Yajima leads in title defense at 2017 Super Senior Classic
June 02, 2017
QUALIFYING
LAS VEGAS - Defending champion Junichi Yajima of Japan looked poised to defend his title at the Super Senior Classic, and he leads all competitors through two rounds at the 2017 event.
All 140 bowlers in the sold-out field participated in two six-game blocks Friday at Sam's Town Bowling Center, and the field was cut to the top 35 competitors for Saturday's cashers' round based on the 12-game pinfall totals.
Yajima, a 71-year-old right-hander, opened his title defense with a 1,253 six-game block, but he averaged more than 244 in his second round on his way to a 1,466 total and 2,719 overall effort, a 226.58 average for 12 games.
Yajima took the proper steps to become fully acclimated to Las Vegas after his trek across the Pacific Ocean covered more than 5,500 miles.
"I still can't believe I won last year, but it's real," Yajima said. "I decided to arrive in Las Vegas a week early, because I knew it would take some time to adjust after my 12-hour flight. I've been preparing physically and mentally to come back as the defending champion, and I'm happy with my performance today."
The runner-up to Yajima in 2016, Ron Mohr of North Las Vegas, Nevada, sits in second place with a 2,681 total. Robert Reed of Weed, California, is third with 2,673, and Paul McCordic of Sugar Land, Texas, is fourth with 2,649.
McCordic was the runner-up at the 2016 United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters, which also took place at Sam's Town and will return to the 56-lane center starting Tuesday.
Professional Bowlers Association Tour titlist Darryl Bower of Middletown, Pennsylvania, earned the final spot in the cashers' round at the 2017 Super Senior Classic with a 2,438 total, a 203.17 average.
Bowlers advancing to Saturday's cashers' round will return to the lanes at Sam's Town starting at noon Eastern.
All advancers will bowl six additional games Saturday before the field is cut to 12 for two groups of round-robin match play. Match play will consist of six games, including a position round.
At the end of match play, the top qualifier in each group will earn an automatic spot in Sunday's stepladder finals, with seeding being determined by total pins. The second, third and fourth qualifiers in each group will advance to a group stepladder final Sunday. The winner of each group stepladder also will advance to the stepladder finals and meet in the opening match.
The winner of the 2017 Super Senior Classic will take home the top prize of $7,000.
BOWL.com's BowlTV will begin providing coverage of the 2017 Super Senior Classic with Saturday's cashers' round.
LAS VEGAS - Defending champion Junichi Yajima of Japan looked poised to defend his title at the Super Senior Classic, and he leads all competitors through two rounds at the 2017 event.
All 140 bowlers in the sold-out field participated in two six-game blocks Friday at Sam's Town Bowling Center, and the field was cut to the top 35 competitors for Saturday's cashers' round based on the 12-game pinfall totals.
Yajima, a 71-year-old right-hander, opened his title defense with a 1,253 six-game block, but he averaged more than 244 in his second round on his way to a 1,466 total and 2,719 overall effort, a 226.58 average for 12 games.
Yajima took the proper steps to become fully acclimated to Las Vegas after his trek across the Pacific Ocean covered more than 5,500 miles.
"I still can't believe I won last year, but it's real," Yajima said. "I decided to arrive in Las Vegas a week early, because I knew it would take some time to adjust after my 12-hour flight. I've been preparing physically and mentally to come back as the defending champion, and I'm happy with my performance today."
The runner-up to Yajima in 2016, Ron Mohr of North Las Vegas, Nevada, sits in second place with a 2,681 total. Robert Reed of Weed, California, is third with 2,673, and Paul McCordic of Sugar Land, Texas, is fourth with 2,649.
McCordic was the runner-up at the 2016 United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters, which also took place at Sam's Town and will return to the 56-lane center starting Tuesday.
Professional Bowlers Association Tour titlist Darryl Bower of Middletown, Pennsylvania, earned the final spot in the cashers' round at the 2017 Super Senior Classic with a 2,438 total, a 203.17 average.
Bowlers advancing to Saturday's cashers' round will return to the lanes at Sam's Town starting at noon Eastern.
All advancers will bowl six additional games Saturday before the field is cut to 12 for two groups of round-robin match play. Match play will consist of six games, including a position round.
At the end of match play, the top qualifier in each group will earn an automatic spot in Sunday's stepladder finals, with seeding being determined by total pins. The second, third and fourth qualifiers in each group will advance to a group stepladder final Sunday. The winner of each group stepladder also will advance to the stepladder finals and meet in the opening match.
The winner of the 2017 Super Senior Classic will take home the top prize of $7,000.
BOWL.com's BowlTV will begin providing coverage of the 2017 Super Senior Classic with Saturday's cashers' round.