KOKOMO, Ind. – After two tough losses in PBA50 Tour majors earlier in the season, PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke of Clermont, Fla., was starting to question his ability to close the deal.

He regained his confidence Tuesday by defeating five-time PBA Tour winner and stepladder finals top qualifier Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, N.Y., 236-222, in the title match to win the PBA50 Security Federal Savings Bank Championship presented by Track at Dave Small’s Heritage Lanes for his first win of the season.

“I’m just elated to get the monkey off my back,” said the 54-year-old Duke, who finished second in the PBA50 National Championship and USBC Senior Masters. “In my opinion a second-place finish is one of the worst places you can finish.”

In the title match, Duke got off to a strong start with four strikes in a row and took advantage of an open frame by Shafer in the third frame when he left the 4-6-7-10 split. Shafer, whose second-place finish was his career best on the PBA50 Tour, was able to make a run by throwing five consecutive strikes to close the match but Duke through a nine-count on his first ball in the 10th frame to seal the win.

“The main thing for me was to manage the pocket hits,” said Duke, who qualified second for the finals. “You had to work to put a string of strikes together because light hits weren’t getting it done.

“When you do get on a string you’re adjusting on every shot,” he added. “It’s not like you get lined up and you can stay in one place for a while.”

Duke, who won his fifth career PBA50 Tour title, last won on the tour for players 50 and over in the 2017 Race City Open in Mooresville, N.C.

“I’ve had a lot of second-place finishes,” said Duke, a 38-time winner on the PBA Tour. “I knew I would win again but I just didn’t know when. I needed this and I’m glad I won it the way I did.”

In the semifinal match, Duke beat No. 3 qualifier Brian Kretzer of Dayton, Ohio, 244-226, to advance to the title match. Kretzer’ third-place finish was his third top-five of the season.

In the opening match, No. 4 qualifier Dale Csuhta of Wadsworth, Ohio, making his fifth career stepladder finals appearance and trying for his first PBA50 Tour win, defeated No. 5 qualifier two-time PBA50 Tour winner Jack Jurek of Lackawana, N.Y., 236-207.

In the second match Kretzer beat Csuhta, 216-201, to advance to the semifinal match against Duke.

The next stop for the PBA50 Tour will be the PBA50 Dave Small’s Championship Lanes Classic presented by Roto Grip Aug. 4-7 in Anderson, Ind.

Fans can catch all the action on PBA’s online bowling channel PBA Xtra Frame on FloBowling. For subscription and schedule information visit www.flobowling.com.

PBA50 SECURITY FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK CHAMPIONSHIP

Presented by Track

Dave Small’s Heritage Lanes, Kokomo, Ind., Tuesday

Final Standings:

1, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., $7,500.

2, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., $4,000.

3, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, $2,500.

4, Dale Csuhta, Wadsworth, Ohio, $2,000.

5, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., $1,750.

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Csuhta def. Jurek, 236-207.

Match Two – Kretzer def. Csuhta, 216-201.

Semifinal Match – Duke def. Kretzer, 244-226.

Championship Match – Duke def. Shafer, 236-222.

Modified Match Play Round 2 (after six games, including match play bonus pins. Top five advance to stepladder finals)

1, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 5-1, 1,592.
2, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 4-1-1, 1,528.
3, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 4-2, 1,485.
4, ss-Dale Csuhta, Wadsworth, Ohio, 4-2, 1,430.
5, Jack Jurek, Lackawanna, N.Y., 4-2, 1,420.
6, ss-Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 3-3, 1,381, $1,500.
7, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 3-3, 1,376, $1,500.
8, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 3-3, 1,372, $1,500.
9, ss-Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 2-4, 1,366, $1,250.
10, Tony Johnson, Canton, Ohio, 2-3-1, 1,345, $1,250.
11, ss-Harry Sullins, Chesterfield Twp., Mich., 3-1-2, 1,344, $1,250.
12, Greg Thomas, Irmo, S.C., 3-3, 1,327, $1,250.
13, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 2-4, 1,324, $1,250.
14, Stoney Baker, Canton, Ga., 2-4, 1,304, $1,250.
15, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 2-4, 1,295, $1,250.
16, ss-Lee Brosius, Ashburn, Va., 0-6, 1,123, $1,250.

Modified Match Play Round 1 (after five games, including match play bonus pins) 
17, ss-Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 2-3, 1,130, $1,100.
18, Ernie Segura Jr., Taylor, Mich., 3-2, 1,126, $1,100.
19, ss-Bruce Hall, Westborough, Mass., 2-3, 1,079, $1,100.
20, Neil Kassel, Beavercreek, Ohio, 2-3, 1,075, $1,100.
21, ss-Tom Baker, King, N.C., 3-2, 1,060, $1,100.
22, Rick Zakrajsek, Lorain, Ohio, 1-4, 1,054, $1,100.
23, Ed Carter, Austintown, Ohio, 2-3, 1,051, $1,100.
24, Eddie Graham, Kettering, Ohio, 1-4, 1,022, $1,100.

Other Cashers (after five-game cashers’ round)

25, John Marsala, St. Louis, Mo., 981, $1,000. 
26, ss-Warren Nelson, Hemet, Calif., 966, $1,000. 
27, ss-Christopher Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 963, $1,000. 
28, ss-Tom Carter, Columbus, Ohio, 960, $1,000. 
29, ss-Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa., 959, $1,000. 
30, ss-Johnny Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 947, $1,000. 
31, ss-Edward Silva, Manteca, Calif., 942, $1,000. 
32, Dave Han, Birmingham, Ala., 927, $1,000. 
33, Gary Alstott, Washington, Ill., 919., $1,000.

ss-PBA60 player ages 60 and older.

Release courtesy of Jerry Schneider, PBA Media Relations