Roth Grabs Lead in PBA Tournament

Mark Roth edged doubles partner Marshall Holman by 54 pins Friday night to grab the sixth-round lead of a $150,000 Professional Bowlers Assn. tournament.

Roth, a 32-time PBA champion from Spring Lake Heights, N.J., will have to win just one game in the finals today to repeat his 1978 victory at Forum Bowl and earn the $27,000 first prize.

Holman, of Medford, Ore., will be going after his 20th career title and third at Forum Bowl from the No. 2 position.

Also qualifying for the finals were 16-time champion Wayne Webb of Indianapolis, third; rookie Jon O’Drobinak of Chicago, fourth; and Jim Harvey of Tucson, Ariz., fifth.

Roth won 18 of his 24 match games and had a pinfall total of 9,761, while Holman, the fifth-round leader, totaled 9,707.

Harvey and O’Drobinak will meet in the opening match of the championship round. The winner advances to face Webb. Holman then will take on the winner of the second match in the semifinal, with Roth taking on the survivor for the title.