This was a whole new road to a title for Darren Alexander.

Article content

This was a whole new road to a title for Darren Alexander.

Article content

Article content

The 34-year-old Alexander moved into second place in all-time victories by claiming his fifth Open Division title at the 69th Molson Masters at Revs Rose Bowl on Saturday.

To do it, the fourth-seeded Alexander won four matches and became just the third male to win three consecutive titles joining John Pavicic (1968-70) and Sev Donoso (1975-77).

Article content

“I’ve never done it out of a spot other than the one (seed),” Alexander said of his other four titles. “I’ve always been the one seed when I’ve won.”

Just getting to the step-ladder final was an accomplishment for Alexander, who rallied late during match play to earn the fourth seed.

“It’s cool to win out of the one seed, but to work your way through, that’s a bit of a different experience and a heck of a harder tournament for me,” said Alexander, who has been a member of Canada’s national team the past eight years. “Match play was hard, this was hard. Just a harder pattern. I didn’t have an easy road. In match play, I was down 139 pints with three games to go.”

Saturday’s step-ladder effort had its own unique challenges. Aside from having to win four matches, Alexander had to sit and wait between games while a Senior Division game was played.

“You know you’re in for a longer day,” Alexander said. “You’re in the first match and then it’s a different format. It’s not like a tour show or anything like that where you stay on the lanes and never get off. Here, you have a match in between and then you have to figure out how much to practice in between because you don’t want to get cold and you don’t want to over bowl.”

Article content

Article content

His easiest match of the day was the final against Toronto’s Skip Lytttle, who left single pins standing in the third and fourth frame to open the door for Alexander.

“You try not to get too ahead of yourself, but when he opened twice, I knew if I could maintain the pocket and stay clean and make the spares, I should be in a pretty good spot,” Alexander said.

Alexander would take the title, and the $2,000 top prize, by a score of 237-154. It was his fifth title in the last 10 events and moved him closer to Todd Sim, who holds the all-time record of eight titles.

“I’m trying to think about it too much,” Alexander said. “If I can get to eight and then surpass Todd, that would be amazing. If I can’t, that’s OK, too.

“It’s amazing every time you win it. If I could do that and have that to my name, honestly that’s the long-term goal.”

Alexander’s toughest match may have come in the opener against fifth-seeded Corey Foritt, who could have knocked him out with two strikes to end his game. Instead, Alexander escaped with a 244-233 win.

“The first match with Corey, he needed to double and I thought he was going to do it,” Alexander said. “Luckily, I got through that match.”

Article content

He followed with a 247-234 win over London’s Ryan Trusler and beat second-seed Mike Snow 241-200.

“Not an overly stressful final match, but all the other matches before that one were close,” said Alexander, who averaged 242 over his four matches.

In the Senior Division, Chris Woodman came close to matching Alexander as he went from the fourth seed to final before falling to top seed Joe Amaral.

“I had the same thing happen three years ago and lost in the final by two pins,” said the 65-year-old Woodman, who lost the 2022 senior final by a 245-243 count to David Forfeit.

Woodman won his first game by a 216-201 score over third seed and 1992 champion Ken Pinkowski before taking out 2016 champ Charlie Yott by a 192-173 count to reach the final.

However, Amaral was smooth from start to finish to become the first Toronto-area bowler to win the event as the Brampton native beat Woodman 243-203.

“I’ve been coming down for years,” said the 60-year-old Amaral, who claimed the $1,200 top prize. “My brother-in-law lives in Leamington. I said I was going to win this one day and finally did.”

[email protected]

twitter.com/winstarparker

Article content