Torrance Bowling Tournament : Bohn Holds On to Lead With 8 Matches Remaining

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

According to Parker Bohn III, tournament leader after 34 games, when those TV lights go on for the national telecast, it’s like a heat wave hitting.

“But if you’ve bowled a (TV) final before, you know what to expect and take the heat in stride,” said Bohn, the New Jersey left-hander, who has made 6 finals in his 4-year PBA career, winning once at Seattle in 1987.

“The biggest impact those lights have is drying oil off the lanes as the play progresses,” he said. “You just have to know how to adjust your shots to bowl the changing playing conditions.”

Bohn, who has held the top spot since the third round, had a pack of right-handers on his heels as the field of 24 headed into the closing 8 matches Friday night to decide which 5 will bowl the title roll-off.

Directly behind the leader were James A. Miller, Randy Pedersen, Ron Palombi Jr. and Rey C. Perez.

Pedersen, of Santa Maria, is the only one in that group with a major pro title.

“I’m bowling better than ever,” said Pedersen, whose 4 PBA titles include the 1987 National Pro.

Veteran Marshall Holman made the biggest surge Friday afternoon, winning 7 of 8 matches and jumping from 18th to 6th.

Hall of Famer Mark Roth fell far off the pace to 23rd.

Pedersen could break an 18-year-old jinx by taking the $27,000 first prize. The last Southern Californian to win a national pro tour title in Southern California was Gary Madison of San Bernardino in 1971 at Anaheim. Southern California has had a PBA tournament each year since 1960.