | 3,000 | | 5 | | Marty Anderson, Los Angeles, Calif. | 196 (1 game) | 2,500 | |
PLAYOFF RESULTS-Buckley defeated Anderson, 240-196; Guenther defeated Buckley, 224-211; Guenther defeated Lane, 235-160, and in the championship game, Guenther defeated Certain, 227-199.
42-GAME TOTALS | | | Name, City/State | | Pins | | WLT | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | 1 | | Jimmy Certain, Huntsville, Ala. | | 9116 | | 17-7-0 | | 510 | | 9626 | | | | 2 | | Dennis Lane, Kingsport, Tenn. | | 9013 | | 16-8-0 | | 480 | | 9493 | | | | 3 | | Johnny Guenther, Seattle, Wash. | | 9030 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9450 | | | | 4 | | Roy Buckley, Columbus, Ohio | | 8969 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9389 | | | | 5 | | Marty Anderson, Los Angeles, Calif. | | 8991 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9381 | | | | *6 | | Gary Mage, Seattle, Wash. | | 8898 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9348 | | $2,250 | | 7 | | Gary Dickinson, Ft. Worth, Texas | | 8945 | | 12-11-1 | | 375 | | 9320 | | 2,100 | | 8 | | Dick Ritger, River Falls, Wis. | | 8802 | | 16-8-0 | | 480 | | 9282 | | 2,000 | | 9 | | Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore. | | 8850 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 9270 | | 1,900 | | 10 | | Tommy Hudson, Akron, Ohio | | 8813 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 9263 | | 1,800 | | 11 | | Don Johnson, Las Vegas, Nev. | | 8830 | | 13-10-1 | | 405 | | 9235 | | 1,700 | | 12 | | Kevin Gannon, Paramount, Calif. | | 8842 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9232 | | 1,600 | | 13 | | Dale Glenn, Los Angeles, Calif. | | 8856 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 9216 | | 1,500 | | 14 | | Carmen Salvino, Chicago, Ill. | | 8750 | | 12-i1-1 | | 375 | | 9125 | | 1,400 | | 15 | | Wayne Zahn, Tempe, Ariz. | | 8716 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 9106 | | 1,300 | | 16 | | Sam Fox, San Francisco, Calif. | | 8696 | | 7-17-0 | | 210 | | 8906 | | 1,200 | | 17 | | Ernie Schlegel, U.S.A. | | 8660 | | 8-i6-0 | | 240 | | 8900 | | 1,150 | | 18 | | Steve Neff, Sarasota, Fla. | | 8591 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 8861 | | 1,100 | | 19 | | Don Boyed, Lima, Ohio | | 8549 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 8849 | | 1,050 | | 20 | | Doug Johnson, Long Beach, Calif. | | 8522 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 8822 | | 1,000 | | 21 | | Bill Ballard, Vacaville, Calif. | | 8554 | | 8-16-0 | | 240 | | 8794 | | 950 | | 22 | | Bobby Fliegman, Torrance, Calif. | | 8486 | | 10-14-0 | | 300 | | 8786 | | 900 | | 23 | | Fred Jaskie, Greendale, Wis. | | 8475 | | 9-15-0 | | 270 | | 8745 | | 850 | | 24 | | Sam Flanagan, Parkersburg, W. Va. | | 8311 | | 6-17-1 | | 195 | | 8506 | | 800 | |
18-GAME TOTALS | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 25 | | Dick Stark, Glenwood Springs, Colo. | 3746 | $690 | | *26 | | Matt Surina, Longview, Wash. | 3727 | 725 | | 27 | | Jim Godman, Lorain, Ohio | 3725 | 630 | | 28 | | Paul Bernier, Fall River, Mass. | 3722 | 610 | | 29 | | Dave Frame, Baldwin Park, Calif. | 3717 | 590 | | 30 | | Butch Soper, Huntington Beach, Calif. | 3714 | 570 | | 31 | | Jim Roy, Glenwood Springs, Colo. | 3711 | 550 | | 32 | | Jim Stefanich, Joliet, Ill. | 3709 | 520 | | 33 | | Bill Straub, Lincoln, Neb. | 3708 | 510 | | 34 | | Ron Lisher, Santa Rosa, Calif. | 3704 | 490 | | 35 | | Bill Marshall, Hermosa Beach, Calif. | 3701 | 470 | | 36 | | Vince Mazzanti Jr., Levittown, Pa. | 3698 | 450 | | 37 | | Greg Damaskos, Yakima, Wash. | 3697 | 440 | | 38 | | Paul Moser, Medford, Mass. | 3694 | 430 | | 39 | | Larry Gray, Torrance, Calif. | 3693 | 420 | | 40 | | Dan Roche, Irving, Texas | 3688 | 410 | | 41 | | Bobby Fenton, Upland, Calif. | 3682 | 400 | | 42 | | Dave Jones, Charleston, S.C. | 3680 | 390 | | 43 | | Rick Minier, Akron, Ohio | 3678 | 380 | | 44 | | Jim Fowble, Hobart, Ind. | 3675 | 370 | | 45 | | Jerry Buchholz, Van .Nuys, Calif. | 3668 | 360 | | 46 | | Greg Guertin, Sacramento, Calif. | 3665 | 350 | | 47 | | Randy Neal, Hawthorne, Calif. | 3664 | 340 | | 48 | | Bobby Knipple, Long Beach, Calif. | 3661 | 330 | |
*Alternate. 18-game qualifying leader-Lane 3956. 24th low-Fliegman 3747. PRO-AM CASHERS-$50 each-Don Johnson, Palmer Fallgren, Tommy Hudson, Jim Stefanich, Larry Laub, Ed Ressler.
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