Torrance Bowling Tournament : Southpaw Bohn Earns No. 1 Seeding for Today’s Finals

One thing is for sure, the competition will be hot in the pro bowling final of the AC/Delco tournament at noon today.

When the TV lights go on at Gable House Bowl in Torrance for the national telecast, “it’ll be like a heat wave hitting,” said Parker Bohn III.

Bohn, who averaged better than 222 for 42 games, finished as the qualifying leader. So, it will be the lean left-hander from New Jersey seeded No. 1 in the roll-off for the $27,000 first prize.

He’ll wait in the wings for a single-game showdown to see which of the four finalists, all right-handers, he’ll meet for the championship.

Arizonan James A. Miller is the No. 2 bowler in the finals, with Randy Pedersen of Santa Maria No. 3, Pennsylvanian Ron Palombi Jr. No. 4 and Oregonian Marshall Holman No. 5.

Pedersen could break an 18-year-old jinx by earning his fourth PBA victory. A Southern Californian hasn’t won a title in this region since Gary Madison of San Bernardino won at Anaheim in 1971.

Holman, one of pro bowling’s all-time champions, made his big move Friday to reach the finals. He was in 19th place starting the day.

This will be Bohn’s fifth TV final, and he said the experience has him ready to face the lights once again.

“It isn’t so much the temperature that bothers a bowler in a TV final, but the quick-drying affect of oil on the lanes,” Bohn said. “It can drastically change lane conditions in the middle of a match. So, it calls for quick adjustments on delivery.”

Brian Voss, the 1988 money champion, finished ninth, and Hall of Famer Mark Roth was 19th.