Brunswick News

November 05, 2011

Rash Qualifies Third in PBA Bayer Viper Open

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 5, 2011) – Hoping for his third Professional Bowlers Association Tour title, Mike Fagan of Dallas, led an international field of four players Saturday who advanced to the televised finals of the PBA Bayer Viper Open at South Point Lanes.

After 14 games of qualifying in the first tournament of the PBA World Series of Bowling, Fagan had a 3,393 pinfall (242.3 average). In Saturday’s final six-game round he bowled games of 209, 237, 246, 279, 237 and 269.

Fagan finished 90 pins ahead of second-place finisher Stuart Williams of England, who had a 3,303 pinfall. Four-time PBA Tour winner Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., finished third with 3,261 and Ildemaro Ruiz of Venezuela rounded out the top four with 3,240.

“I had some momentum coming into the final round and was able to get into cruise control,” said Fagan. “It’s nice to be the tournament leader but you still have to win when it counts on TV.”

Williams, whose previous best Tour finish was sixth in the 2009 PBA Cheetah Championship, felt he could capitalize on the Viper lane condition especially in Saturday’s final qualifying round.

“My goal was to stay steady for the whole round and hope to maybe catch a couple pairs where I could shoot a big game to vault up the standings and that’s pretty much what happened in that round,” said Williams.

The Bayer Viper Open is the opening event of the 2011-12 PBA Tour season, and the first leg in the PBA World Championship. In addition to competing for a spot in the Viper Championship televised finals which will be taped by ESPN at 1 p.m. PT Nov. 18, all World Series of Bowling competitors will bowl three more eight-game qualifying rounds in the PBA’s Chameleon, Scorpion and Shark tournaments over the next three days to qualify for the PBA World Championship cashers round.

The top 16 players after 40 games will then advance to the World Championship ESPN-taped divisional finals scheduled for Nov. 19 starting at 10:30 a.m.

PBA BAYER VIPER OPEN
South Point Bowling Center, Las Vegas, Saturday
(After 14 games; top 4 advance to ESPN finals)

1, Mike Fagan, Dallas, 3,393.
2, Stuart Williams, England, 3,303.
3, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 3,261.
4, Ildemaro Ruiz, Venezuela, 3,240.