July 3, 2021 Jerry Schneider

ODESSA, Texas – PBA Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli put together two solid rounds Saturday to lead qualifying for the PBA50 Odessa Open presented by Diamond Lanes with a 2,364 pinfall total for 10 games.

Trying for a 10th career PBA50 Tour win, the 59-year-old Monacelli bowled 1,114 with games of 233, 212, 235, 245 and 189 in Saturday’s first round, and 1,226 with games of 277, 255, 244, 243 and 231 in the second round to average 236 for the day. He holds a 45-pin lead over Dan Knowlton in second with 2,319.

“I bowled well in both rounds but just had a bad last game in the first round,” said Monacelli, who is also trying for his first win of the season. “I just had to concentrate on taking my time for good balance and to keep a slower ball speed.

“Ball speed is very important to get the pin carry,” he added. “Last week (in the PBA50 Cup) my timing was too fast and I wasn’t able to make consistent shots.”

Monacelli finished 10th in last week’s PBA50 Cup at South Plains Lanes, which was the second major of the season.

Hall of Famer Chris Barnes, who won the PBA50 Cup for his first title on the tour for players 50 and over, finished Odessa Open qualifying in ninth after the first day with 2,203.

Rounding out the top five with one more qualifying round to go before the field will be cut to the top 16 for match play were Tony Lanning in third, 2,302, followed by John Marsala in fourth with 2,282, and Brad Angelo in fifth with 2,262.

Marsala, trying for a second win this season, defeated Angelo 255-226 in the title match of the Bud Moore Classic in May for his second career PBA50 title.

The 61-player field will bowl the final five-game qualifying round Sunday morning to determine the top 16 players who will advance to match play Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Central. All 16 players will return Monday at noon for the final round of match play that will determine the top five for the stepladder finals scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

PBA50 Odessa Open presented by Diamond Lanes

Top 10 (after 10 games)

  1. Amleto Monacelli, 2,364
  2. Dan Knowlton, 2,319
  3. Tony Lanning, 2,302
  4. John Marsala, 2,282
  5. Brad Angelo, 2,262
  6. Mike Bailey, 2,260
  7. Warren Eales, 2,235
  8. Steven Smith, 2,218
  9. Chris Barnes, 2,203
  10. Don Blatchford, 2,176

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