Illinois bowler almost perfect again at USBC Open Championships
June 23, 2010
RENO, Nev. - Greg Bollinger of Plainfield, Ill., enjoyed being in the spotlight at last year's USBC Open Championships so much that he did his best to get back there, but this time, he brought his team with him.
The 45-year-old right-hander stepped onto the approach at the National Bowling Stadium for the final frame of his team event Tuesday needing three strikes for the second perfect game of his 17-year tournament career and a spot in the top 10 for his team, Fox Bowl 1 of Wheaton, Ill.
Bollinger flawlessly delivered two strikes before a stubborn 10 pin left him with a 299 game and in a tie for 10th place in Regular Team with a 3,321 total. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads with 3,408. Bollinger's near-perfect effort was the 12th 299 of this year's event and third in as many days.
"I struggled the first game throwing the wrong ball in the wrong place, but I changed balls at the beginning of the second game and shot 220," said Bollinger who started with games of 185 and 227 on the way to a 711 series, his first 700 on the championship lanes. "I wasn't nervous until I got to the 10th frame because we had a good team score, and I was focused on keeping the rest of the guys in it before it was my turn to bowl."
Bollinger helped Fox Bowl 1 to games of 1,065, 1,108 and 1,148, and the feeling was a lot different than last year's event in Las Vegas when he closed out his team event with a 300 game, but only was able to help the group to a 2,993 team effort.
Bollinger was joined on the lanes Tuesday by Nathan Michalowski (691), Dan Bachar (673), John Slavich (652) and Tom Sims (594).
"I was a little more nervous this year, first, because I wanted to follow up on last year, and then because I wanted to come through after a bad start," Bollinger said. "I knew if I punched out, we could take over 10th place, and a top 10 is always nice."
During his run at perfection last year, Bollinger was distracted by his friend, P.J. Massey, who was working on a 300 of his own on the other side of the venue. He kept one eye on his friend, which helped take his mind off the pressure.
Had Bollinger been able to polish off another 300, he would've become the 21st bowler in Open Championships history with two perfect games on the tournament lanes, and he would've been just the fourth to accomplish both in the team event.
"I threw the best shot I could, and that's all I could do," said Bollinger, whose career average at the Open Championships is 197.5. "It was there, but the 10 pin just didn't fall. I gave it the best chance I could to make it strike. I'm not disappointed, though. Fulfilling is a better way to describe this. I really didn't have a lot of success here until I started bowling with these guys a few years ago. They motivate me and make me want to come out and perform on the big stage."
In order to prepare themselves for the Open Championships, Bollinger and the rest of the Fox Bowl bowlers, now up to four teams, practiced regularly on the tournament lane condition, which they put out at Fox Bowl, along with a variety of PBA Experience lane conditions that force them to throw better, more consistent shots and get sharper overall.
The group includes all five members of the 2008 Team All-Events champion (Fox Bowl 2), Mike Nape, Gregg Zicha, Anthony Jordan, Pete Spreadbury and Walter Schaub.
Zicha, who also is a 2001 Regular Doubles champion, is a USBC Bronze coach and works full-time as an instructor at Fox Bowl. He coaches bowlers of all ages and skill levels, and, this time, his expertise and influence helped Bollinger.
"All of the practice on the tougher conditions and having Gregg and Tom there to watch has been really helpful," Bollinger said. "It's also nice to come here with a group that's serious about what they're doing. These guys come here to bowl first and have fun later, and that's a different state of mind than I experienced before."
At the other end of the National Bowling Stadium on Tuesday night, Team X of Brownsville, Texas, moved into fourth place in Classified Team with a 2,718 total. Southeast Paint of Price, Utah, leads with 2,808.
Johnny Munoz set the pace for Team X with a 603 series and was followed by Rudy Jimenez (572), Rolando Jimenez (537), Clyde Robinson Jr. (522) and Cynthia Duran (484).
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, 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.
The 45-year-old right-hander stepped onto the approach at the National Bowling Stadium for the final frame of his team event Tuesday needing three strikes for the second perfect game of his 17-year tournament career and a spot in the top 10 for his team, Fox Bowl 1 of Wheaton, Ill.
Bollinger flawlessly delivered two strikes before a stubborn 10 pin left him with a 299 game and in a tie for 10th place in Regular Team with a 3,321 total. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads with 3,408. Bollinger's near-perfect effort was the 12th 299 of this year's event and third in as many days.
"I struggled the first game throwing the wrong ball in the wrong place, but I changed balls at the beginning of the second game and shot 220," said Bollinger who started with games of 185 and 227 on the way to a 711 series, his first 700 on the championship lanes. "I wasn't nervous until I got to the 10th frame because we had a good team score, and I was focused on keeping the rest of the guys in it before it was my turn to bowl."
Bollinger helped Fox Bowl 1 to games of 1,065, 1,108 and 1,148, and the feeling was a lot different than last year's event in Las Vegas when he closed out his team event with a 300 game, but only was able to help the group to a 2,993 team effort.
Bollinger was joined on the lanes Tuesday by Nathan Michalowski (691), Dan Bachar (673), John Slavich (652) and Tom Sims (594).
"I was a little more nervous this year, first, because I wanted to follow up on last year, and then because I wanted to come through after a bad start," Bollinger said. "I knew if I punched out, we could take over 10th place, and a top 10 is always nice."
During his run at perfection last year, Bollinger was distracted by his friend, P.J. Massey, who was working on a 300 of his own on the other side of the venue. He kept one eye on his friend, which helped take his mind off the pressure.
Had Bollinger been able to polish off another 300, he would've become the 21st bowler in Open Championships history with two perfect games on the tournament lanes, and he would've been just the fourth to accomplish both in the team event.
"I threw the best shot I could, and that's all I could do," said Bollinger, whose career average at the Open Championships is 197.5. "It was there, but the 10 pin just didn't fall. I gave it the best chance I could to make it strike. I'm not disappointed, though. Fulfilling is a better way to describe this. I really didn't have a lot of success here until I started bowling with these guys a few years ago. They motivate me and make me want to come out and perform on the big stage."
In order to prepare themselves for the Open Championships, Bollinger and the rest of the Fox Bowl bowlers, now up to four teams, practiced regularly on the tournament lane condition, which they put out at Fox Bowl, along with a variety of PBA Experience lane conditions that force them to throw better, more consistent shots and get sharper overall.
The group includes all five members of the 2008 Team All-Events champion (Fox Bowl 2), Mike Nape, Gregg Zicha, Anthony Jordan, Pete Spreadbury and Walter Schaub.
Zicha, who also is a 2001 Regular Doubles champion, is a USBC Bronze coach and works full-time as an instructor at Fox Bowl. He coaches bowlers of all ages and skill levels, and, this time, his expertise and influence helped Bollinger.
"All of the practice on the tougher conditions and having Gregg and Tom there to watch has been really helpful," Bollinger said. "It's also nice to come here with a group that's serious about what they're doing. These guys come here to bowl first and have fun later, and that's a different state of mind than I experienced before."
At the other end of the National Bowling Stadium on Tuesday night, Team X of Brownsville, Texas, moved into fourth place in Classified Team with a 2,718 total. Southeast Paint of Price, Utah, leads with 2,808.
Johnny Munoz set the pace for Team X with a 603 series and was followed by Rudy Jimenez (572), Rolando Jimenez (537), Clyde Robinson Jr. (522) and Cynthia Duran (484).
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, 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.