onefrombills
03-13-2009, 04:04 PM
LAS VEGAS - Since you only have one chance to prove yourself at the USBC Open Championships each year, concentration is key, and a lot of things have to go right on the way to a winning score.
For Ron Nelson Jr. of Bridgeview, Ill., that meant focusing solely on throwing strikes and knocking down as many pins as possible and not paying too much attention to the scoreboards hanging above the tournament lanes.
The 42-year-old right-hander's strategy paid off as he struck his way into the lead in Regular Doubles, Regular All-Events and Team All-Events at Cashman Center on Wednesday.
Nelson sandwiched the fourth 300 of this year's event between games of 247 and 248 for a 795 set, the highest overall series of the year, and teamed up with Bryan O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas, to move into the Regular Doubles lead with 1,466. O'Keefe, whose wife is Team USA star Shannon O'Keefe, contributed games of 238, 196 and 237 for a 671 series as the pair passed Chad Fowler and Kevin Kelly of Minot, N.D., who previously held the lead with 1,383. On the same squad Wednesday, Richard Renollet of Park City, Kan., and James Hall of Wichita, Kan., shot 1,415.
"All I was trying to do was to keep striking," said Nelson, a bowling center mechanic who made his 15th consecutive tournament appearance. "When you're bowling, you can't think about scores and all that. That comes afterwards."
Nelson, who posted 88 clean frames, added 674 in singles and 669 in team and moved into the top spot in Regular All-Events with 2,138. Jeff Voght of Canajoharie, N.Y., who also rolled a perfect game this year, previously held the lead with 2,115.
Nelson's efforts also helped Cambridge 1 of Feeding Hills, Mass., to a 9,784 Team All-Events total. Chris Viale contributed 2,048 and was followed by Bill Webb (2,011), O'Keefe (1,956) and Ryan Boyd (1,631). Forgey Sports Medicine 1 of Milwaukie, Ore., previously held the lead with 9,582.
Prior to taking the lanes at Cashman Center, the Cambridge 1 bowlers did their homework, and it paid off.
For the second straight year, the group visited USBC Silver coach Mike Jasnau, who is offering his services to Open Championships bowlers who are looking for a few strategic tips to help them succeed on the tournament lanes.
During the one-hour sessions being conducted alongside the USBC/Storm Bowlers Journal Championships at the Gold Coast Casino and Hotel, players are able to bowl on the same condition being used at the Open Championships, while Jasnau offers tips about what equipment to throw and how to play the lanes.
"We were trying to watch other teams play, so we could get an idea of what's going on out on the lanes," said O'Keefe, who works as a USBC Coaching Specialist and bowled in his 16th consecutive Open Championships. "We also did the team practice yesterday over at the Gold Coast, and practicing over there helped a lot. Mike had the lane pattern out and he gave us suggestions about to how to play the lanes. It definitely helped us prepare. "
Presenting sponsors for the 2009 USBC Open Championships are the Coast Casinos in Las Vegas and the Eldorado Hotel Casino, Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; Brunswick, capital equipment supplier; Storm Products, Inc.; Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel and Four Queens Hotel and Casino, the official brackets sponsors; Sapphire Gentleman's Club; Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino; MGM Mirage; Jerry's Nugget Casino and Fitzgerald's Casino and Hotel.
For Ron Nelson Jr. of Bridgeview, Ill., that meant focusing solely on throwing strikes and knocking down as many pins as possible and not paying too much attention to the scoreboards hanging above the tournament lanes.
The 42-year-old right-hander's strategy paid off as he struck his way into the lead in Regular Doubles, Regular All-Events and Team All-Events at Cashman Center on Wednesday.
Nelson sandwiched the fourth 300 of this year's event between games of 247 and 248 for a 795 set, the highest overall series of the year, and teamed up with Bryan O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas, to move into the Regular Doubles lead with 1,466. O'Keefe, whose wife is Team USA star Shannon O'Keefe, contributed games of 238, 196 and 237 for a 671 series as the pair passed Chad Fowler and Kevin Kelly of Minot, N.D., who previously held the lead with 1,383. On the same squad Wednesday, Richard Renollet of Park City, Kan., and James Hall of Wichita, Kan., shot 1,415.
"All I was trying to do was to keep striking," said Nelson, a bowling center mechanic who made his 15th consecutive tournament appearance. "When you're bowling, you can't think about scores and all that. That comes afterwards."
Nelson, who posted 88 clean frames, added 674 in singles and 669 in team and moved into the top spot in Regular All-Events with 2,138. Jeff Voght of Canajoharie, N.Y., who also rolled a perfect game this year, previously held the lead with 2,115.
Nelson's efforts also helped Cambridge 1 of Feeding Hills, Mass., to a 9,784 Team All-Events total. Chris Viale contributed 2,048 and was followed by Bill Webb (2,011), O'Keefe (1,956) and Ryan Boyd (1,631). Forgey Sports Medicine 1 of Milwaukie, Ore., previously held the lead with 9,582.
Prior to taking the lanes at Cashman Center, the Cambridge 1 bowlers did their homework, and it paid off.
For the second straight year, the group visited USBC Silver coach Mike Jasnau, who is offering his services to Open Championships bowlers who are looking for a few strategic tips to help them succeed on the tournament lanes.
During the one-hour sessions being conducted alongside the USBC/Storm Bowlers Journal Championships at the Gold Coast Casino and Hotel, players are able to bowl on the same condition being used at the Open Championships, while Jasnau offers tips about what equipment to throw and how to play the lanes.
"We were trying to watch other teams play, so we could get an idea of what's going on out on the lanes," said O'Keefe, who works as a USBC Coaching Specialist and bowled in his 16th consecutive Open Championships. "We also did the team practice yesterday over at the Gold Coast, and practicing over there helped a lot. Mike had the lane pattern out and he gave us suggestions about to how to play the lanes. It definitely helped us prepare. "
Presenting sponsors for the 2009 USBC Open Championships are the Coast Casinos in Las Vegas and the Eldorado Hotel Casino, Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; Brunswick, capital equipment supplier; Storm Products, Inc.; Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel and Four Queens Hotel and Casino, the official brackets sponsors; Sapphire Gentleman's Club; Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino; MGM Mirage; Jerry's Nugget Casino and Fitzgerald's Casino and Hotel.