# 1965 PBA Tour season

This is a recap of the 1965 season for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. It was the tour's seventh season, and consisted of 32 events. Dave Davis won the first two titles of his career, including the sixth PBA National Championship, but it was PBA legend Dick Weber who was honored with the Sporting News PBA Player of the Year award. The second-ever PBA Firestone Tournament of Champions was held this season, and featured all PBA titlists since the inaugural 1962 event. The tournament offered a then-PBA record $25,000 first prize, and was won by Billy Hardwick. Following this season, the PBA announced that the Tournament of Champions would be an annual event.
Buzz Fazio won the season-opening tournament on December 14, 1964 for his second PBA title. His victory made him the oldest player (56 years, 307 days) to capture a standard PBA Tour title—a record that would not be broken until 1995 (by 57-year-old John Handegard).

## Tournament schedule

| Event | Bowling center | City | Dates | Winner |
| Northern California PBA Open | Country Club Lanes | Sacramento, California | Dec 10–14 | Buzz Fazio (2) |
| Southern California PBA Open | Kona Lanes | Costa Mesa, California | Dec 17–21 | Jerry Hale (1) |
| Hialeah-Miami PBA Open | Hialeah Lanes | Hialeah, Florida | Jan 26–30 | Billy Golembiewski (3) |
| Mobile Sertoma PBA Open | Florida Bowl | Mobile, Alabama | Feb 2–6 | Billy Golembiewski (4) |
| Parkersburg PBA Open | Emerson Lanes | Parkersburg, West Virginia | Feb 8–12 | Fred Lening (2) |
| Thunderbird PBA Open | Thunderbird Lanes | Wichita, Kansas | Feb 16–20 | Dick Weber (14) |
| Pikes Peak PBA Open | Classic Lanes | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Feb 22–26 | Dave Soutar (2) |
| Oklahoma City PBA Open | 66 Bowl | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Mar 2–6 | Mike Limongello (1) |
| Madison PBA Open | North Gate Bowl | Madison, Wisconsin | Mar 9–13 | Earl Johnson (5) |
| Continental Open | Continental Lanes | Roseville, Michigan | Mar 16–20 | Bob Strampe (2) |
| Fair Lanes PBA Open | Fairanes | Buffalo, New York | Mar 23–27 | Bill Allen (8) |
| Insurance City PBA Classic | Meadow Lanes | Hartford, Connecticut | Mar 30 – Apr 3 | Bill Allen (9) |
| PBA Firestone Tournament of Champions | Firestone Bowlarama | Akron, Ohio | Apr 5–10 | Billy Hardwick (8) |
| Venezuelan PBA Open | Pin Cinco Lanes | Caracas, Venezuela | May 3–9 | Harry Smith (8) |
| Seattle PBA Open | Robin Hood Lanes | Seattle, Washington | Jun 3–6 | Gene Rhoda (1) |
| Portland PBA Open | Valley Lanes | Portland, Oregon | Jun 10–13 | Mike McGrath (1) |
| San Jose PBA Open | Saratoga Lanes | San Jose, California | Jun 17–20 | Bill Tucker (1) |
| Tucson Squirt PBA Open | Cactus Bowl | Tucson, Arizona | Jul 1–4 | Harry Smith (9) |
| Salt Lake City PBA Open | Ritz Classic Bowl | Salt Lake City, Utah | Jul 8–11 | Dave Davis (1) |
| Denver PBA Open | Broadmoor Bowl | Denver, Colorado | Jul 15–18 | Harry Smith (10) |
| Louisville PBA Open | Thelmal Lanes | Louisville, Kentucky | Jul 22–25 | Gene Rhoda (2) |
| Boston PBA Open | Westgate Lanes | Brockton, Massachusetts | Aug 12–15 | Johnny Meyer (2) |
| Bergen Mall PBA Open | Tenpin-on-the-Mall | Paramus, New Jersey | Aug 19–22 | Carmen Salvino (6) |
| Bertrand PBA Open | Bertrand Bowl | Waukegan, Illinois | Aug 26–29 | Tom Harnisch (1) |
| PBA Labor Day Classic | Hart Bowl | Dallas, Texas | Sep 3–6 | Sam Baca (1) |
| Birmingham PBA Open | Roebuck Lanes | Birmingham, Alabama | Sep 9–12 | Carmen Salvino (7) |
| Nashville-Kiwanis PBA Open | Tusculum Lanes | Nashville, Tennessee | Sep 16–19 | Gary Martineau (1) |
| Houston PBA Open | Lamar Lanes | Houston, Texas | Sep 23–26 | Dick Weber (15) |
| Northern California PBA Open | L&I Castle Lanes | San Francisco, California | Sep 30 – Oct 3 | Bob Strampe (3) |
| Oxnard PBA Open | Tournament Bowl | Oxnard, California | Oct 7–10 | Johnny Guenther (1) |
| Las Vegas PBA Open | Showboat Lanes | Las Vegas, Nevada | Oct 12–15 | Bob Collatos (1) |
| Sixth Annual PBA National Championship | Continental Lanes | Roseville, Michigan | Nov 21–27 | Dave Davis (2) |