Thursday, March 6, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Bohn led Jason Couch by 115 pins after the first 12 games of the opening tournament of the spring tour. Bohn, who hasn't won a title in his last 12 appearances on television, will be looking to make his third championship round appearance of the year. The Jackson, N.J., resident knocked down 3,039 pins and was averaging an astonishing 253. Bohn is looking for his 12th career title.
Couch, a former PBA Rookie of the Year, lost to Bohn earlier this year in the stepladder finals of the Tournament of Champions. Couch, whose last of four titles came in Indianapolis in 1995, used a high game of 279 to propel him from 14th. Couched knocked down 2,924 pins.
Amleto Monacelli, who was home in Venezuela the last two weeks, looks like the rest paid off and stood third. The 1997 PBA Hall of Fame inductee has 16 titles, but hasn't won in the United States since 1994 (he won the 1995 Japan Cup). The smooth right-hander knocked down 2,902 pins.
Tim Criss was in fourth and was looking to make it three consecutive telecasts. Criss, from Bel, Air, Md., has managed the best start of his career. The eight-time regional titlist had a pinfall total of 2,871.
Dennis Horan, from nearby San Diego, rounded out the top five. Horan, winner of the 1996 Greater Hartford Open, had knocked down 2,806 pins.
Competition continues today at Cal Bowl with the final six games of qualifying. The field is then cut to the top 24 for match play. Five survivors from that group will advance to Saturday's ABC-TV telecast.
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