Joel Carlson holds the top check of $7,500 with Jax60 management Josh Solomon, David Small, and Brady Colip. Photo by Jeff Steers/JTV Sports.
By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports
Professional Bowling Association bowler Joel Carlson said he gets really nervous while bowling in tournaments.
He used some small talk with members of the front row at the David Small Jax60 Classic to calm his nerves.
It must have worked.
Carlson came from the No. 4 seed to win four matches in the stepladder format and claim the top prize of $7,500 in the PBA50 tournament Friday night at Jax60.
He defeated Brian Kretzer 259-255 in the final, taking advantage of an opening in the 10th frame.
It has been nearly a decade since Jackson hosted a PBA event.
Carlson earned his second win of the season with the victory in Jackson.
“I love the PBA50 Tour because it is always a great atmosphere and the people love to come to watch,” Carlson after the win. “I will do anything to relax.”
The Omaha, Neb., resident said he retired two years ago and it gave him a chance to work on his game – physically and mentally.
“It was hard to handle all of the pressure at tournaments,” Carlson said. “I now have the chance to work out all the time because bowling is brutal on the knees and shoulders.”
Carlson defeated fifth-seed Ron Mohr 236-213 in the opening round. He used the same score to defeat Doug Kent in the second round of the five-player stepladder format.
Crowd favorite Charlie Tapp – from Kalamazoo – started the semifinal match with a strike, but a pair of open frames spelled doom. Carlson defeated Tapp 216-175 in the round.
Carlson started the final with five consecutive strikes, but No. 1 seed Brian Kretzer strung together eight consecutive strikes to take a big lead into the final frame. An open in the 10th frame by Kretzer gave Carlson a chance.
He closed with three strikes in the final frame to pull out the win.
Kretzer earned $4,000 for second place; Tapp finished third for a $2,500 paycheck; Kent took home $2,000 for fourth place; and Mohr earned $1,750 for fifth place.
The top 36 bowlers all earned checks in the tournament.
The Davis Small Jax60 National Championship – for bowlers 60 and over – begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The tournament has been dedicated to Mel Wolf who brought the PBA to Jackson more than 30 years ago.
The tournament will conclude Monday night with a stepladder final beginning at 6 p.m. at Jax60.