Secoma provided LOTS of very good scores, but zero huge scoreson Saturday.  It was a VERY unusual combination of scores, which only added to some GREAT competition for the Title!  The Top of the Cash List was quite normal, with a Winning total of 1031 fitting within the typical 1030 to 1050 range.  The rest of the list was anything but normal, with a Cut-Line 40-50 pins above normal.  Every squad sustained the high cut and many of the bowlers raved about the opportunity the conditions were providing.  We also had several more assaults on the 9-Tap Jackpot.  For the second week in-a-row a Member had a coveted,'One ball for $500.00', when Pen Hagen had 6-Middle Taps, but she was undone by a solid real strike on the 7th shot.  That shot allowed Tong Nguyen to take home $250.00 for his Front 5-Taps, leaving the Jackpot the chance to grow again, now up to $4,925.00 for Skyway's 'Best 3 of 4' next week.

 

Since Senior Day was last week, this week must have beenSUPER SENIOR PLUS DAY!  Stu Gallagher will celebrate his 80th Birthday next month, after celebrating his 3rd Tour Victory at Secoma Saturday.  He posted his 1031 in the 2:00 squad and itheld up, despite the onslaught of many BIG scores, as EIGHT other bowlers topped the 1000 mark.  The strength of Stu's heart was tested at the end of the last squad, when several bowlers had great opportunities to surpass his score, one coming within 2 pins.  Stu's Octogenarian rival (and friend) Leon Bemis also reached the Cash List this week.  If you don't know the story... when Stu won his first Title in 2011, at 78 years old, he was older than the 77 when Leon last won a Title.  That didn't last long, Leon came back seven weeks later and Won at age 79.  That day, Stu went home and circled the date on his calendar, when he'd be older than Leon.  Now Stu has the edge, but Leon's been getting Hot lately and he's already 80.  (Watch out Stu, Judy Buchanon 80+ and Wess Hall 87 are also painting a target on your back)  Stu told me before the Tournament that he had a new 'secret weapon'.  Robert Kelly in the Secoma Pro Shop, had drilled a new Storm IQ for him that he really liked.  I guess he was right!  Stu became the 16th Champion this year to earn a $2,000.00+ check.  This $2,089.00 payday pushed his Career earning to an impressive $12,318.00. since he joined the Tour in March 2010.  CONGRATS Stu on earning the White Champions shirt for Win #3.

 

Divina Novelo was SO CLOSE to her first Title and she finished like a true Champion!  Her last SEVEN shots were ALL strikes, but that still left her just 2 pins short of the Win.  Her Personal Best score of 1029 was good enough for 2nd Place and a nice $936.00 payday.  In 3rd Place, Patrick Dennis came-up ONE STRIKE short in the 10th frame, of taking his 3rd Title.  He was a major source of Stu's anxiety in that last game, but settles for a healthy $478.00 3rd Place check.