Press release:
Professional Bowlers Tour standout Sam Cooley found his way to Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia on Saturday and, unsurprisingly, placed first in the annual T.F. Brown’s Scratch Eliminator tournament.
The 32-year-old right-hander from Sydney, Australia rolled a 265 game in the four-person final round to capture the $1,500 top prize.
Dan Vick of Rochester and Adam Jozwiak of Buffalo each posted 234 to split the second ($900) and third ($700) place money while Pat Brick of Buffalo registered a 226 game to finish fourth ($500).
Cooley, a member of the MOTIV bowling pro staff and a two-time PBA Tour champion, was the No. 2 qualifier off the morning squad with 937 for four games on the challenging 40-foot oil pattern.
Jozwiak led the squad with 968 while Andy Nichols of Rochester was the high qualifier off the afternoon squad with 919, including a 290 final game.
Cooley advanced through the eliminator rounds with games of 225 and 223 before his big last game.
He said he was in Western New York this past week learning more about the fellow professional Brad Angelo’s BowlU course at Brad Angelo Lanes in Lockport and also practicing for the USBC Masters, which gets underway on March 25 at Suncoast Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
Thirteen Genesee Region USBC members competed in the tournament with one, Mike Pettinella of Batavia, advancing to the eliminator rounds.
Pettinella, who was coming off a fourth-place finish at a 60-and-Over Tour event in Brockport the previous weekend, started with a 278 game en route to an 838 total on the afternoon squad. He was eliminated in the first round of the finals, earning $150.
Reaching the semifinals ($250 each) were Jon Keenan of Rochester and Dan Stafursky of Waverly.
Other tournament sponsors were Coors Light, Lambert’s Design Jewelers, Labatt Blue, Striking Effects Pro Shop, Casella and Toyota of Batavia. The tournament drew 76 entries.
