OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
WEEKLY LEADER BOARD

Joel Carlson of Omaha, Neb., wasted no time knocking off the new all-events leader at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, and he now sits atop the Regular All-Events standings with a 2,164 total..> > The 49-year-old right-hander used a 768 singles set to surge into the lead at the National Bowling Stadium on the morning of March 14. He added 709 in doubles and 687 in team to surpass Ken Duffield of Madison, Wis., who shot 2,120 late the night before.> > Carlson attributes his success to a ball change after his first game of team, a 193 effort, which then helped him average 246.3 for the remaining eight games.> > "During the first game of the tournament, I was using a duller ball, and it was not a good match," said Carlson, who made his 26th consecutive Open Championships appearance and had a previous high all-events total of 2,154 at the 2002 event in Billings, Mont. "If I got the ball out, it would hang. If I pulled the ball, it hooked. I made a ball change in game two and used that ball for the rest of the tournament."> > Carlson's effort also helped Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 1 of Omaha, Neb., into second place in Team All-Events with 9,671.> > He was joined by Rob Bailey (1,939), Scott Lindsey (1,900), Bruce Herreman (1,835) and Terry Norton (1,833). DAPP Embroidery of Grand Prairie, Texas, leads Team All-Events with 9,911.> > Finally, Carlson and Lindsey are 10th in Regular Doubles with 1,342, while Carlson's singles total is second in Regular Singles. William Vincent Jr. of Louisville, Ky., is the singles leader with 792, and Chris Galovits of West Allis, Wis., and Ed Seliga of Kenosha, Wis., lead doubles with 1,408.> > > Former PBA standout rolls first perfect game of 2011 event> It took 10 days, but the first perfect game of the 2011 USBC Open Championships is in the books thanks to former Professional Bowlers Association journeyman Curtis Odom of Coldwater, Mich.> > The 52-year-old right-hander calmly drew on past experience and stayed relaxed with the help of his teammates as he polished off the 700th perfect game in 108 years of Open Championships competition on the morning of March 13.> > "This was one of the goals I really wanted to accomplish," said Odom, who started doubles with a 232 game before rattling off 12 consecutive strikes. "I've been bowling at the Open Championships for a while, and you get to the point where you ask yourself if you're ever going to do it."> > While the perfect game earned Odom a spot in tournament history, it also helped him and Mark Weller into sixth place in Regular Doubles with a 1,352 total. Odom finished with a 216 game for a 748 series, while Weller contributed 604. Ed Seliga of Kenosha, Wis., and Chris Galovits of West Allis, Wis., lead with 1,408.> > Odom, winner of the Steve Nagy PBA Sportsmanship Award in 1996, added 604 in team and 553 in singles for a 1,905 all-events total at the National Bowling Stadium this year. His 19-year USBC tournament career is split between Open Championships and USBC Masters competition.> > > Michigan bowler joins 50-Year Club> When C. Lysle Smith of Port Huron, Mich., planned his 50th march down Center Aisle at the USBC Open Championships, he intended to share the spotlight with his good friend and teammate, Carl Kuhr.> > With his family in attendance and cheering from behind the lanes at the National Bowling Stadium on March 10, Smith marched his way into the record books as the 131st bowler to reach 50 years of participation at the Open Championships. The moment was exciting, but a little sad at the same time.> > "Well, the pressure's off," said Smith, who made his first Open Championships appearance at the 1961 event in Detroit. "I was a little nervous in the squad room and before I made the walk down Center Aisle. I felt the tears forming, but I held them back. I have looked forward to it for quite a few years. My only regret is that my friend couldn't bowl with me."> > Kuhr became ill en route to Reno and was unable to complete the trip. His son, Fred, bowled on the team, while Smith's two sons, Charles and Robert, joined him on the lanes for his milestone appearance. Charles was called upon to replace Kuhr, while Robert made the trip from California.> > Smith closed out his 2011 tournament campaign with 592 in team, 533 in singles and 522 in doubles for a 1,647 all-events total. In 50 Open Championships appearances, he has knocked down 81,766 pins for a career average of 181.7.> > > Michigan team captain wins Chevy Silverado pickup truck> Tom Elston of Sterling Heights, Mich., won the first of four Chevy Silverado pickup trucks being given away at the National Bowling Stadium this year.> > Elston was rewarded for the countless hours of work that go into being a team captain. Jennifer Cunningham, the Director of Marketing for the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority and Open Championships Tournament Manager Duane Hagen were on hand to award the truck.> > "The funny part was that I was getting ready and didn't even hear the announcement," said Elston, a 57-year-old automotive designer who captained one of his group's two teams. "My teammates were yelling at me and telling me that I won, and I didn't even know what it was that I won. They told me it was the truck, and I was completely shocked. I couldn't believe it."> > The truck giveaway is one of the many exciting features of the USBC Eagle's Nest, an exclusive club for team captains who fielded teams in 2010 and are registered to do so again in 2011.> > For more information on the USBC Eagle's Nest, visit BOWL.com.> > > A look ahead> USBC and PBA Hall of Famer Glenn Allison of Anaheim, Calif., will reach another Open Championships milestone on March 19 when he makes his 60th tournament appearance.> > The 80-year-old right-hander will become the 15th bowler in history to reach the 60-year mark. He already is one of the 13 members of the tournament's 100,000-Pin Club with a career pinfall of 107,929.> > Active pinfall leader Bill Lillard Sr. of Houston will take to the lanes on March 21 looking to inch closer to all-time pinfall leader, Joe Norris of San Diego, who knocked down 123,770 pins in his 71-year career.> > In 63 consecutive appearances, Lillard, an eight-time Open Championships titlist and USBC Hall of Famer, has toppled 116,828 pins.> > Presenting sponsors for the 2011 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, Humana, official registration sponsor, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.> > For more information on the USBC Open Championships, visit BOWL.com/openchamp.> > United States Bowling Congress> The United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services to more than two million adult and youth members and enhances the bowling experience.> The interactive home of USBC is BOWL.com. Go to twitter.com/USBC for the fastest USBC headlines.> Bowl with US> > 2011 USBC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS> At National Bowling Stadium, Reno, Nev.> (Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfall)> > REGULAR DIVISION> > Team> > 1, On Track Pro Shop 1 (Wade Gayhart, Robert Jakel, Jeff Wyatt, William Shouldice, Anthony Talley), Lockport, Ill., 3,224. 2, Durk Wholesale Lumber Co., Hayden, Idaho, 3,204. 3, DAPP Embroidery, Grand Prairie, Texas, 3,191. 4, Team Dirty, Madison, Wis., 3,127. 5, Dykemans Farm, Pleasant Valley, N.Y., 3,126. 6, Kearny Mesa Bowl 2, Chula Vista, Calif., 3,121. 7, Sign Producers 1, Winter Garden, Fla., 3,095. 8, Super Bowl Appleton, Kaukauna, Wis., 3,086.9, Macs Crew, Maricopa, Ariz., 3,075. 10 (tie), Tires.com, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and Kurth Electric, Williston, Fla. 3,075.> > Doubles> > 1, Chris Galovits, West Allis, Wis./Ed Seliga, Kenosha, Wis., 1,408. 2, Steve Sutphin/Maria Sutphin, Howey in the Hills, Fla., 1,391. 3, Richie Serrato, Weston, Ohio/Steve Jakubowski, Temperance, Mich., 1,369. 4, Jeff Lunde/Joe Crenshaw, Racine, Wis., 1,365. 5, Ryan Boroff, Fort Worth, Texas/Tyson Kurth, Williston, Fla., 1,354. 6, Curtis Odom/Mark Weller, Coldwater, Mich., 1,352. 7, Ed Riess, Omaha, Neb./Rob Bailey, Sun Prairie, Wis., 1,350. 8, Derek Hartnell/Scott Hartnell, Kenosha, Wis., 1,348. 9, Brenda Padilla/Stephen Padilla, Mansfield, Texas, 1,346. 10, Scott Lindsey/Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 1,342.> > Singles> > 1, William Vincent Jr., Louisville, Ky., 792. 2, Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 768. 3, Paul Marmolejo, Rialto, Calif., 754. 4, T.J. Bailey, Hopewell Junction, N.Y., 751. 5, Rob Bailey, Sun Prairie, Wis., 749. 6, Jeffrey Weifenbach, Winona, Minn., 748. 7 (tie), Jeff Smith, Little Falls, Minn., and Charles Torosian Sr., Racine, Wis., 743. 9, Kenneth Duffield, Madison, Wis., 742. 10, Jason Porter, Ludington, Mich., 738.> > All-Events> > 1, Joel Carlson, Omaha, Neb., 2,164. 2, Kenneth Duffield, Madison, Wis., 2,120. 3, Steve Jakubowski, Temperance, Mich., 2,102. 4, Steve Sutphin, Howey in the Hills, Fla., 2,092. 5, Joe Kick, Middleton, Wis., 2,063. 6, Jeff Smith, Little Falls, Minn., 2,062. 7, Greg McCullough, Fargo, N.D., 2,060. 8, Henry Dykeman, Pawling, N.Y., 2,051. 9 (tie), Daniel Knowlton, Dade City, Fla., and Brian Hoffman, Verona, Wis., 2,038.> > Team All-Events> > 1, DAPP Embroidery (Bob Schoneman, Stephen Padilla, Michael Donahue, Todd Minotti, Butch Cormier), Grand Prairie, Texas, 9,911. 2, Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 1, Omaha, Neb., 9,671. 3, Dykeman's Farm, Pleasant Valley, N.Y., 9,625. 4, Team Dirty, Madison, Wis., 9,570. 5, Seligas Bowl Pro Shop, Kenosha, Wis., 9,434. 6, Strikes Painting 2, Sartell, Minn., 9,426. 7, On Track Pro Shop 1, Lockport, Ill., 9,417. 8, Indian Hills 2, Eaton Rapids, Mich., 9,338. 9, DAPP Too, Grand Prairie, Texas, 9,312. 10, Super Bowl Appleton, Kaukauna, Wis., 9,299.> > CLASSIFIED DIVISION> > Team> > 1, Bill Henry Construction (Barry Zanto, Charles Zanto, Bill Henry, Randy Randolph, Ryan Mapes), Havre, Mont., 2,718. 2, Plattsburg Bowl, Plattsburg, Mo., 2,666. 3, Northern Grain Two, Sioux Falls, S.D., 2,656. 4, Witt Plumbing, Casa Grande, Ariz., 2,635. 5, Hallers, Chillicothe, Ohio, 2,634. 6, Kearny Mesa Bowl 5, Chula Vista, Calif., 2,629. 7, Sandvik 1, West Branch, Mich., 2,624. 8, Team Veitch, Glendale, Ariz., 2,616. 9, Cargill Holdrege Neb, Holdrege, Neb., 2,614. 10, Gary Sanders Masonry 3, West Point, Iowa, 2,603.> > Doubles> > 1, Jeff Matesa, Graham, Wash./Tony Renggli, University Place, Wash., 1,202. 2, Richard Anderson, Julesburg, Colo./Dan Ford, Chappell, Neb., 1,180. 3 (tie), Roger Shepherd, Chester, Mont./Greg Spinler, Hingham, Mont., and Bryce Bray/Jon Lee, Thief River Falls, Minn., 1,138. 5, David Pickett/Dalton, Ga./Bill Cherry, Calhoon, Ga., 1,137. 6, T.J. Ogden, Aurora, Calif./Robert Fisch, Cheyenne, Wyo., 1,116. 7, Leighton Lanzetta, Holiday, Fla./Dave Roberts, Beloit, Kan., 1,114. 8 (tie), Brett Janssen, Moorhead, Minn./Todd Koehler, Appleton, Minn., and Mike Sentowski/Hancock, Wis./Jason Hutkowski, Plainfield, Wis., 1,109. 10, Timothy Jimenez/Curt VanLaningham, Ogallala, Neb., 1,106.> > Singles> > 1, Richard McGill, Chicago, 643. 2, Steven Bailey, Melbourne, Fla., 633. 3, Donald Fellbaum, Webster, S.D., 629. 4, Rick Morange, Sarasota, Fla., 623. 5, B.G. Wasson, Reno, Nev., 617. 6, David Whittaker, Provo, Utah, 614. 7, Jonathan Gonzalez, Richmond, Calif., 612. 8, Nathan Rath, Buffalo Lake, Minn., 610. 9 (tie), David Nelson, Viborg, S.D., and Ariel Sublett, Las Vegas, 607.> > All-Events> > 1, Curt VanLaningham, Ogallala, Neb., 1,764. 2, Floyd Belden, Tijeras, N.M., 1,725. 3, Sheldon Goldberg, Hollywood, Fla., 1,721. 4, Paul Reker, New Ulm, Minn., 1,715. 5, Scott Freeman, Muskegon, Mich., 1,711. 6, David Nelson, Viborg, S.D., 1,708. 7, Russell Wood, Gower, Mo., 1,697. 8 (tie), Mark Knaub, Harrisburg, Neb., and B.G. Wasson, Reno, Nev., 1,692. 10, Dustin Space, Minden, Neb., 1,691.