Las Vegas, NV -- Blackjack! Brian Voss won his 21st Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) title Thursday in the PBA Orleans Casino Open at The Orleans Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center. Voss, Atlanta, defeated Ricky Ward, N. Fort Myers, Fla., in the title match, 194-185, and earned the $40,000 top prize.

"It's been a long haul, three and a half years to get back where I am today," said Voss, who broke his bowling hand in a bicycle accident in 1998. "I can appreciate when athletes throw up their hands, or throw in the towel. I never threw up my hands," Voss said as he fought back tears.

Voss won his third title in his third year on tour, 1987. He won at least one title for the next 12 consecutive years and approached Earl Anthony's record of 14 straight years. Then, he broke his hand just after winning his 20th title in 1998 (Virginia Beach, Va.).

"I was spoiled winning 20 tournaments in 12 years," said Voss. "I was always experiencing winning. Every year I was winning another title. There have been people that bowled out here for years and never won." Voss nearly threw away his 21st win. Against Ward, he missed a 7-pin spare in the seventh frame and knotted the match at 137. "To be honest, with the way things went this week, I really felt like I was still going to win. But, I felt lucky on the show today. I cant believe he (Ward) missed the spare. That was huge for me."

Two frames after Voss opened the door, Ward gave the match back with a missed 4-7 spare in the ninth. Voss spared in the eighth and ninth and led by nine pins heading into the final frame. "I've been kind of riding the gravy train," said Ward who finished second and first in the previous two weeks, respectively. "One man's nightmare is another man's dream. I made mistakes the last game. But, that's pressure. If you didnt feel pressure, you wouldnt be human."

Voss spared and threw a strike in the final frame and forced Ward to throw three strikes to win by one pin. Ward struck on his first shot, but left the 7-pin standing on his second ball. Ward suffered an early open frame in the second when he left the 6-8 split. He spared in the fourth and seventh and threw strikes in the first, third, fifth, sixth and eighth. Voss struck in the first, third, fourth, and sixth and spared in the second and fifth.

In the semifinals, Ward struck twice in the 10th frame to beat rookie Tommy Jones, 225-215. Jones, Greenville, S.C., finished tied for third and pocketed $10,000. Voss defeated Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 195-167. Couch also finished third with $10,000. In the wild card match, Ward set back Hugh Miller, 194-162. Miller, Seattle, ended in fifth place with $9,000.

Couch will only need to cash next week to pass Pete Weber as the fastest to reach $1 million in career earnings (252 tournaments). Weber set the mark in 253 tournaments.

ESPN will air the finals of the Orleans Casino Open on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 12:30 p.m. The PBA Tour heads to Dallas for the PBA Dallas Open, Jan. 29-Feb. 3. ESPN will televise the finals live on Sunday, Feb. 3, from 3-4:30 p.m. (ET).

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND RESULTS

Pos. Name/City & State Total/Games Money

1. Brian Voss, Atlanta 389 (2 games) $40,000

2. Ricky Ward, North Fort Myers, FL 604 (3 games) 20,000

3. Tommy Jones, Greenville, SC 215 (1 game) 10,000

(T.) Jason Couch, Clermont, FL 167 (1 game) 10,000

5. Hugh Miller, Seattle 162 (1 game) 9,000

PLAYOFF RESULTS - In the wild card match, Ward def. Miller, 194-162; in the semifinals Voss def. Couch, 195-167 and Ward def. Jones, 225-215; and in the championship match Voss def. Ward, 194-185.