Longtime bowlers find success at 2022 USBC Open Championships
March 15, 2022
LAS VEGAS - As a team captain at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, Gregory Witt of Phoenix is a recruiter, organizer, accountant and ambassador for one of the world's largest participatory sporting events.
As a 31-time participant in the event, he's also very familiar with the rules and dress code, so he knows he must remove all those hats before competition begins.
The only business the 58-year-old left-hander was focused on when he stepped onto the approach this week at the South Point Bowling Center was knocking down all 10 pins, and he did so in record fashion.
Witt was consistent across two days, nine games and two oil patterns, tossing seven games above 210 on the way to the highest all-events total in the five-tournament history of the Standard Division.
He rolled sets of 675 in singles, 671 in team and 636 in doubles for a 1,982 total and the top spot in this year's Standard All-Events standings.
The Standard Division, for bowlers with entering tournament averages of 156-175, was introduced in 2017, also at South Point. The highest on record was the 1,942 rolled by Michael Hamilton of Davenport, Iowa, to win the event in 2021.
"I wasn't really paying much attention to what the scores were," said Witt, who made his Open Championships debut at the 1991 tournament in Toledo, Ohio. "I was just trying to make good shots and stay clean. I missed a couple easy spares that cost me 30-40 pins, but overall, I'm really happy with my effort."
Witt has been able to elevate his game this year with the guidance of another Phoenix-area standout, David Cirigliano, one of three bowlers in Open Championships history to own three perfect games on the tournament lanes.
The confidence Witt has in the new equipment they've selected, along with the support of his four-team group, helped him find success at South Point on Monday and Tuesday.
"I try to stay loose by talking to teammates and maybe helping them get lined up, if they're struggling, but when it's my turn to bowl, it's game on," Witt said. "I bowled well in team, but I was fishing a bit early in doubles. I was able to settle in after a few frames. I made the right moves, and I think I threw the ball well, for the most part. I can't thank David enough for his help and suggestions."
The trip started out well for Witt and his teammates, as two of the team found their way to the top of the leaderboard in their respective divisions.
Witt helped Witt's Classified Family Affair into the lead in Classified Team (2,681), while Luke All Stars moved into the top spot in Standard Team with a 2,898 total.
The group now will return home to Arizona with a chance for 10 of the 20 members to claim Eagle trophies, but Witt knows that reality is a long way off.
The 129-day Open Championships kicked off Saturday and won't conclude until July 18.
"It would be great if we could win all three categories, but we'd also be thrilled if we could hold on for even one," Witt said. "It'll be a tough wait, but I'm happy with my performance, and I did my best. If someone is fortunate to come out and bowl better, then so be it. It certainly would be well-earned. As always, no matter how the bowling goes, we're here to have a good time, and we did that."
While Witt's success and Open Championships experience had a lot to do with the bowlers and friends with him in Las Vegas, Andy Owens of Havre, Montana, was inspired by someone who was not at the South Point Bowling Plaza in person.
Owens, a 52-year-old right-hander, competes each year to carry on a tradition started by his brother, Skip, who invited him to the Open Championships for the first time in 1998.
Since Skip's death two years ago, being on the biggest stage in bowling still is about having a memorable time with friends and teammates, but it's also about making Skip proud.
Owens knows he did that Tuesday as he rattled off games of 217, 212 and 194 to secure the top spot in Classified Singles with a 623 total.
"My brother Skip is the reason I'm here," Owens said. "He's no longer with us, but he's the one who got me coming. He couldn't bowl over his last few years, so that made it more important for me to be here. He's been gone about two years, and I'm here bowling for both of us. If he was here, I know he'd have a big smile on his face."
The performance marked Owens' first 600 series in singles in 18 appearances at the Open Championships. The best set of his career was a 647 series in team competition at the 2014 tournament in Reno, Nevada, but this year's effort now has the potential to earn him a coveted Eagle trophy.
"It feels good to be in this position, and even if I don't end up winning, I had a great time, and there's always next year," Owens said. "Doing well definitely helps build your confidence. It means a lot to know you can come here and compete against the best bowlers around and just have fun."
The Classified Division includes individual bowlers with entering tournament averages of 155 and below and doubles teams with combined entering averages of 310 and below.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
As a 31-time participant in the event, he's also very familiar with the rules and dress code, so he knows he must remove all those hats before competition begins.
The only business the 58-year-old left-hander was focused on when he stepped onto the approach this week at the South Point Bowling Center was knocking down all 10 pins, and he did so in record fashion.
Witt was consistent across two days, nine games and two oil patterns, tossing seven games above 210 on the way to the highest all-events total in the five-tournament history of the Standard Division.
He rolled sets of 675 in singles, 671 in team and 636 in doubles for a 1,982 total and the top spot in this year's Standard All-Events standings.
The Standard Division, for bowlers with entering tournament averages of 156-175, was introduced in 2017, also at South Point. The highest on record was the 1,942 rolled by Michael Hamilton of Davenport, Iowa, to win the event in 2021.
"I wasn't really paying much attention to what the scores were," said Witt, who made his Open Championships debut at the 1991 tournament in Toledo, Ohio. "I was just trying to make good shots and stay clean. I missed a couple easy spares that cost me 30-40 pins, but overall, I'm really happy with my effort."
Witt has been able to elevate his game this year with the guidance of another Phoenix-area standout, David Cirigliano, one of three bowlers in Open Championships history to own three perfect games on the tournament lanes.
The confidence Witt has in the new equipment they've selected, along with the support of his four-team group, helped him find success at South Point on Monday and Tuesday.
"I try to stay loose by talking to teammates and maybe helping them get lined up, if they're struggling, but when it's my turn to bowl, it's game on," Witt said. "I bowled well in team, but I was fishing a bit early in doubles. I was able to settle in after a few frames. I made the right moves, and I think I threw the ball well, for the most part. I can't thank David enough for his help and suggestions."
The trip started out well for Witt and his teammates, as two of the team found their way to the top of the leaderboard in their respective divisions.
Witt helped Witt's Classified Family Affair into the lead in Classified Team (2,681), while Luke All Stars moved into the top spot in Standard Team with a 2,898 total.
The group now will return home to Arizona with a chance for 10 of the 20 members to claim Eagle trophies, but Witt knows that reality is a long way off.
The 129-day Open Championships kicked off Saturday and won't conclude until July 18.
"It would be great if we could win all three categories, but we'd also be thrilled if we could hold on for even one," Witt said. "It'll be a tough wait, but I'm happy with my performance, and I did my best. If someone is fortunate to come out and bowl better, then so be it. It certainly would be well-earned. As always, no matter how the bowling goes, we're here to have a good time, and we did that."
While Witt's success and Open Championships experience had a lot to do with the bowlers and friends with him in Las Vegas, Andy Owens of Havre, Montana, was inspired by someone who was not at the South Point Bowling Plaza in person.Owens, a 52-year-old right-hander, competes each year to carry on a tradition started by his brother, Skip, who invited him to the Open Championships for the first time in 1998.
Since Skip's death two years ago, being on the biggest stage in bowling still is about having a memorable time with friends and teammates, but it's also about making Skip proud.
Owens knows he did that Tuesday as he rattled off games of 217, 212 and 194 to secure the top spot in Classified Singles with a 623 total.
"My brother Skip is the reason I'm here," Owens said. "He's no longer with us, but he's the one who got me coming. He couldn't bowl over his last few years, so that made it more important for me to be here. He's been gone about two years, and I'm here bowling for both of us. If he was here, I know he'd have a big smile on his face."
The performance marked Owens' first 600 series in singles in 18 appearances at the Open Championships. The best set of his career was a 647 series in team competition at the 2014 tournament in Reno, Nevada, but this year's effort now has the potential to earn him a coveted Eagle trophy.
"It feels good to be in this position, and even if I don't end up winning, I had a great time, and there's always next year," Owens said. "Doing well definitely helps build your confidence. It means a lot to know you can come here and compete against the best bowlers around and just have fun."
The Classified Division includes individual bowlers with entering tournament averages of 155 and below and doubles teams with combined entering averages of 310 and below.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.