The PBA50 Tour may have taken three weeks off but not even that could slow down Walter Ray Williams Jr.

The PBA Hall of Famer who has won three of the first four PBA50 events this season took the lead after the first round of qualifying Sunday at the 2019 PBA50 Northern California Classic.

Williams posted an eight-game total of 1,949, a 243.63 average, to top the 90-player field at Harvest Park Bowl in Brentwood, California. The second round of qualifying begins Monday at 11 a.m. Eastern live on FloBowling.

Results: PBA50 Northern California Classic Qualifying Round 1

Bowling on the first squad of the day, Williams got off to a slow start with a 195 game but then took things to the next level. He shot 237, 237, 300, 238, 226, 237 and 279 to lead the field by 11 pins.

Bryan Goebel sits in second place with 1,938 after a high-scoring opening round. Bob Rosenau is third with 1,936, Norm Duke is fourth with 1,932 and Tony Rodriguez Jr. is fifth with 1,896.

The entire field will return for eight final games of qualifying Monday before the field is narrowed for a cashers round and match play on Tuesday. The stepladder finals of the event are scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday.