Mark Williams figures out lanes at Suncoast, wins PBA Senior U.S. Open

By Case Keefer (contact)

Saturday, June 12, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

They were slick, tricky and powerful.

The Suncoast lanes stumped the bowlers in the 2010 PBA Senior U.S. Open all week. It seemed Mark Williams, a PBA Hall of Famer from Beaumont, Tex., was the only one in the field of 228 to master them.

In the end, the 52-year old Williams used his expertise to win the championship and $15,000. It was his first senior championship in a major.

“These last matches, we bowled on a really demanding pair,” Williams said. “I’ve been bowling forever and have a very versatile game. It came in handy. That’s for sure.”

Williams defeated 54-year old Ron Mohr, last year’s PBA Senior Player of the Year, 198-181 in the final match. Mohr, a native of Eagle River, Alaska, entered the final round of four as the No. 1 seed while Williams came in at No. 2 after a week full of competition.

But Mohr struggled in the middle frames of the title match. He missed spares in the third and sixth frames, while Williams either threw a strike or spare in each of the first eight frames.

“I’m disappointed because you don’t ever know how often you’re going to get there,” Mohr said. “This was my opportunity to win a major and it’s hard.”

Although Mohr posted the top combined preliminary scores, it was Williams who stole the spotlight all week.

Only two perfect rounds of 300 were bowled at Suncoast this week. Both were by Williams.

“I’ve been able to learn something from these past two years of being here,” Williams said. “I’ve been able to read these lanes pretty quick.”

Williams has steadily improved in his three years at the Suncoast. In 2008, he finished in sixth at the Senior U.S. Open.

Last year, he made it to match play and came in third. It all came together in the third try.

“I like this format,” Williams said. “Everything about this tournament just fits.”

Williams beat fellow Hall of Famer and No. 3 seed Dave Ferraro 221-188 to reach the final. Ferraro won $7,000 for his finish.

Don Moser, a Murrieta, Calif., native who was playing in his first senior event, took fourth for $5,000. Mohr earned $8,500 for his runner-up finish.

“He out-played me,” Mohr said. “There’s no question. Every time you throw a shot, the lanes try to tell you something. He listened a lot better than I did.”