BOWLING / SENIORS AT LAKEWOOD : Stus, Handegard Head Five-Man Field in Finals

Gene Stus and John Handegard, who finished one-two after the match-play round at Lakewood last year, wound up one-two there again Wednesday night in the $100,000 PBA Senior Open at Cal Bowl.

Stus, who has won two of his four senior titles at Cal Bowl, won a $100,000 bonus last year for bowling a 300 game on national television.

The right-hander from Allen Park, Mich., survivor of two heart bypass operations, wound up leading the 267-bowler field by 308 pins. He averaged 220.67.

“There’s no question I like this bowling center,” said Stus, the 1991 senior player of the year. “I’ll never forget that I won my first title here in 1991.

“I had deaths in the family and then came down with gout and didn’t touch a ball for almost a month. But now I feel my game is back on track and I’m confident.”

Handegard, winner of six senior titles, led this tournament last year only to lose the championship match to Stus.

Handegard, the 1991 PBA player of the year, averaged 217.98 but won only 11 games compared to Stus’ 19 victories in 24 matches.

Bill Starnes, 50, principal of a middle school in Corvallis, Ore., finished third. Jim Brenner, whose best finish of fifth was at Cal Bowl in 1991, finished fourth. Bob Korth, another non-winner from Medford, Ore., earned the fifth spot.

The finals are tonight.