KOIVUNIEMI’S IMPRESSIVE RUN IN MAJORS CONTINUES USING EBONITE $250K AND COLUMBIA 300 WORLD BEATER
February 21, 2011
RENO, NEV. - Using a combination of Ebonite and Columbia 300 equipment, Mika Koivuniemi’s run of top finishes in Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour competition continued Sunday with a third-place finish in the Bayer USBC Masters in Reno, Nev.
Re-named after his record victory in the recent PBA Tournament of Champions where he won $250,000, Koivuniemi relied on his Ebonite Mission $250K during the nationally-televised Masters finals on ESPN, with an assist from the new Columbia 300 World Beater to get through the three-game, double-elimination match play portion of the Masters to reach the TV finals.
“The Mission $250K gave me the best look throughout the tournament,” Koivuniemi said. “It’s a ball with strong hook characteristics which allows you to throw it harder and still get the break you need at the end.
“When you have to move left on the approach you can get through the oil mid-lane but still get to the pocket.”
On Sunday’s TV show, Koivuniemi won his first match against Mike DeVaney, 230-206, but lost in the semifinal match to eventual winner Tom Hess, who notched his first PBA Tour title, 254-219. Both players started with five strikes before Koivuniemi left the 3-4-6-7-9-10 split and opened in the sixth frame.
“The change in conditions surprised me a bit in the middle of the second frame and I just threw a couple bad shots,” Koivuniemi said. “When you have the potential to bowl three TV matches, you’re going to experience quite a change in conditions.”
Earlier in the tournament Koivuniemi used a Columbia 300 World Beater to throw an 804 series to eliminate close friend and tour roommate Chris Barnes (698).
Ebonite staff player Jason Couch also shot an 800 series, and 805, to be exact, against Michael Fagan (690) in Round 4 of the losers’ bracket. Couch was throwing an Ebonite Mission $250k at the time.
Koivuniemi’s run in recent PBA events, as he improves his position in the 2010-11 PBA Player of the Year race, include a sixth-place finish in the PBA World Championship, first in the Tournament of Champions, fifth in the One A Day Earl Anthony Memorial and his third in the USBC Masters.
Next up for the PBA Tour will be the 68th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open next week at Brunswick Zone Carolier in North Brunswick, N.J. Koivuniemi won the U.S. Open in 2001 for his second PBA Tour title.
About Ebonite International
Ebonite International is a privately-owned company that services bowling centers, distributors and retail outlets domestically and internationally. The company’s consumer product brands include Ebonite,Hammer,Robby’s,Columbia 300,Track and Powerhouse™; its commercial product brand is Ebonite Bowling Center Direct.
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