Weber Successfully Defends Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open Title

7/10/2016

Weber wins eighth career PBA50 Tour Title and a Record Fourth Consecutive PBA50 Tour Win

L A S V EGAS - P ro f es s ional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Pete Weber of St. Ann, Mo., successfully defended his Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open presented by 900 Global title for a record fourth consecutive PBA50 Tour title.
Weber, who was the top qualifier for the stepladder finals, defeated Harry Sullins of Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 223-184, in the title match at the Suncoast Bowling Center to set the new mark. He had shared the previous record of three consecutive titles with fellow Hall of Famer Tom Baker who achieved the feat in 2006.

"It ranks way up there as far as my career accomplishments," said Weber, who has won a record five U.S. Open titles on the PBA Tour. "I think this is the best I've ever felt or thrown the ball for five consecutive weeks in my whole career."

Leading Sullins by eight pins in the six frame, Weber threw four consecutive strikes to clinch the match and his eighth career PBA50 Tour title. It was his third PBA50 Tour major title having also won the 2013 United States Bowling
Congress Senior Masters.

"I could see it was tough for Harry to get anything going and when he didn't strike in the ninth I knew I had the match," Weber said.
For Weber, who ranks fifth on the all-time PBA Tour titles list with 37 wins and has won a record- tying 10 PBA Tour majors, he ranked his win among his top accomplishments in a professional career that spans more than three decades.
"It's way up there as far as anything I've done in my career," said the 53-year-old Weber. "I just do whatever I can do to win and that's the way it has been my entire career. Like I've said many times, winning never gets old."
Weber began the 2016 season with a fourth- place finish in the Pasco County Florida Open and then won the UnitedHealthcare Sun Bowl In The Villages, PBA50 Mooresville Ford Open and Johnny Petraglia BVL Open prior to winning the Senior U.S. Open.

In the semi-final match, Sullins, who was recently inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame, defeated Brian Kretzer of Dayton, Ohio, making his PBA50 Tour debut, 193-164 to advance to the final match. Sullins was trying for his fourth PBA50 Tour win and second major having won the 2009 PBA Senior World Championship.

In the opening match, Sullins defeated PBA Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli of Venezuela, 212-207, to advance to the semifinal. Monacelli, who won the Senior U.S. Open in 2012 and 2013, was trying to become the tournament's first three-time winner.

Weber joined Monacelli, Baker and Wayne Webb as a two-time Senior U.S. Open winner, all of whom have won in successive years. Baker won his back to back in 2005 and 2006, and Webb in 2008 and 2009.
Article was posted with permission from Stars & Strikes, America's Bowling Newsmagazine. www.starsandstrikesbowling.com