Ricky Ward won his sixth PBA title Sunday in the PBA Medford Open at Lava Lanes. Ward, North Fort Myers, Fla., struck on the final ball of the title match and defeated Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., 215-214. He claimed the $40,000 top prize along with the winner's Rolex watch.

A closely-shaved 7-pin on his first shot in the 10th that nearly cost Ward the match. “That shot? I kind of pumped it,” said Ward, about nearly whiffing the 7-pin spare. “Instead of trusting the shot and really stroking through it, I kind of guided the ball to the seven. It almost got me.”

“Most of the time, I know off my hand if I’ve missed the shot. And, when that shot (10th frame) came off my hand, it thought it was marginal. And, when it got down the lane, it was looking like… really marginal,” Ward joked. “I’m just glad the week didn’t end that way… missing a 7-pin. I practiced as much shooting the corners as I did getting lined up. For me not to come through in that situation would have been disappointing.”

Shafer left seven single pins in the match (frames one, two and six-10). He struck in every other frame.

“I thought he missed that shot,” said Shafer of Ward’s 7-pin spare in the 10th. “After that, I was surprised he carried the final shot. I though he was going to leave another 7-pin. I was hoping for a tie and a one-ball roll-off. But, he made a great shot under pressure and won. That’s all there is to it.” But, for Ward, this win began last week when he skipped the tournament in Kirkland, Wash., to clear his mind.

“I was looking for balance. I have a job to do and I have a family.” Just seven months ago, Ward and wife Lisa gave birth to their first child, Hannah. “In the beginning, my priorities were weighted more toward family,” said Ward about this season. “But, you still have to pay the bills. You have to compete at 100 percent out here. You can’t beat these guys on tour under that. So, I took a week off to focus on bowling. I sacrificed a week to make the rest of the season beneficial.”

After five frames, Ward left four single-pins and struck only once (third frame). When he left a 7-pin in the fifth, he said aloud, “stick and move,” as he was walking back from the foul line. This was coming on the heels of a three-bagger by Shafer. Ward told himself, “It’s now or never.” Ward responded with three strikes in-a-row of his own and a spare in the eighth, setting up the 10th frame dramatics.

In the semifinals, Shafer defeated Rob Rice, Sunnyside, Wash., 204-169. Ward beat Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 203-190. Bohn and Rice tied for third, both earning $10,000. In the wild card match, Rice excused Kevin Mitchell, Tulsa, Okla., 205-191. Mitchell, bowling in his first career finals appearance, earned $9,000.

The PBA Tour travels to Reno, Nev., for the American Bowling Congress (ABC) Masters, Jan. 15-20. ESPN will televise the championship round live, Sunday, Jan. 20, from 12:30-2 p.m. (ET).

PBA Medford Open

Lava Lanes

Medford, Ore.

Sunday, Jan. 13

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND RESULTS

Pos. Name & Hometown Total/Games Money

1. Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, FL 418 (2 games) $40,000

2. Ryan Shafer, Elmira, NY 418 (2 games) $20,000

3. Rob Rice, Sunnyside, WA 374 (2 games) $10,000

(T) Parker Bohn III, Jackson, NJ 190 (1 game) $10,000

5. Kevin Mitchell, Tulsa, OK 191 (1 game) $ 9,000

PLAYOFF RESULTS – In the wild card match, Rice def. Mitchell, 205-191; in the semifinals, Ward def. Bohn, 203-190, and Shafer def. Rice, 204-169 and in the championship, Ward def. Shafer, 215-214.