Two players in particular have found the new PBA tournament format suits their styles to a ‘T.’ Twelve-time PBA titleholder Del Ballard Jr., who decided to rejoin the revamped tour full-time after a two-year hiatus, made his first match play appearance of the season in last week’s PBA Miller High Life Open. The fiery match play competitor defeated the previous week’s champion, Chris Barnes, in the round of 32 before losing to Tim Criss in a five-game thriller.

Also, former amateur star and new PBA member Brian Kretzer, of Dayton, OH, earned two match play berths in his first three tournaments as a pro, earning $5,500 in the process. In both chances, Kretzer was denied by eventual top-four qualifiers Jack Laffey (Indianapolis, IN) and Brian Himmler (Peoria, IL).

Look for Ballard and Kretzer, match play intimidators, to be forces as the season wears on.