TGI Sports Editor LIHU’E — On a day when the marquee player in the tournament lit up the Lihu’e Bowling Center with a perfect game, it was a regional rookie who stole the show. With day one of the Second
TGI Sports Editor
LIHU’E — On a day when the marquee player in the tournament lit up the Lihu’e Bowling Center with a perfect game, it was a regional rookie who stole the show.
With day one of the Second Annual Rice Shopping Center PBA West Region Open in the books, first-year bowler David Billings sits atop the leaderboard. He is followed closely by Professional Bowlers Association veterans Tony Reyes and Robert Smith. Defending champion Gene Bruihl was in fifth place after the first day.
“I feel pretty good about my game right now,” said Billings, who traveled from Corona, Calif., for the event. “But I feel like I can bowl better. I’m just going to come out tomorrow and try and continue what I’ve done.”
Billings, Reyes and Smith will be joined by nine others — out of 43 who competed Monday — for Tuesday’s matchplay finals, where a $2,000 first prize will be on the line. Action begins at 10 a.m.
“This is my rookie season on the West Region Tour,” Billings, 31, said. “I guess I feel pretty good about the fact that I’ve made the cut in both events so far.”
Billings averaged a 226.2 over his 10 games Monday. Reyes was in second at 225.1 and Smith was third at 224.6.
But it was Smith who delivered the highlight of the day, rolling a perfect-game 300 during Monday’s morning session. It was the first of its kind bowled during the tournament’s two years. The performance was more than enough to boost him into the lead at the time, though he could not sustain.
“It’s nice to get that perfect game, I don’t want to minimize it,” said Smith, who has tossed 12 such games in his PBA career. “But I didn’t throw all that well the rest of the day, so I wouldn’t call it a great day.
“My average was in the 240’s after the morning session, but I think I averaged about a 204 in the afternoon, which really brought me down.”
Smith is the only bowler in the field with a victory on the PBA’s major tour. Last year he won the U.S. Open, as well as another event.
“I bowl about six or seven regional events a year,” Smith said. “These [events] really aren’t for us, but the PBA lets us participate, so it’s a chance to throw some balls, make some money and help the exposure of the game.”
During the interview for this article, Smith was interrupted twice for autographs.
“There’s a little pressure when you come to a regional and everybody’s out to see you,” Smith said. “You worry about making the cut.”
Smith’s decision to play the Hawaiian regionals is based mostly on the history he has with the state. His wife, Dawn, is from Hawai’i, and he spent plenty of time here honing his craft as a junior.
Billings, accompanied by his wife, Tina, said the Lihu’e event presented an opportunity to bowl and return to the place of his honeymoon.
“My wife and I love it here,” Billings said. “We were really looking forward to this event.”
At 20th, Vance Akiyama was Kaua’i’s top finisher in the Open. The Lihu’e resident ended Monday with a 199.9 average. Other Kaua’i competitors were Cy Gushikuma (197.5), Randy Iloreta (196.6), Darryl Izumo (194.7), Rick Darnell (189.9), Joe Young, Sr. (189.8), Darren Alcos (184.3) and Al Tomas (164).
