Generations Bowling Tour news
"My first goal was to lead the qualifying, now my goal is to win," said Ozio. "I've been looking forward to bowling in the Generations Bowling Tour for a long time, and to lead in the first event is even better."
Ozio bowled in Squad B and averaged 229.5 for the 16 games of qualifying and will start the match play only 14 pins ahead of Squad A leader Dennis Psaropoulos, Lake Worth, Fla. Psaropoulos made a strong run at Ozio's score in Monday night's round, finishing with a 268 game. "I chopped a spare in the last game, or I would have caught him," he said.
Also making a run at the lead Monday evening was Mark Roth, Fulton, N.Y. Roth fired a 279 to start his round and will go into matchplay as the No. 3 seed. He averaged 226.3 for the qualifying portion of the event.
The first 300 game of the event was rolled in game one Monday evening by Leo Scantamburlo, Riverview, Mich., but it as not enough to put him in the finals. Scantamburlo finished 17th, missing the cut by only 45 pins.
In the Super Senior group, Buckley held on to his lead by a mere 33 pins. Chuck Pierce, Dallas, finished second, and first-round leader from Squad A, Larry Hoffman, sits in third place only one pin behind Pierce.
"It's great to lead the qualifying. Now I just hope I bowl better in the matchplay," said Buckley. "I really like this format, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the tournament."
It took a 216.6 average to make the top 16 cut in the 50-59 division, and a 212.3 in the 60-plus division. In the 60-plus group, Harley Trumbull (New Boston, Mich.) rolled a huge 276 in his final game to capture the last spot in the match play finals.
Tonight, the first round of match play will begin at 7 p.m. with the top 16 players from the 50-59 division and the top 8 from the 60-plus group. A Second Chance tournament for players who missed the cut will begin at 10 a.m. this morning.
The Generation Tour rolls into Clinton Township, Mich., next week for the second of eight stops on its inaugural fall swing.
For more information, visit www.gbtour.com or call 1-888-GBT-BOWL.