by Jerry Schneider

Looking for his first win of the season, four-time PBA50 Player of the Year Tom Baker of King, N.C., averaged 246.6 to take the first round lead in the PBA50 Northern California Classic presented by MOTIV at Harvest Park Bowl.

The Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer bowled a very consistent round recording a 1,973 eight-game pinfall total with games of 226, 237, 267, 247, 236, 247, 267 and 246. He leads two-time PBA50 Player of the Year and 2011 Northern California Classic winner Ron Mohr of Las Vegas in second with 1,968.

“We were getting done earlier after each game than anyone else so I was able to watch the guys on the next pair of lanes and get an idea of how the lanes were playing,” said Baker. “I think that helped me anticipate what adjustments I needed to make.”

While he has yet to win this season Baker is happy with way he has been bowling with best finishes of second, third and a sixth in the recent Senior U.S. Open.

“I’m bowling solid and making good shots,” he said. “It’s kind of that same story for me where I’m continuing to qualify well but just need to get a break or two in match play to pull out a win.”

In 2013 Baker won the Greater Birmingham (Ala.) Open for his 10th PBA50 Tour title to match his 10 titles on the PBA Tour.

Bowling with a cast on his left non-throwing hand, Mohr was able to put aside any distraction and bowled games of 279, 277, 204, 247, 247, 253, 257 and 204.

Mohr broke his wrist in a bicycling accident just a few days before the season started but fortunately it has only become what he calls a minor inconvenience.

“I can’t really even use it as an excuse if I bowl bad,” said the eight-time PBA50 Tour winner. “I didn’t even know that it was broken until I finally had to have a doctor look at it because the pain wasn’t going away.”

Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Ocala, Fla., got his mission to win a third consecutive Northern California Classic title off to a good start by finishing the first round in fifth with a 1,939 pinfall.

Williams, the two-time defending PBA50 Player of the Year, is coming off a win in the United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters last week which was the eighth PBA50 Tour win of his career and first major.

The 95-player field will return Tuesday for another eight-game qualifying round to determine the top 32 players who will advance to Wednesday’s match play rounds. Championship rounds are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday.

PBA.com’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame is providing live streaming of the Northern California Classic. Click on the Xtra Frame logo on the pba.com homepage for subscription and schedule information.