onefrombills
06-07-2009, 12:10 AM
LAS VEGAS - The last time John Nolen of Waterford, Mich., was at Cashman Center, he was hoisting the Frank K. Baker Trophy and celebrating his victory at the 2009 USBC Masters.
Four months later, Nolen was back in Las Vegas hoping to master the lanes at the USBC Open Championships and leave his mark on the storied event as he competed for what he hopes will be the last time for many years.
Nolen's win at the Masters also earned him a two-year exemption on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour, and his exempt status, which begins with the 2009-10 PBA Tour season, will make him ineligible to compete at the Open Championships until after his Tour career concludes.
"It will be a bummer not bowling here anymore," said Nolen, who made his ninth Open Championships appearance. "When next summer comes, I'll really be thinking about it since that's when we usually bowl. This tournament is always my favorite. I was more nervous bowling three games here than I was during the whole week of the Masters. I compare bowling here to bowling on television as far as jitters go. Every time I bowl here I feel that way."
The last game Nolen bowled at Cashman Center prior to this week was a 202-193 win over PBA star Danny Wiseman to clinch the Masters title on February 15. Though the venue was the same, Nolen was alone in the spotlight on bowling's biggest stage.
This time, Nolen shared the stage and the traditional Open Championships experience with his good friends and teammates as well as nearly 300 fellow competitors.
Comfortable and confident on the lanes he conquered months earlier, Nolen posted games of 258, 207 and 238 for a 703 series and helped Northern Lanes Pro Shop of Sanford, Mich., into ninth place in Regular Team with 3,272 on Wednesday night. Linds Limited of Milwaukee leads with 3,449.
"It's very cool to come back here and bowl in the same building, and I even brought the same balls," Nolen said. "Being my last time here and seeing an eagle by my name was really nice. The biggest thing was to help my team, and my objective was not to do anything stupid. There is a blueprint for success here, and I think we did pretty well."
Jeffrey Austreng added 671 for Northern Lanes Pro Shop and was followed by two-time National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Most Valuable Player Dan MacLelland (669), new Regular Singles leader Bo Goergen (628) and Dale Hofmeister (601).
Before his Masters win, Nolen already had his mind set on a career as a professional bowler. Once that notion was planted in his head, he knew it was what he was meant to do.
"I feel like I was born to bowl," Nolen said. "Once I set my mind to the Tour, I made it a point to make it. Once I won, it felt like that was what I was supposed to do. I look back, and it was one of those magical weeks."
After his win, the 29-year-old right-hander, who bowls at Airway Lanes and 300 Bowl when he's at home, found himself in the public eye.
"There was an instant fan base," Nolen said. "I walked through Denver the next week, and I have never signed so many autographs in my entire life. It's really been a lot of fun."
As Nolen prepares for his first year as an exempt player on the PBA Tour, he will not have to travel too far as the first seven events of the season will be in nearby Detroit and the surrounding metro areas, packaged as the World Series of Bowling.
"It will be nice, and I will only have to drive about 30 miles," Nolen said. "I'm looking forward to the grind. The traveling and the wear and tear will be fun and suit my lifestyle. My goal for the first year is to finish in the top 16 on the points list and get to compete at the Japan Cup."
Nolen hoped to make his indefinite departure from the Open Championships as dramatic as his previous visit to Cashman Center and started his final game of the 2009 event with six consecutive strikes. He finished singles with games of 202, 236 and 247 for a 685 total and his 651 in doubles helped him to a career-best 2,039 all-events total.
Although he didn't end his trip with the perfect game he was hoping for, Nolen again got to be part of history on tournament lanes as Goergen struck his way into the record books with games of 299, 299 and 264 for an 862 series, the highest three-game set in Open Championships history.
"I started off the last game pretty well, but I'd give up a 300 here to see Bo throw a three-bagger right now," said Nolen, right before Goergen stepped up for the ninth frame of his final game needing three strikes and good count on his final ball to pass Ron Vokes of Racine, Wis., who previously held the Regular Singles lead with 857. "That is some amazing bowling, and I'm glad I could be here to see it."
Nolen and Goergen also helped their team into third place in Team All-Events with 10,116. Goergen finished with a 2,190 all-events total, good for third place overall and was followed by MacLelland (2,092), Nolen, Hofmeister (1,899) and Austreng (1,896). Lind Limited also leads Team All-Events with 10,372.
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.
Four months later, Nolen was back in Las Vegas hoping to master the lanes at the USBC Open Championships and leave his mark on the storied event as he competed for what he hopes will be the last time for many years.
Nolen's win at the Masters also earned him a two-year exemption on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour, and his exempt status, which begins with the 2009-10 PBA Tour season, will make him ineligible to compete at the Open Championships until after his Tour career concludes.
"It will be a bummer not bowling here anymore," said Nolen, who made his ninth Open Championships appearance. "When next summer comes, I'll really be thinking about it since that's when we usually bowl. This tournament is always my favorite. I was more nervous bowling three games here than I was during the whole week of the Masters. I compare bowling here to bowling on television as far as jitters go. Every time I bowl here I feel that way."
The last game Nolen bowled at Cashman Center prior to this week was a 202-193 win over PBA star Danny Wiseman to clinch the Masters title on February 15. Though the venue was the same, Nolen was alone in the spotlight on bowling's biggest stage.
This time, Nolen shared the stage and the traditional Open Championships experience with his good friends and teammates as well as nearly 300 fellow competitors.
Comfortable and confident on the lanes he conquered months earlier, Nolen posted games of 258, 207 and 238 for a 703 series and helped Northern Lanes Pro Shop of Sanford, Mich., into ninth place in Regular Team with 3,272 on Wednesday night. Linds Limited of Milwaukee leads with 3,449.
"It's very cool to come back here and bowl in the same building, and I even brought the same balls," Nolen said. "Being my last time here and seeing an eagle by my name was really nice. The biggest thing was to help my team, and my objective was not to do anything stupid. There is a blueprint for success here, and I think we did pretty well."
Jeffrey Austreng added 671 for Northern Lanes Pro Shop and was followed by two-time National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association Most Valuable Player Dan MacLelland (669), new Regular Singles leader Bo Goergen (628) and Dale Hofmeister (601).
Before his Masters win, Nolen already had his mind set on a career as a professional bowler. Once that notion was planted in his head, he knew it was what he was meant to do.
"I feel like I was born to bowl," Nolen said. "Once I set my mind to the Tour, I made it a point to make it. Once I won, it felt like that was what I was supposed to do. I look back, and it was one of those magical weeks."
After his win, the 29-year-old right-hander, who bowls at Airway Lanes and 300 Bowl when he's at home, found himself in the public eye.
"There was an instant fan base," Nolen said. "I walked through Denver the next week, and I have never signed so many autographs in my entire life. It's really been a lot of fun."
As Nolen prepares for his first year as an exempt player on the PBA Tour, he will not have to travel too far as the first seven events of the season will be in nearby Detroit and the surrounding metro areas, packaged as the World Series of Bowling.
"It will be nice, and I will only have to drive about 30 miles," Nolen said. "I'm looking forward to the grind. The traveling and the wear and tear will be fun and suit my lifestyle. My goal for the first year is to finish in the top 16 on the points list and get to compete at the Japan Cup."
Nolen hoped to make his indefinite departure from the Open Championships as dramatic as his previous visit to Cashman Center and started his final game of the 2009 event with six consecutive strikes. He finished singles with games of 202, 236 and 247 for a 685 total and his 651 in doubles helped him to a career-best 2,039 all-events total.
Although he didn't end his trip with the perfect game he was hoping for, Nolen again got to be part of history on tournament lanes as Goergen struck his way into the record books with games of 299, 299 and 264 for an 862 series, the highest three-game set in Open Championships history.
"I started off the last game pretty well, but I'd give up a 300 here to see Bo throw a three-bagger right now," said Nolen, right before Goergen stepped up for the ninth frame of his final game needing three strikes and good count on his final ball to pass Ron Vokes of Racine, Wis., who previously held the Regular Singles lead with 857. "That is some amazing bowling, and I'm glad I could be here to see it."
Nolen and Goergen also helped their team into third place in Team All-Events with 10,116. Goergen finished with a 2,190 all-events total, good for third place overall and was followed by MacLelland (2,092), Nolen, Hofmeister (1,899) and Austreng (1,896). Lind Limited also leads Team All-Events with 10,372.
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.