RENO, Nev. — After one of the worst stretches of his career, all Patrick Allen needed to get back on track was a ball change and a week on the Chameleon oil pattern.

Allen captured his eighth career Denny's Professional Bowlers Association Tour title — his last three of which have come on the Chameleon, one of five tour oil patterns — defeating all-time titles leader Walter Ray Williams Jr., 255-247, to win the H&R Block Classic at Sunday the National Bowling Stadium.

Allen has won three of the last four events held on the pattern, including the last two last season. The 2004-05 PBA player of the year came into the week 36th in the point rankings and hadn't made a championship round all season.

Allen switched ball companies over the two-week holiday break.

"There were some issues with me the first half of the season and I made a bold change," he said. "Some agreed, some didn't, but I had to do it to get back here. I didn't think it would happen this soon."

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"I've bowled a lot of TV shows," he added, "at least for my standards, not Walter's, but I've never come up in the 10th frame needing a strike to win. Needing it against Walter Ray is what you dream of. Getting up and doing it is something I'll never forget as long as I live."

Allen tied a tour record by going 14-0 in match play this week, equaling the standard Norm Duke set earlier this season.

In the title match, Williams took the early lead with strikes in the first four frames, but a spare in the fifth frame gave Allen an opening. After back-to-back spares in the fourth and fifth frames, Allen struck six consecutive times to take over.

Williams could have struck out to force Allen to double but instead left the 10 pin with his second shot in the 10th. Allen's first strike in the 10th clinched the win.

Allen advanced to the title match with a 233-204 win over Pete Weber. The 36-year-old dominated from the start, striking with his first six shots. Weber, meanwhile, started with two opens and dug too much of a hole to catch Allen.

In the first semifinal, Williams defeated Jason Couch, 215-200. Couch led throughout the match until a 4-6-10 split and an open in the ninth. Williams took advantage by breaking a string of five consecutive nine-spares by striking out in the 10th frame to shut Couch out.

Allen earned $25,000, while Williams took home $13,000 for second. Couch earned $6,500 for third and Weber earned $5,500 for fourth.