Holbek adds second 300 to growing resume at USBC Open Championships
June 21, 2023
RENO, Nev. – Cotie Holbek of Burlington, Wisconsin, quickly has made a name for himself as a top competitor in just a handful of appearances at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, and he added a second perfect game to his collection at the 2023 event Monday during his team competition.
The 30-year-old right-hander became the 38th bowler over 119 years of competition to record multiple 300s at the USBC Open Championships, and he already was one of 42 players to own both a 300 game and 800 series at the event.
In just six tournament appearances, Holbek has won two Eagles (2018 Regular Singles with 802 and 2019 Regular Doubles with Steven Fisher of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, with 1,478) to go along with his three honor scores.
On Monday, Holbek started his 2023 team event red hot, rolling the last nine strikes of Game 1 for 270. He went 12 for 12 in Game 2 on his way to 21 consecutive strikes.
“When we first started practice, I stuck to my game plan to help the rest of the team out,” Holbek said. “As we got a little bit further into Game 1, I looked at the guys and said I have to make a move, but I didn’t want to move too much and get into everyone else’s track. We came to the agreement to just move and make the adjustment.
“In the middle of Game 2, I had one shot I didn’t think I threw well, but the guys told me the ball reaction still looked really good, so from there on out, I was just focused. Being there before helped with the nerves. I went through the motions and same pre-shot routine, and I got up there and did it.”
With 570 at the turn, Holbek added another strike to start Game 3 to bring his total to 22 in a row. He started to fight some carry after that, however, and although he stayed clean, he lost the chance at 800 in the eighth frame.
He struck out in the ninth and 10th frames to finish with 228 for a total of 798 to help Towne & Country Lane #1 to a 3,382 score, putting the team in seventh place in the Regular Division with just more than a month left to go in the 2023 tournament.
Holbek was joined in the team effort by Robert Milbrath (750 series), David Gajewski (656), Anthony Buss (630) and Jerry Riemer (548).
Cincinnati’s Riding Kenny’s Coattails leads Regular Team at the 2023 Open Championships with a 3,578 total.
“In the second frame of Game 3, I left a 10 pin and saw a motion with my ball I hadn’t seen before,” Holbek said. “I kept making moves and happened to get it a touch fast in the eighth frame, and at that point, I knew I couldn’t get to 800.
“But, I also wanted to get as many pins as I could for the team, since we still had a big number going. We worked very well as a team this year, as we normally do, and we’re very happy with what we ended up with.”
Holbek’s 300 was the 10th perfect performance at the 2023 event and fifth overall in team competition. His first 300 at the Open Championships also took place in team during the 2021 event in Las Vegas.
With all of the success Holbek has found at the Open Championships, it was easy to see that Monday’s performance hit home on a personal level for him.
Monday would have been the 78th birthday for Holbek’s grandfather – Ed “Frito” Wagner – who had a huge influence on his bowling career.
“This one meant a lot because my grandpa has been gone for 15 years, and he was a mainstay in my bowling game before he passed away,” Holbek said. “Today was his 78th birthday. I called my mom and grandma, and it got pretty emotional on the phone. I can’t even explain how it feels to do this and just prove the knowledge that he instilled in my brain before he passed away is still here today and he’s watching over me. It’s an amazing feeling to show him where I’m at now.”
Holbek continues to use the knowledge from his grandfather, along with a strict practice schedule prior to his annual appearance at the Open Championships each year.
The combination of both, along with his immense talent, has allowed him to start a legacy of his own at the event, but he isn’t worried about that just yet.
“As for legacy, I don’t know if I’d really call it that,” said Holbek, who finished his 2023 appearance with an all-events total of 1,844. “I’m just coming out here year by year doing what I can. If I bowl well, I bowl well. If I bowl bad, I bowl bad. With the accomplishments I have, it shows that the hard work is starting to pay off, but I don’t take any of it for granted. I know at any point in time, it can be gone in a blink of an eye.”
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.
The 30-year-old right-hander became the 38th bowler over 119 years of competition to record multiple 300s at the USBC Open Championships, and he already was one of 42 players to own both a 300 game and 800 series at the event.
In just six tournament appearances, Holbek has won two Eagles (2018 Regular Singles with 802 and 2019 Regular Doubles with Steven Fisher of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, with 1,478) to go along with his three honor scores.
On Monday, Holbek started his 2023 team event red hot, rolling the last nine strikes of Game 1 for 270. He went 12 for 12 in Game 2 on his way to 21 consecutive strikes.
“When we first started practice, I stuck to my game plan to help the rest of the team out,” Holbek said. “As we got a little bit further into Game 1, I looked at the guys and said I have to make a move, but I didn’t want to move too much and get into everyone else’s track. We came to the agreement to just move and make the adjustment.
“In the middle of Game 2, I had one shot I didn’t think I threw well, but the guys told me the ball reaction still looked really good, so from there on out, I was just focused. Being there before helped with the nerves. I went through the motions and same pre-shot routine, and I got up there and did it.”
With 570 at the turn, Holbek added another strike to start Game 3 to bring his total to 22 in a row. He started to fight some carry after that, however, and although he stayed clean, he lost the chance at 800 in the eighth frame.
He struck out in the ninth and 10th frames to finish with 228 for a total of 798 to help Towne & Country Lane #1 to a 3,382 score, putting the team in seventh place in the Regular Division with just more than a month left to go in the 2023 tournament.
Holbek was joined in the team effort by Robert Milbrath (750 series), David Gajewski (656), Anthony Buss (630) and Jerry Riemer (548).
Cincinnati’s Riding Kenny’s Coattails leads Regular Team at the 2023 Open Championships with a 3,578 total.
“In the second frame of Game 3, I left a 10 pin and saw a motion with my ball I hadn’t seen before,” Holbek said. “I kept making moves and happened to get it a touch fast in the eighth frame, and at that point, I knew I couldn’t get to 800.
“But, I also wanted to get as many pins as I could for the team, since we still had a big number going. We worked very well as a team this year, as we normally do, and we’re very happy with what we ended up with.”
Holbek’s 300 was the 10th perfect performance at the 2023 event and fifth overall in team competition. His first 300 at the Open Championships also took place in team during the 2021 event in Las Vegas.
With all of the success Holbek has found at the Open Championships, it was easy to see that Monday’s performance hit home on a personal level for him.
Monday would have been the 78th birthday for Holbek’s grandfather – Ed “Frito” Wagner – who had a huge influence on his bowling career.
“This one meant a lot because my grandpa has been gone for 15 years, and he was a mainstay in my bowling game before he passed away,” Holbek said. “Today was his 78th birthday. I called my mom and grandma, and it got pretty emotional on the phone. I can’t even explain how it feels to do this and just prove the knowledge that he instilled in my brain before he passed away is still here today and he’s watching over me. It’s an amazing feeling to show him where I’m at now.”
Holbek continues to use the knowledge from his grandfather, along with a strict practice schedule prior to his annual appearance at the Open Championships each year.
The combination of both, along with his immense talent, has allowed him to start a legacy of his own at the event, but he isn’t worried about that just yet.
“As for legacy, I don’t know if I’d really call it that,” said Holbek, who finished his 2023 appearance with an all-events total of 1,844. “I’m just coming out here year by year doing what I can. If I bowl well, I bowl well. If I bowl bad, I bowl bad. With the accomplishments I have, it shows that the hard work is starting to pay off, but I don’t take any of it for granted. I know at any point in time, it can be gone in a blink of an eye.”
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.