BOWLING : Big Month for Big Bowler Includes His First-Ever Lead

Mark Bowers of Aberdeen, Md., took the lead in the opening afternoon round Wednesday of the AC-Delco Professional Bowlers Assn. tournament at Cal Bowl in Lakewood, and held the lead through the night’s second round.

Bowers launched play with a rousing 279 game and kept his series going with 248, 206, 257, 213, 266 for a 1,469 total (244 average). He cooled off a bit in the second six-game set but held off the field of 166. Bowers, who sells furniture in the family’s retail store, had a 2,244 total for his 12 games.

He will carry a 22-pin lead into the third six-game round today after which the field is cut to 24. The semifinalists then will bowl 24 games of match play through Friday to determine five finalists for Saturday’s nationally televised title roll-off for a $45,000 first prize. Bowers, one of pro bowling’s heavyweights at 6 feet 2 and 240 pounds, will wed on Jan. 21 and celebrate his 32nd birthday on the 26th. “It could be a big month if I go all way,” he said. He has never won a title in 20 tries on the national tour. “Come to think of it, I’ve never led a tournament before.”

In second place is Bob Learn Jr. of Erie, Pa.

Bob Benoit, Pete Weber, David Ozio and Del Ballard, all champions with multiple tour titles, fared well in the opening action and ranked high in the standings.

Norm Duke, the defending champion in this $240,000 event who was named pro player of 1994 Tuesday, had a rough start and trailed in a tie for 50th place.

Bobby Knipple of Long Beach, oldest in the tournament at 52, was 13th.

Other Southern Californians among the top 24 were amateur Robert Smith of Moorpark in a tie for 16th and Dennis Horan of San Diego, 18th.

Smith finished second in this event last year, losing to Duke in a 247-223 title showdown.