Larry Verble Earns First National Title in PBA60 World Championship
Columbus, Ohio – Larry Verble fulfilled a childhood dream he had been preparing himself for. The moment arrived in the championship match on Wednesday in the 2026 PBA60 World Championship against Amleto Monacelli.
“You dream about this from the day you start bowling until you get in that position and it actually happens. Getting up in the 10th frame having a chance to win the tournament,” Verble said.
As the top overall seed, Verble wanted to finish the match first on the left lane. Working on a strike in the eighth, he doubled up with his first strike of the game on the right lane. He slapped his hands together and quickly tried to calm himself down by taking a re-rack.
“I needed to compose myself. I get a little excited. Running them out, I know better than to do that, but I can’t stop myself,” he said. “It was time to just settle down, get your self-thoughts under control, get your emotions under control. Just make a good shot, trust the process.”
Verble struck for the third straight time. After another re-rack, he struck again before needing to get at least seven on his final shot to shut out Monacelli. Dropping down to one knee, Verble got eight for 213. That was enough for his first national title and a major with a $15,000 first-place check.
“It took me until I was 61 years old to do it, but life gets in the way. You don’t get a chance to go out full-time. This is just topping my career in bowling,” Verble said. “It is extremely gratifying. This is proof positive that through God all things are possible.”
Verble is a full-time outside sales representative for DiLaura Brothers Bowling Supply. The PBA60 World Series of Bowling II was his second tournament of the year. He practices a lot on the oil patterns at JAX60 in Michigan to get himself tournament ready. That dedication continues to pay off.
The championship match got underway with Monacelli rolling an opening strike. Verble, who was making his fourth career senior stepladder finals, decided to play the lanes unlike any of the bowlers before him.
“I was way farther left than anybody else. I found something there that nobody else really tried,” Verble said. “So, I felt like I was bowling by myself and I just needed to make a good shot with my great ball reaction.”
He made two straight spares before leaving the 8-10 split for an open frame. Monacelli made three straight spares before leaving the Greek church in the fifth frame for an open.
Back on his good lane, Verble struck in the fourth, sixth and eighth with spares in between on the right lane. In the sixth frame, Monacelli decided to loft the ball, which earned him a strike in the sixth and eighth frame. In the seventh, he kept himself in the match by converting the 2-4-8-10 split as the 8-pin took out the 10-pin. Monacelli finished his run with a double then nine for 210.
“Hard core prayer. When I wasn’t up bowling, I was praying because it calms the soul,” Verble said. “I have a wonderful support staff behind me. My wife, Laurie and my daughter, Bethany. My coach Andy Schnebelt at JAX60. Andy helps me with my physical game. I always want to thank, Amleto. What a tremendously talented champion. He was behind me all the way just pushing me on. ‘Come on, make a good shot.’”
Verble was already on the roster for the final tournament of the year, the Johnny Petraglia BVL PBA50 Tournament of Champions, presented by Pleasant Day School in August. But first, he is bowling in a regional on Thursday in Bowling Green, Ohio. He said earning any tournament win is his next goal.
Making his third show on the season in the opening match was No. 5 Brian LeClair against No. 4 Bill Rowe. Both players were seeking their first PBA60 title. LeClair began with a spare to Rowe’s double. LeClair missed a 2-pin then opened after leaving the 1-2-4-6-10. Rowe, who was making his fourth stepladder finals on the year, went spare, strike then four straight single-pins spares. LeClair struck in the fourth and made two straight spares.
LeClair made a ball change in the seventh frame and threw five out of six strikes to end his game with 194. Rowe struck in the ninth and on his first shot in the 10th frame to seal the win with 215.
Jack Jurek, who started Wednesday in the lead yet fell to third place, was in match two. Rowe got the match started with a strike, open frame then three straight strikes. Jurek got a strike, split for an open frame in the second, picked up the 3-pin then the 3-10 split. Jurek struck in the fifth then opened again in the sixth frame for a score of 94.
Rowe went high leaving the 4-7-9 split for an open frame, struck in the seventh then left a pocket 7-10 split for an open. Jurek went spare, strike, spare then delivered three clutch strikes for 184. Rowe spared in the ninth. Needing a double for the win, Rowe struck on the first shot then his delivery went wide right leaving a 6-count for 181.
The semifinal was a rematch of Saturday’s final in the PBA60 Webb Championship won by Jurek over Amleto Monacelli. Jurek covered the 4-7 followed by a strike and a pocket split for an open in the third. Monacelli opened in the first frame with the 6-7 split then doubled. Jurek struck in the fourth then spared and doubled in the sixth and seventh.
Monacelli went spare, strike then spare through six. Monacelli then threw six straight strikes for 238. Jurek finished his World Series of Bowling II run with spare, strike, spare and eight for 194.
Up next is the PBA50 Akron Classic beginning on Sunday in Fairlawn, Ohio. You can watch that tournament on BowlTV.
Championship Round Scores:
Match 1: Rowe def. LeClair, 215-194
Match 2: Jurek def. Rowe, 184-181
Match 3: Monacelli def. Jurek, 238-194
Championship match: Verble def. Monacelli, 213-210
PBA60 World Championship Final Standings:
- Larry Verble, $15,000
- Amleto Monacelli, $8,000
- Jack Jurek, $6,000
- Bill Rowe, $5,000
- Brian LeClair, $4,000
