It took 24-year-old George Branham III a few moments to collect himself after he won the $200,000 Brunswick Memorial World Open. He had just upended all-time great and leading qualifier Mark Roth, 195-191, to capture a check for $33,260 accompanying the prestigious title, a berth in the 1987 Firestone Tournament of Champions and a spot in the PBA record books as the first black bowler to win a national tour title. Branham, whose highest previous finish was eighth a year ago at Los Angeles, was seeded third into the nationally televised finals. He waited through a first game that saw Steve Wunderlich upend Marshall Holman, 196-185, when Holman chopped the 2-4-5-8 "bucket" in what could have been a game-winning 10th frame spare. Branham then swung into action against Wunderlich, and eight strikes on his last nine balls resulted in a 246-205 victory. Ryan Shafer, a 20-year-old from Elmira, N.Y., competing in his second national tournament as a PBA member, was Branham's next victim, 201-178. In the title game Roth took an 11-pin lead and then extended it to 20 in the fifth frame, 97-77. Suddenly, Branham got himself lined up. He notched a three-bagger in the seventh, eighth and ninth frames, and made a 7-pin spare in the 10th. CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND | Pos. |  | Name, City/State | Total | Amount | | | 1 | | George Branham III, Arleta, Calif. | 642 (3 games) | $33,260 | | 2 | | Mark Roth, Spring Lake Heights, N.J. | 191 (1 game) | 17,260 | | 3 | | Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y. | 178 (1 game) | 9,260 | | 4 | | Steve Wunderlich, St. Louis | 401 (2 games) | 7,260 | | 5 | | Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore. | 185 (1 game) | 6,250 | |
PLAYOFF RESULTS - Wunderlich defeated Holman, 196-185; Branham defeated Wunderlich, 246-205; Branham defeated Shafer, 201-178; and in the championship game, Branham defeated Roth, 195-191.
56-GAME TOTALS | | | Name, City | | Pins | | Avg | | WLT | | + | | Tot | | Amt | | | 1 | | Mark Roth, Spring Lake Hts., N.J. | | 12412 | | 221.6 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 12832 | | | | 2 | | Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y. | | 12272 | | 219.1 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 12722 | | | | 3 | | George Branham III, Arleta, Calif. | | 12270 | | 219.1 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 12720 | | | | 4 | | Steve Wunderlich, St. Louis | | 12352 | | 220.6 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 12712 | | | | 5 | | Marshall Holman, Medford, Ore. | | 12291 | | 219.5 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 12711 | | | | 6 | | Tom Crites, Tampa, Fla. | | 12308 | | 219.8 | | 13-11-0 | | 390 | | 12698 | | $5,000 | | 7 | | Dave Ferraro, Kingston, N.Y. | | 12215 | | 218.1 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 12635 | | 4,500 | | 8 | | Jim Pencak, Richmond Hts., Ohio | | 12161 | | 217.2 | | 15-9-0 | | 450 | | 12611 | | 4,000 | | 9 | | Mike Aulby, Indianapolis | | 12168 | | 217.3 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 12588 | | 3,600 | | 10 | | Kent Wagner, Palmetto, Fla. | | 12221 | | 218.2 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 12551 | | 3,200 | | 11 | | David Ozio, Vidor, Texas | | 12189 | | 217.7 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 12549 | | 3,000 | | 12 | | Dave Husted, Milwaukie, Ore. | | 12167 | | 217.3 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 12527 | | 2,800 | | 13 | | Steve J. Martin, Kingsport, Tenn. | | 12185 | | 217.6 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 12515 | | 2,600 | | 14 | | Harry Sullins, Roseville, Mich. | | 12137 | | 216.7 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 12497 | | 2,500 | | 15 | | Randy Pedersen, Santa Maria, Calif. | | 12053 | | 215.2 | | 14-10-0 | | 420 | | 12473 | | 2,400 | | 16 | | Pete McCordic, Houston | | 12054 | | 215.3 | | 13-10-1 | | 405 | | 12459 | | 2,300 | | 17 | | Ron Bell, Akron, Ohio | | 12074 | | 215.6 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 12404 | | 2,200 | | 18 | | Bobby Jacks, Union City, Calif. | | 12040 | | 215.0 | | 12-12-0 | | 360 | | 12400 | | 2,100 | | 19 | | Jimmie Pritts Jr., Lawrence, Mass. | | 12067 | | 215.5 | | 8-16-0 | | 240 | | 12307 | | 2,000 | | 20 | | Billy Young Jr., Tulsa, Okla. | | 11954 | | 213.5 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 12284 | | 1,900 | | 21 | | Pete Weber, Florissant, Mo. | | 11934 | | 213.1 | | 10-13-1 | | 315 | | 12249 | | 1,800 | | 22 | | Joe Hutchinson, Scranton, Pa. | | 11910 | | 212.7 | | 11-13-0 | | 330 | | 12240 | | 1,700 | | 23 | | Les Zikes, Palatine, Ill. | | 11917 | | 212.8 | | B-16-0 | | 240 | | 12157 | | 1,650 | | 24 | | Dale Eagle, Lake Havasu, Ariz. | | 11781 | | 210.4 | | 5-19-0 | | 150 | | 11931 | | 1,600 | |
OTHER CASHERS | Pos. | | Name, City/State | Amount | | | 25 | | Mark Fahy, Chicago | $1,405 | | * | | Rod Pasteur, Miami, Fla. | 1,525 | | 27 | | John Gant, Independence, Ky. | 1,380 | | 28 | | Brian Voss, Tacoma, Wash. | 1,370 | | 29 | | Gil Sliker, Sarasota, Fla. | 1,360 | | 30 | | Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y. | 1,350 | | 31 | | Bill Ryan Jr., Dayton, Ohio | 1,340 | | 32 | | Mats Karlsson, Sweden | 1,325 | | | | Bill Netzhammer, Alton, Ill. | 1,325 | | 34 | | Joe Berardi, Brooklyn, N.Y. | 1,310 | | 35 | | Chuck Mogavero, Sun Lakes, Ariz. | 1,300 | | @36 | | Yong Hwan Byun, South Korea | 2,000 | | 37 | | Jeff Bellinger, Columbia, S.C. | 1,280 | | 38 | | Steve Giljum, Crestwood, Mo. | 1,270 | | 39 | | Brad Bohling, Denver, Colo. | 1,260 | | 40 | | Rey C. Perez, Cincinnati, Ohio | 1,250 | | 41 | | Tony Westlake, Edmond, Okla. | 1,240 | | 42 | | David L. Rosenburg, Rolla, Mo. | 1,230 | | 43 | | Warren Nelson, Fresno, Calif. | 1,220 | | 44 | | Paul Gibson, O'Fallon, Ill. | 1,210 | | 45 | | Rick Sajek, Coral Springs, Fla. | 1,200 | | 46 | | Bruce Carter, Round Rock, Texas | 1,190 | | 47 | | Scott Devers, Centerville, Ind. | 1,180 | | 48 | | Rowdy Morrow, St. Louis | 1,165 | | | | Ron Williams, Cahokia, Ill. | 1,165 | | 50 | | Bill Spigner, Chicago | 1,150 | | 51 | | Mike Edwards, Tulsa, Okla. | 1,140 | | 52 | | Tom Milton, St. Petersburg, Fla. | 1,130 | | 53 | | Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas | 1,120 | |
* - Match play alternate. @ - Non-PBA member. 32-game qualifying leader - Mark Roth, 7216. 24th place Jim Pencak, 6874. 53rd place - Mark Williams, 6666. PRO-AM CASHERS - Steve Wunderlich, Marshall Holman, Dave Ferraro, Jim Stefanich, Don Genalo and George Branham III.
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