2019 PBA50 Spectrum Lanes Open presented by DV8

Zaffino Leads PBA50 Spectrum Open

Zaffino Leads PBA50 Spectrum Open

After starting with games of 296 and 185, Jeff Zaffino managed to regain some consistency for the rest of his first round Friday.

Jul 26, 2019 by Jerry Schneider
Zaffino Leads PBA50 Spectrum Open

After starting with games of 296 and 185, Jeff Zaffino of Warren, Pennsylvania managed to regain some consistency for the rest of his first round Friday to lead the PBA50 Spectrum Lanes Open presented by DV8.

The 59-year-old Zaffino, a two-time Go Bowling! PBA Tour runner-up, followed his erratic start with games of 233, 257, 212, 205, 226 and 245 to lead the first round with a 1,859 pinfall total good for a 232 average.

“Everything was great in the first game – I had the right ball, right speed and was playing the right part of the lane – but that all went away in the second game,” said Zaffino, whose best PBA50 Tour finish was fourth in the 2017 David Small’s Championship Lanes Classic. I just couldn’t adjust in the second game because I was getting a ball reaction I didn’t expect, but fortunately I was able to get back on track in the third game.

Zaffino holds a nine-pin lead over three-time PBA50 Tour titlist Bob Learn Jr. of Erie, Pennsylvania, who finished the first round in second with 1,850.

PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr., who is looking to sew up this third PBA50 Player of the Year honor in the Spectrum Lanes Open, finished the first round in third with 1,847.

Williams, who finished second in the PBA50 David Small’s Championship Lanes Classic Tuesday, continues his quest for his fourth win of the season and a 15th career PBA50 Tour title that would give him sole possession of the titles record on the tour for players 50 and over. The seven-time PBA Player of the Year, is the all-time PBA Tour titles leader with 47 wins.

Rounding out the top five after the first round were Bo Goergen of Sanford, Michigan and 2017 PBA50 Player of the Year Brian LeClair of Albany, New York tied with 1,843. LeClair, a two-time winner this season, won the recent PBA50 River City Extreme and South Shore Opens back-to-back to bring his career PBA50 Tour titles count to five.

The field returns for another eight-game qualifying round Saturday which begins at 11 a.m. ET. Match play rounds are scheduled for 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday which will determine the top five players for the stepladder finals at 7 p.m.