Williams caps his brilliant season with another major - PBA World Championship - Walter Ray Williams, Jr. wins PBA World Championship at Taylor Sportsplex

Walter Ray Williams Jr. capped a recordbreaking season with a victory at the 2003 PBA World Championship at Taylor Sportsplex. Williams wrapped up his third win and second major of the campaign with a 226-205 win over Brian Kretzer in the championship match. The win earned the five-time PBA Player of the Year $120,000 and pushed his season earnings to a record $419,600, making him the first bowler to top $400,000 in a single season. '`This is such a great feeling," said Williams, who now ranks second all time with 37 PBA tour titles. "This feeling never gets, old. This win ranks right up there with the other majors I've won."

Williams and Kretzer were even through four frames of the title match before Williams left a 2-pin spare in the 5th. Kretzer took the lead with a strike in the 5th frame, but saw the momentum swing with a 7-10 split in the 6th. "It wasn't my best shot in the match," Kretzer said. "1 knew I couldn't give a bowler like Walter Ray any slack, because he'd take full advantage."

Williams let Kretzer back in the match by failing to strike in the 5th through 8th frames. Kretzer had a chance to force Williams to strike in the 9th and 10th frames, but left a 36-10 in the 9th.

"It wasn't that I was nervous," Kretzer said. "I just threw a bad shot. I've bowled for amateur titles so I wasn't a rookie to the circumstances, but you can't expect to win against Walter Ray with a shot like that."

Strikes by Williams in the 8th, 9th, and 10th sealed Kretzer's fate. "Just because it was only his second show doesn't mean Brian isn't a threat to win on tour," Williams said. "He's going to win his share of titles. I'm just glad that I could take this one."

World Championship
March 9, 2003
Taylor Sportsplex, Taylor, Mich.

Rank, Name                          Avg./Games           Earnings
1. Waiter Ray Williams Jr.            221.5/2            $120,000
2. Brian Kretzer                      226.5/2              50,000
3. Parker Bohn III                     222/1               20,000
4. Pete Weber                          207/1               20,000

                                Championship Finals
Semifinal                      Kretzer def. Bohn III      248-222
Semifinal                     Williams Jr. def. Weber     217-207
Final                        Williams Jr. def. Kretzer    226-205