“It’s been a good experience,” Miller said. “It’s a learning process.”
At the PBA Senior Dayton Classic at Capri Lanes on April 18, Miller led the event after the first day of qualifying, finishing with an eight-game total of 1,842 pins for an 230.2 average.
He bowled games of 260 and 289 down the stretch to claim the lead.
“That kind of propelled me up to first,” Miller said. “I didn’t expect that.”
Miller qualified 13th overall April 19, finishing with a 16-game total pinfall of 3,467 pins.
Springfield’s Bobby Gross Jr., competing in his first Senior PBA event, finished 42nd overall with 3,313 pins, 10 spots and 38 pins away from qualifying for the match play.
On April 20, Miller fell 3-2 to Dale Csuhta in the Round of 24 match play event. He won the second and fourth games.
“They were all close games,” Miller said.
The next week, Miller advanced to the match play at the PBA Senior Columbus Open at HP Lanes in Columbus.
In the first round, Miller shot an eight-game total of 1,727 (215.8 average), landing in 86th place.
“The scores were extremely high,” Miller said. “Records were set. I bowled well, I just couldn’t carry seven- and 10-pins.”
But in the second round, Miller exploded for an eight-game 2,012 (251.5 average). He qualified 25th overall with total pinfall of 3,739. He shot 811 his last three games.
In the first round of the match play, Miller lost to Dave Soutar 3-0, but lost the first game by eight pins, 268-260, and the second game by just one pin, 224-223. Soutar eventually fell to champion Wayne Webb in the semifinals.
Miller, a part-time bowler on the tour, will bowl in five PBA Senior Tour events and 20 PBA regional events. He’ll bowl in the USBC Senior Masters in Las Vegas in June with hopes of winning his first title.
“I’ve been after it for 27 years now,” Miller said. “I’d love to win one, but it takes a lot of work. There are a lot of good bowlers out there.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0365 or mcooper@coxohio.com.
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