Eoff takes lead in two events at 2023 USBC Open Championships
April 19, 2023
RENO, Nev. – Derek Eoff has found continued success over the course of his career at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, and the talented right-hander may have started the next chapter in his legacy at the event Tuesday after taking the lead in Regular Singles and Regular All-Events at the National Bowling Stadium.
Eoff, of DeForest, Wisconsin, began his 2023 event with a 721 set in team Monday and added 688 in doubles to start the excitement Tuesday. He rolled games of 257, 262 and 237 in singles to move to the top of the leaderboard with a 756 series, and his overall nine-game total helped the 42-year-old to the lead in all-events with 2,165.
Two-time champion Steve Novak of Louisville, Kentucky, had held the lead in Regular Singles with 747, and Zachary Karr of Fremont, Nebraska, was leading Regular All-Events with 2,120.
The overall effort from the two days at the NBS also pushed Eoff and his teammates on DeForest’s Classic Lanes 1 into the top 10 in Regular Team (ninth with 3,296) and Team All-Events (seventh with 9,412). Las Vegas’ Chili Garlic Edamame leads both events with 3,422 and 9,884, respectively.
Pictured above (from left): Ronald Wallenkamp, Kyle Geurtsen, Jermey Wolfe, Chad Oachs and Derek Eoff
Eoff entered the 2023 tournament in third place on the lifetime average list at the USBC Open Championships for participants with at least 20 years at the event (218.65), rolled a 300 in Reno at the 2007 event on the way to a runner-up finish in Regular Doubles (with Richard Volhard of Green Bay, Wisconsin) and collected three top-10 finishes at the 2012 event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (third in Regular All-Events, seventh in Team All-Events and 10th in Regular Team).
His performance this week at the NBS featured eight games of 229 or higher, a low game of 213 and just two open frames across nine games.
“I bowled really well,” said Eoff, a former Team USA member (2007-2008) and the 2008 World Cup champion. “I had been bowling pretty well as of late, and I was hoping to continue that momentum coming into this tournament. I was just talking to one of my teammates, and I felt like I didn’t leave any pins out there. I focused on what I needed to do and made good shots. I didn’t know the exact scores but knew it was close. I knew if I had a decent last game, I would take over the lead in singles and all-events, so I just tried to make good shots.”
Heading into his final game Tuesday, Eoff needed 192 for a share of the lead in all-events and 228 to match the mark in singles. His teammate – Kyle Geurtsen of Milwaukee – also was in contention for the lead in singles after starting with games of 290 and 219.
Eoff struck on six of his first seven shots, and a strike in the ninth frame locked up the top spot in all-events and meant any type of mark in the 10th would put him ahead of Novak’s score for singles. The powerful right-hander got to the pocket but left a 7 pin. He converted the spare and added nine on his fill ball to take the lead.
Geurtsen had an early open but rolled six consecutive strikes, starting in the third frame, to also make his run at the top score. He converted spares in the ninth and 10th frames to finish with 233 to get to third place with 742.
“You always hear from people that go before you and try to pick their brains to gather as much information as possible,” said Eoff, the 2008 USBC Team USA Trials champion. “I had heard the doubles and singles pattern was playing significantly harder than team. I bowled the Bowlers Journal two days ago, and that definitely helped. They were close, so it gave me a good game plan and starting point. I adjusted accordingly from there based on what the pattern was telling me to do.”
Now, Eoff starts the long wait to see if either score can remain at the top of the leaderboard for the next three months.
“It would be phenomenal,” said Eoff, who made his 21st tournament appearance. “I’ve accomplished a lot in my bowling career, and it's another one of those items that I’d like to win before I retire or feel like I can’t compete at the same level. That’s the goal every year – to come out here, do my best and hopefully before my career is over and done with, I can win an Eagle.”
Eoff was joined on Classic Lanes 1 in 2023 by Geurtsen (1,934 all-events total), Chad Oachs (1,802), Ronald Wallenkamp (1,778) and Jermey Wolfe (1,733).
Just prior to Eoff making his run in doubles and singles, another primarily Wisconsin-based group moved into second place in Team All-Events after just missing the top spot in Regular Team on Monday.
Pictured above (from left): William Welch, Joseph Vrobel, James Tucker III, Chad Kloss and Mitch Beasley
The members of Bowlers Headquarters of Muskego, Wisconsin, now sit in second place in both events with 3,420 and 9,696, respectively.
On Monday, the team rolled games of 1,128, 1,175 and 1,117 to miss the leading total by two pins. The performance was led by Chad Kloss’ 736 series, and he was joined by 2019 Regular Singles champion Mitch Beasley (707), James Tucker III (699), William Welch (662) and Joseph Vrobel (616).
On Tuesday, Beasley helped to lead the way with an all-events tally of 2,005 and was followed by Kloss (1,966), Tucker (1,960), Welch (1,953) and Vrobel (1,812).
The Regular Division features bowlers with entering averages of 176 and above.
The 2023 Open Championships kicked off March 4 and will conclude July 24. The 143-day tournament will feature more than 9,700 five-player teams and nearly 50,000 bowlers making their way to compete in The Biggest Little City in the World.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
Eoff, of DeForest, Wisconsin, began his 2023 event with a 721 set in team Monday and added 688 in doubles to start the excitement Tuesday. He rolled games of 257, 262 and 237 in singles to move to the top of the leaderboard with a 756 series, and his overall nine-game total helped the 42-year-old to the lead in all-events with 2,165.
Two-time champion Steve Novak of Louisville, Kentucky, had held the lead in Regular Singles with 747, and Zachary Karr of Fremont, Nebraska, was leading Regular All-Events with 2,120.
The overall effort from the two days at the NBS also pushed Eoff and his teammates on DeForest’s Classic Lanes 1 into the top 10 in Regular Team (ninth with 3,296) and Team All-Events (seventh with 9,412). Las Vegas’ Chili Garlic Edamame leads both events with 3,422 and 9,884, respectively.
Pictured above (from left): Ronald Wallenkamp, Kyle Geurtsen, Jermey Wolfe, Chad Oachs and Derek Eoff
Eoff entered the 2023 tournament in third place on the lifetime average list at the USBC Open Championships for participants with at least 20 years at the event (218.65), rolled a 300 in Reno at the 2007 event on the way to a runner-up finish in Regular Doubles (with Richard Volhard of Green Bay, Wisconsin) and collected three top-10 finishes at the 2012 event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (third in Regular All-Events, seventh in Team All-Events and 10th in Regular Team).
His performance this week at the NBS featured eight games of 229 or higher, a low game of 213 and just two open frames across nine games.
“I bowled really well,” said Eoff, a former Team USA member (2007-2008) and the 2008 World Cup champion. “I had been bowling pretty well as of late, and I was hoping to continue that momentum coming into this tournament. I was just talking to one of my teammates, and I felt like I didn’t leave any pins out there. I focused on what I needed to do and made good shots. I didn’t know the exact scores but knew it was close. I knew if I had a decent last game, I would take over the lead in singles and all-events, so I just tried to make good shots.”
Heading into his final game Tuesday, Eoff needed 192 for a share of the lead in all-events and 228 to match the mark in singles. His teammate – Kyle Geurtsen of Milwaukee – also was in contention for the lead in singles after starting with games of 290 and 219.
Eoff struck on six of his first seven shots, and a strike in the ninth frame locked up the top spot in all-events and meant any type of mark in the 10th would put him ahead of Novak’s score for singles. The powerful right-hander got to the pocket but left a 7 pin. He converted the spare and added nine on his fill ball to take the lead.
Geurtsen had an early open but rolled six consecutive strikes, starting in the third frame, to also make his run at the top score. He converted spares in the ninth and 10th frames to finish with 233 to get to third place with 742.
“You always hear from people that go before you and try to pick their brains to gather as much information as possible,” said Eoff, the 2008 USBC Team USA Trials champion. “I had heard the doubles and singles pattern was playing significantly harder than team. I bowled the Bowlers Journal two days ago, and that definitely helped. They were close, so it gave me a good game plan and starting point. I adjusted accordingly from there based on what the pattern was telling me to do.”
Now, Eoff starts the long wait to see if either score can remain at the top of the leaderboard for the next three months.
“It would be phenomenal,” said Eoff, who made his 21st tournament appearance. “I’ve accomplished a lot in my bowling career, and it's another one of those items that I’d like to win before I retire or feel like I can’t compete at the same level. That’s the goal every year – to come out here, do my best and hopefully before my career is over and done with, I can win an Eagle.”
Eoff was joined on Classic Lanes 1 in 2023 by Geurtsen (1,934 all-events total), Chad Oachs (1,802), Ronald Wallenkamp (1,778) and Jermey Wolfe (1,733).
Just prior to Eoff making his run in doubles and singles, another primarily Wisconsin-based group moved into second place in Team All-Events after just missing the top spot in Regular Team on Monday.
Pictured above (from left): William Welch, Joseph Vrobel, James Tucker III, Chad Kloss and Mitch Beasley
The members of Bowlers Headquarters of Muskego, Wisconsin, now sit in second place in both events with 3,420 and 9,696, respectively.
On Monday, the team rolled games of 1,128, 1,175 and 1,117 to miss the leading total by two pins. The performance was led by Chad Kloss’ 736 series, and he was joined by 2019 Regular Singles champion Mitch Beasley (707), James Tucker III (699), William Welch (662) and Joseph Vrobel (616).
On Tuesday, Beasley helped to lead the way with an all-events tally of 2,005 and was followed by Kloss (1,966), Tucker (1,960), Welch (1,953) and Vrobel (1,812).
The Regular Division features bowlers with entering averages of 176 and above.
The 2023 Open Championships kicked off March 4 and will conclude July 24. The 143-day tournament will feature more than 9,700 five-player teams and nearly 50,000 bowlers making their way to compete in The Biggest Little City in the World.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.