Rash advances at USBC Masters

Oct 26, 2007 - 4:31 AM WAUWATOSA, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- Sean Rash is trying to singlehandedly make sure none of last year's United States Bowling Congress Masters finalists return to the championship round in 2007.

Rash defeated defending champion Doug Kent in his first match of double-elimination match play, then bested 2006 runner-up Jack Jurek in their first winners' bracket match Thursday to enter Friday's play undefeated in the 2007 Masters - the first of four majors on the 2007-08 Denny's PBA Tour.

Double-elimination features three-game matches based on total pins.

The 25-year-old Rash has established himself as one of the top young stars on the Tour, winning three titles and going 6-0 on television in two seasons. He still is looking to get over the hump in a major event, however, where he has yet to make a championship round.

Rash endured a tough battle with Kent, the 2006-07 Player of the Year, in the first match. After Rash took the lead, 224-154, after game one, Kent clawed back with a 198-167 win in game two to get within 40 pins.

Rash got a break in the 10th frame of game three, however, to outscore Kent, 224-211, and win the match, 602-576.

Against Jurek, Rash put away the match early with a 299 in game two, giving him a big cushion in the final game. He cruised to the 801-680 win.

"After the first match, I changed balls to a Brunswick Twisted Fury that I drilled today, and knowing we were following Walter Ray is a good thing because he uses surface and plays the front of the lane," Rash said. "I just got comfortable and got a good swing going and finally got in a rhythm. (Jurek) bowled great. (A) 680 is normally a good score, and I'm sure anyone would be happy with that."

The Alaska native who lives in Wichita, Kansas doesn't feel any pressure to prove himself this week.

"After I won my first title in West Virginia, I led the U.S. Open with six games to go," Rash said about his performance as a non-exempt bowler in 2005-06. "I led at one point in the U.S. Open last year, too, so I've bowled well there. I like majors because of the formats and because spare-shooting is the key. The majors are the ones you want to bowl well in. It's the most money and the most prestige."

Rash has struggled recently in the Masters, failing to make match play twice and going 0-2 in one other appearance. But he did finish seventh in the 2003 event as a 21-year-old in his first adult tournament.

Tour veteran and seven-time titlist Steve Jaros had the highest series of the night, shooting 823 against Liz Johnson in the winners' bracket to stay undefeated. Jaros had never won his first two matches in a Masters event until now.

"I'm usually in the losers' bracket after the first round," Jaros said. "More often than not, I've managed to make it to match play, but for some reason, I can never get it going. It's so important to stay out of the losers' bracket. If I can get a couple more wins under my belt tomorrow, I'll start feeling pretty good."

Hall of Famer Pete Weber knocked out top-seed Chris Loschetter in the losers' bracket. Loschetter fell in the first round to 2004-05 Player of the Year Patrick Allen. He was then dropped by Weber, who is looking to become just the second bowler in PBA history to complete the "Super Slam" - a win in all five majors, including the now-defunct Touring Players Championship.

Allen still is undefeated after topping Chad Maas in the second round and will face Wes Malott in the winners' bracket.

Kent stayed alive with a 695-655 win over Parker Bohn III, eliminating his brother-in-law from the tournament.

Match play continues Friday until the field is narrowed down to four bowlers.

The final four will bowl for $100,000 and a two-year exemption at Miller Park in Milwaukee at 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday. Non-PBA members, however, are not eligible to receive exemptions.