Colorado bowler takes Standard lead at 2025 USBC Open Championships
July 23, 2025
BATON ROUGE, La. – A new name has emerged at the top of the standings in Standard Singles as the final days approach at the 2025 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
Kory Cockrum of Grand Junction, Colorado, finished off his best year to date at the tournament on Sunday at the Raising Cane’s River Center by placing himself in the lead.
He started off his singles event strong with 278. The games that followed were 244 and 224, leaving his series total at 746. Eric Batka of West Olive, Michigan, had held the lead since March 14 with 722.
“It’s a lot of emotion – huge emotions,” said Cockrum, who made his sixth appearance at the USBC Open Championships. “I have never been in a situation like this.”
In his other events at the River Center, he rolled scores of 505 in doubles and 488 in team, bringing his all-events total to 1,739.
“This is the best I have ever bowled at nationals,” said Cockrum, who had a previous high of 1,547 for all-events (2024) and 564 for an individual set (2023).
During his final game of singles, there was only one thing going through his mind. He said, “just make good shots.” He delivered strikes in four of his first six frames but then had a split – 3-6-7-10 – in the seventh. He ended up making the spare.
“I think the spare is what helped me continue to make great shots,” Cockrum said. “Chase Nadeau also helped me decide to stay out and make a ball change.”
After the split conversion, Cockrum rolled two more strikes to set the stage for taking the top spot. Needing nine on his first shot to take the outright lead, he delivered a strike. He closed with a nine count and spare to secure his spot.
As he finished bowling, Cockrum had no idea that he had taken the lead, saying, “I did not figure it out until after I threw the first ball. I struck, and everyone erupted behind me.”
For Cockrum, it was one of the biggest moments in his bowling career, noting, “It was a huge high to see all those people just cheering and clapping. It was pretty amazing.”
He now has less than a week to see if his score will hold for the top spot in Standard Singles. The 2025 Open Championships will conclude July 28.
Standard Singles includes competitors with entering averages of 156-175.
The Open Championships is celebrating its third trip to Baton Rouge in 2025 and scheduled to feature more than 58,000 bowlers and 11,600 five-player teams competing across 150 consecutive days at the River Center.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
Kory Cockrum of Grand Junction, Colorado, finished off his best year to date at the tournament on Sunday at the Raising Cane’s River Center by placing himself in the lead.
He started off his singles event strong with 278. The games that followed were 244 and 224, leaving his series total at 746. Eric Batka of West Olive, Michigan, had held the lead since March 14 with 722.
“It’s a lot of emotion – huge emotions,” said Cockrum, who made his sixth appearance at the USBC Open Championships. “I have never been in a situation like this.”
In his other events at the River Center, he rolled scores of 505 in doubles and 488 in team, bringing his all-events total to 1,739.
“This is the best I have ever bowled at nationals,” said Cockrum, who had a previous high of 1,547 for all-events (2024) and 564 for an individual set (2023).
During his final game of singles, there was only one thing going through his mind. He said, “just make good shots.” He delivered strikes in four of his first six frames but then had a split – 3-6-7-10 – in the seventh. He ended up making the spare.
“I think the spare is what helped me continue to make great shots,” Cockrum said. “Chase Nadeau also helped me decide to stay out and make a ball change.”
After the split conversion, Cockrum rolled two more strikes to set the stage for taking the top spot. Needing nine on his first shot to take the outright lead, he delivered a strike. He closed with a nine count and spare to secure his spot.
As he finished bowling, Cockrum had no idea that he had taken the lead, saying, “I did not figure it out until after I threw the first ball. I struck, and everyone erupted behind me.”
For Cockrum, it was one of the biggest moments in his bowling career, noting, “It was a huge high to see all those people just cheering and clapping. It was pretty amazing.”
He now has less than a week to see if his score will hold for the top spot in Standard Singles. The 2025 Open Championships will conclude July 28.
Standard Singles includes competitors with entering averages of 156-175.
The Open Championships is celebrating its third trip to Baton Rouge in 2025 and scheduled to feature more than 58,000 bowlers and 11,600 five-player teams competing across 150 consecutive days at the River Center.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.