June 17, 2023 Nolan Hughes

After 18 games of qualifying at the PBA Senior U.S. Open, Troy Lint sits in first place at the PBA Senior U.S. Open. The 55-year-old from Blandon, Pa. finished in second place after each of the first two squads, trailing Tom Adcock, but overtook the lead on Saturday.

Lint amassed a 4,183 pinfall (+583) through 18 games of qualifying at Highland Park Lanes in Greeley, Colo. The left-hander holds the pole position as 24 games of round-robin match play begins on Sunday.

While battling a knee injury, Lint has averaged more than 232 across fresh, burn and double-burn squads.

“I'm not really trying to overpower lanes,” he said. “I'm just letting the ball do more work because it seemed like if I could not be as violent as normal, I could get it to make a smooth, easy transition to the lane.”

The powerful southpaw, who only joined the PBA just over three years ago, said his game has been progressing for a few years. He said winning the 2022 PBA50 Regional Players Invitational title back in January sparked a new conviction inside him.

“After the RPI, I said it’s time to get moving,” he said. “I decided to bowl every stop this year and go from there.”

Lint set a goal for the season: to not be eligible for the 2023 RPI. That would require a top-10 season on the PBA50 points list.

After finishing third at the season-opening USBC Senior Masters, a major, and leading the season’s second major through qualifying, Lint could be well on his way to achieving that goal.

Tom Hess, the 2021 PBA50 Player and Rookie of the Year, surged from 10th place to second with a 1,444 series in the third round of qualifying.

Hess has championship experience in Greeley, winning the 2022 PBA50 Highland Park Lanes Open.

His confidence, however, wasn’t quite up to his typical standards entering this event. He said he struggled to bounce back after a disappointing exit at the Senior Masters last week.

“I bowled really well and qualified seventh last week — and then I went 0-2 in match play,” Hess said. “That made for a long week. It wears on you. You’ve got days and days and days of thinking about, ‘Man, I went 0-2.’”

Hess credited his roommates, Parker Bohn III and Lennie Boresch Jr., for helping him regain a positive mindset. A refreshed mentality — plus a quick trip to his car for the two balls he won the title with last year — helped the 53-year-old put together a 228 average through 18 games.

Adcock, Brad Angelo and Bohn, who are within seven pins on each other, round out the top five. Chris Barnes and Pete Weber bookend the back half of the top 10.

Boresch, the defending champion, sits in 14th place.

Bill Watson (+210), competing on the final squad of the night, edged out Brian Kretzer by a single pin for the final spot in match play. Kretzer fired 276 in his final game earlier in the day.

Round-robin match play begins Sunday at noon ET. The 24 advancing players will bowl six games on the fresh 39-foot Aulby pattern before returning for another six-game round at 5 p.m. ET. The lanes will not be re-oiled between rounds.

After two more match play rounds on Monday (noon/5 p.m. ET), the top five players will advance to the stepladder finals at 9 p.m. ET.

All rounds of the Senior U.S. Open will be livestreamed on BowlTV.

Leaders Through Round 3

  1. Troy Lint, 4,183 (+583)
  2. Tom Hess, 4,108 (+508)
  3. Tom Adcock, 4,047 (+447)
  4. Brad Angelo, 4,046 (+446)
  5. Parker Bohn III, 4,040 (+440)
  6. Chris Barnes, 3,996 (+396)
  7. Steven Badovinac, 3,989 (+389)
  8. Amleto Monacelli, 3,949 (+349)
  9. Steve Kloempken, 3,947 (+347)
  10. Pete Weber, 3,944 (+344)

Complete Senior U.S. Open Standings

Remaining Senior U.S. Open Schedule

Highland Park Lanes | Greeley, Colorado

Sunday, June 18
Noon — Match play Round 1 (six games)
5 p.m. — Match play Round 2 (six games)

Monday, June 19
Noon — Match play Round 3 (six games)
5 p.m. — Match play Round 4 (six games)
Top five players advance to stepladder finals
9 p.m. — Stepladder finals

More information on the Senior U.S. Open is available here.