What an Incredible & Exciting return to West Seattle BowlSaturday!!  It's not unusual for it to take a few Tournaments to get the lane conditions 'dialed-in' on an unfamiliar surface, but the scoring was SO high this week, it matched the famous Skyway Tournament from a few years ago.  That record Skyway Tournament was the first time that it took 1000+ to make the Cash List and a few who topped 1000 that day, still didn't Cash.  At West Seattle, it also took 1000 to Cash, but everybody who shot 1000 DID Cash this time.  But, we've NEVER had a Tournament where SIX bowlers Topped an 1100 series, while DOZENS of bowlers shot their 'Personal Best' series!  No score was safe and that was proven by the seemingly 'unbeatable' scores that got smashed.  1st squad leader John Shaw's 1080 was 30 to 50 pins above a normal winning score and he ended up 10th.  The9-Tap Jackpot wasn't safe either!  THREE bowlers took aim at 7-Middle Taps, Jon Schneider, Thang Duc Thai & John Nissen, with Thai & Nissen both hitting the 7th shot... all for naught.  Karol Knight got the Front 7-Taps, taking down the Jackpot for the 3rd time this year.  She earned an awesome $5,222.00, making it the 3rd largest Jackpot payout ever.  Karol also becomes the Tour's 1st Women to capture the Jackpot.

 

A truly GREAT story emerged from the high scoring West Seattle Tournament.  Tour 'Hall-of-Famer' Samson Ibale, an original Tour Member (#11), added to his record as the winningest Member on Tour with his 14th Title.  It's been a year and a half since his last Win and it almost didn't happen.  Samson admitted that there have been Tournaments, in the past, when he decided NOT to enter, because they had high scores already on the board. Wrong Attitude!!  Saturday, he arrived just in time for the 4:30squad, so he didn't have time to look at the scores.  During warm-up, he heard how high the scores were and told Jon that he wouldn't have entered if he knew the scores, thinking that with only 2 pins of handicap, he'd have no chance.  Truth is, when the conditions are good for BIG scores, they good for EVERYBODY and Samson proved it, when like many others bowlers this week, he shot his Career Best series, by 35 pins!  Even his HUGE 1163 score wasn't safe with one squad to go.  In the last squad Ken Seaton (1154) came within a late split of knocking Samson off and Patrick Dennis (1132) also had a shot in his 4th game.  After his record series survived the assaults, Samson promised (we have witnesses), that he would NEVER let the scores influence his decision to enter again!  Spectacular bowling and an Awesome lesson.  An intriguing side-story also emerged, regarding the Tour's Earnings Record.  His $2,090.00 Winners Share, pushed his Career Earnings to $44,329.00, a mere $6 short of Tong's leading mark. 

 

In 2nd, Ken Seaton wasn't intimidated by the scores and nearly earned his 3rd Career Title and first since 2010, with his final squad fireworks.  Ken topped his 'Personal Best' by 45 pins... his previous P.B. came in 2009 when he was the Top Qualifier in a 2-Day Tournament.  That 2009 Tournament was ultimately won by, guess who... Samson.  LeRoy Cofield had an impressive day, SHATTERING his P.B. by 106 PINS, good enough to earn a 3rd Place check of $473.00.  In 4th, Patrick Dennis also refused to go down without a fight, finishing just 3 pins back of LeRoy and 23 pins better than his P.B.!