Boresch qualifies for singles semifinals at 2019 World Bowling Senior Championships
September 04, 2019
Results
LAS VEGAS - Lennie Boresch Jr. helped Senior Team USA to a noteworthy start at the 2019 World Bowling Senior Championships by qualifying for the semifinals in the tournament-opening singles event.
The 57-year-old right-hander averaged nearly 229 over six games Wednesday at the South Point Bowling Plaza to earn the No. 2 seed for Thursday's medal round.
Norway's Tore Torgerson led the 159-player men's field with a 1,394 total, a 232.33 average, and was followed by Boresch (1,372), Malta's Mark Spiteri (1,342) and Michael Snow of Canada (1,341).
Torgerson and Snow will meet in one semifinal, while Boresch and Spiteri face off in the other. The winners then will bowl for the gold medal, and the semifinal losers each will receive bronze medals.
Both the men's and women's singles semifinals and finals will take place Thursday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. The women will bowl their six games of qualifying Thursday at noon EDT.
"I think the key for today was being able to try some different things along the way, and it's always nice to get off to a strong start," said Boresch, who's making his third appearance at the World Senior Championships. "I'm proud to get our first medal, but it's ultimately about the team. I think we all learned a lot today, and that definitely should help us the rest of the week. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, and I'm excited to get back out there for doubles and the team event."
Boresch, a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer, showcased his hall-of-fame versatility and familiarity with the South Point Bowling Plaza on the way to games of 215, 223, 227, 245, 239 and 223.
In his first World Senior Championships appearance in 2015, Boresch did not medal in singles. In 2017, he earned a bronze medal.
He was able to use all parts of the lane Wednesday, along with a subtle hand trick, to find success. He also noted that he traditionally carries pretty well at the 60-lane venue, which helped him stay calm and confident.
"I tried to be soft and go away with it a little bit early, and when they started to transition, at least on one pair, I was able to go a little harder and straighter," Boresch said. "When that didn't work on the next pair, I jumped in and started lofting it with a little turn. I had a really good look and stuck with the ball. I was ready to maybe switch, but it just kept working, especially when I did the little trick with my hand you probably can't see from the back."
Left-hander Parker Bohn III also made a run for the United States on the 42-foot World Bowling Tokyo oil pattern but fell a little bit short, finishing eighth with a 1,320 total. He opened with a 181 game and closed with 189, but he averaged more than 237 during the middle four games.
Boresch and Bohn were joined by Walter Ray Williams Jr. (1,198) and Ron Mohr (1,194), who finished 43rd and 49th, respectively. Mohr entered the 2019 event as the defending champion in singles.
"You want to come out of the gate strong, but that's not exactly what I did today," Bohn said. "Even then, you still have five games to get something going. If not for singles, for the big picture - all-events and Masters - or simply a confidence builder heading into doubles and team. The way I look at it, I bowled well overall today, but I got what I deserved when I missed. I had a few splits and chopped a spare. If I can clean those things up, I think I can turn a block like today into a really big block."
Competition at the South Point Bowling Plaza resumes Thursday at noon Eastern with singles qualifying for the women. The United States will be represented by Leanne Hulsenberg, Tish Johnson, Sharon Powers and Lucy Sandelin.
The men then will turn their attention to doubles, which will get underway Thursday night after the singles finals and medal ceremony.
Bohn and his teammates tried many things and collected as much information as they could Wednesday and are eager to apply that in doubles.
Bohn and Williams, both USBC and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famers, will bowl their six games of doubles qualifying Thursday, and Boresch and Mohr will take their shot Friday morning. Doubles qualifying for the women, and both medal rounds, also will take place Friday.
"I know I've got a strong teammate in doubles and three powerhouses with me for the team event, and I have no doubt things will come together for us," said Bohn, who will bowl doubles with Williams for the first time in their careers. "Regardless of what happened today in the standings, it wouldn't surprise me if Walter came out tomorrow and shot 250 over. It's just a matter of flipping a switch sometimes. I know he tried some different things today to see what will work best, and I'm looking forward to what tomorrow will bring for us."
The 2019 World Senior Championships features nearly 260 competitors from 41 countries. It is the fourth edition of the event, which debuted in 2013 and is held every two years. In 2017, the World Senior Championships visited Munich.
Competitors are competing for medals in singles, doubles, team, all-events and Masters competition.
To be eligible, bowlers must be 50 years of age or older during the year of the event.
The 41 countries represented this week in Las Vegas are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, England, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United States, Ukraine, Venezuela and Wales.
For more information on the 2019 World Senior Championships, visit WorldBowling.org.
LAS VEGAS - Lennie Boresch Jr. helped Senior Team USA to a noteworthy start at the 2019 World Bowling Senior Championships by qualifying for the semifinals in the tournament-opening singles event.
The 57-year-old right-hander averaged nearly 229 over six games Wednesday at the South Point Bowling Plaza to earn the No. 2 seed for Thursday's medal round.
Norway's Tore Torgerson led the 159-player men's field with a 1,394 total, a 232.33 average, and was followed by Boresch (1,372), Malta's Mark Spiteri (1,342) and Michael Snow of Canada (1,341).
Torgerson and Snow will meet in one semifinal, while Boresch and Spiteri face off in the other. The winners then will bowl for the gold medal, and the semifinal losers each will receive bronze medals.
Both the men's and women's singles semifinals and finals will take place Thursday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. The women will bowl their six games of qualifying Thursday at noon EDT.
"I think the key for today was being able to try some different things along the way, and it's always nice to get off to a strong start," said Boresch, who's making his third appearance at the World Senior Championships. "I'm proud to get our first medal, but it's ultimately about the team. I think we all learned a lot today, and that definitely should help us the rest of the week. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, and I'm excited to get back out there for doubles and the team event."
Boresch, a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer, showcased his hall-of-fame versatility and familiarity with the South Point Bowling Plaza on the way to games of 215, 223, 227, 245, 239 and 223.
In his first World Senior Championships appearance in 2015, Boresch did not medal in singles. In 2017, he earned a bronze medal.
He was able to use all parts of the lane Wednesday, along with a subtle hand trick, to find success. He also noted that he traditionally carries pretty well at the 60-lane venue, which helped him stay calm and confident.
"I tried to be soft and go away with it a little bit early, and when they started to transition, at least on one pair, I was able to go a little harder and straighter," Boresch said. "When that didn't work on the next pair, I jumped in and started lofting it with a little turn. I had a really good look and stuck with the ball. I was ready to maybe switch, but it just kept working, especially when I did the little trick with my hand you probably can't see from the back."
Left-hander Parker Bohn III also made a run for the United States on the 42-foot World Bowling Tokyo oil pattern but fell a little bit short, finishing eighth with a 1,320 total. He opened with a 181 game and closed with 189, but he averaged more than 237 during the middle four games.
Boresch and Bohn were joined by Walter Ray Williams Jr. (1,198) and Ron Mohr (1,194), who finished 43rd and 49th, respectively. Mohr entered the 2019 event as the defending champion in singles.
"You want to come out of the gate strong, but that's not exactly what I did today," Bohn said. "Even then, you still have five games to get something going. If not for singles, for the big picture - all-events and Masters - or simply a confidence builder heading into doubles and team. The way I look at it, I bowled well overall today, but I got what I deserved when I missed. I had a few splits and chopped a spare. If I can clean those things up, I think I can turn a block like today into a really big block."
Competition at the South Point Bowling Plaza resumes Thursday at noon Eastern with singles qualifying for the women. The United States will be represented by Leanne Hulsenberg, Tish Johnson, Sharon Powers and Lucy Sandelin.
The men then will turn their attention to doubles, which will get underway Thursday night after the singles finals and medal ceremony.
Bohn and his teammates tried many things and collected as much information as they could Wednesday and are eager to apply that in doubles.
Bohn and Williams, both USBC and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famers, will bowl their six games of doubles qualifying Thursday, and Boresch and Mohr will take their shot Friday morning. Doubles qualifying for the women, and both medal rounds, also will take place Friday.
"I know I've got a strong teammate in doubles and three powerhouses with me for the team event, and I have no doubt things will come together for us," said Bohn, who will bowl doubles with Williams for the first time in their careers. "Regardless of what happened today in the standings, it wouldn't surprise me if Walter came out tomorrow and shot 250 over. It's just a matter of flipping a switch sometimes. I know he tried some different things today to see what will work best, and I'm looking forward to what tomorrow will bring for us."
The 2019 World Senior Championships features nearly 260 competitors from 41 countries. It is the fourth edition of the event, which debuted in 2013 and is held every two years. In 2017, the World Senior Championships visited Munich.
Competitors are competing for medals in singles, doubles, team, all-events and Masters competition.
To be eligible, bowlers must be 50 years of age or older during the year of the event.
The 41 countries represented this week in Las Vegas are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, England, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United States, Ukraine, Venezuela and Wales.
For more information on the 2019 World Senior Championships, visit WorldBowling.org.