Edwards bowling well heading into Senior Masters
June 07, 2013
ARLINGTON, Texas - Defending United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters champion Mike Edwards of Tulsa, Okla., knows there's pressure that comes along with being the reigning champion.
That pressure, however, can be relieved by one simple thing - throwing the ball well. And that's exactly how Edwards feels he's performing heading into next week's USBC Senior Masters, which features bowlers age 50 and older and begins Monday at the South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
"I think just the fact that I'm throwing the ball really well is going to help," said Edwards, who defeated Hugh Miller of Mercer Island, Wash., 701-691, to win the 2012 Senior Masters. "If I came in and wasn't throwing it well, there would be more pressure. Usually when you are throwing it well, good things happen and you make your own breaks."
As the defending champion, Edwards automatically will have a spot in the three-game double-elimination bracket portion of the event. However, he will bowl qualifying to try and improve upon his seeding in the bracket. If he finishes outside of the top 63 in qualifying, he will earn the No. 64 spot in the bracket.
Even with a guaranteed spot in match play, Edwards said the road to the Senior Masters is a long one.
"I've always liked the format and it's just one of those things were there's a little luck involved," Edwards said. "You have to catch the right pairs and the right guys at the right time. That's what happened for me last year."
All players will bowl 15 games of qualifying over three days to determine the 63 bowlers who will join Edwards in match play. The player who survives the bracket to win the event will take home $16,000 of the more than $100,000 prize fund.
Bowling fans can watch every round of the Senior Masters live on BOWL.com's BowlTV. For more information on the event, visit BOWL.com/SeniorMasters.
That pressure, however, can be relieved by one simple thing - throwing the ball well. And that's exactly how Edwards feels he's performing heading into next week's USBC Senior Masters, which features bowlers age 50 and older and begins Monday at the South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
"I think just the fact that I'm throwing the ball really well is going to help," said Edwards, who defeated Hugh Miller of Mercer Island, Wash., 701-691, to win the 2012 Senior Masters. "If I came in and wasn't throwing it well, there would be more pressure. Usually when you are throwing it well, good things happen and you make your own breaks."
As the defending champion, Edwards automatically will have a spot in the three-game double-elimination bracket portion of the event. However, he will bowl qualifying to try and improve upon his seeding in the bracket. If he finishes outside of the top 63 in qualifying, he will earn the No. 64 spot in the bracket.
Even with a guaranteed spot in match play, Edwards said the road to the Senior Masters is a long one.
"I've always liked the format and it's just one of those things were there's a little luck involved," Edwards said. "You have to catch the right pairs and the right guys at the right time. That's what happened for me last year."
All players will bowl 15 games of qualifying over three days to determine the 63 bowlers who will join Edwards in match play. The player who survives the bracket to win the event will take home $16,000 of the more than $100,000 prize fund.
Bowling fans can watch every round of the Senior Masters live on BOWL.com's BowlTV. For more information on the event, visit BOWL.com/SeniorMasters.