McDowell returns after singles win at USBC Open Championships
May 06, 2026
RENO, Nev. – Marc McDowell of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, earned his third Eagle at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships during the 2025 event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, claiming the victory in Regular Singles with a 795 series.
The performance featured games of 299, 196 and 300 by the 62-year-old right-hander (now 63) at the Raising Cane’s River Center, with McDowell needing nearly every pin in his perfect finish to get to the lead. Richie Benninghoff of South Bend, Indiana, had set the bar at 793 just a day prior to McDowell’s incredible showing.
With the victory, McDowell became the first champion in Regular Singles to roll both a 299 and 300 during the set. He also became the first competitor since 1984 to secure the title with a game below 200 (Neal Young of Louisville, Kentucky, with games of 196, 289 and 279 for 764).
The five-time Professional Bowlers Association Tour champion was able to match his father, Larry McDowell, during his time in Baton Rouge, too. Larry rolled a 300 game during doubles at the 1997 Open Championships in Huntsville, Alabama.
McDowell’s first win at the Open Championships also took place in Baton Rouge. He helped Smith Barney 1 of Madison, Wisconsin, capture the Team All-Events title with a 9,698 total alongside USBC Hall of Famers Jeff Richgels and Mike Shady, Gail Myers Jr. and Steve Richter.
The same group claimed the victory in Regular Team during the 2011 event in Reno (as Turbo 2-N-1 Grips 1 of Madison) on the strength of a then-record performance in Game 3. The team fired 1,281 to close their set with the winning score of 3,473.
Watch the video below as McDowell looks back at the performance in 2025 and talks about his return to the tournament in 2026.
McDowell put together games of 189, 214 and 216 in his title defense for a 619 series, but he did make another run at the top of the standings in 2026.
Shortly after his on-lane presentation at the National Bowling Stadium, McDowell and his 11th Frame.com #1 teammates – Richgels, Shady, two-time Eagle winner Jeff Nimke and David Leverage – put together games of 1,135, 1,092 and 1,105 to move into fourth in Regular Team with 3,332. The group now sits in fifth place.
Robert Oakleaf Jr. of Louisville, Kentucky, leads Regular Singles at the 2026 Open Championships with 816, and American Fleet Inc. # ONE of Springfield, Missouri, holds the top spot in Regular Team with 3,372.
McDowell, making his 39th tournament appearance in 2026, finished the year with an all-events score of 1,859. He had 622 in doubles and 618 in team.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
The performance featured games of 299, 196 and 300 by the 62-year-old right-hander (now 63) at the Raising Cane’s River Center, with McDowell needing nearly every pin in his perfect finish to get to the lead. Richie Benninghoff of South Bend, Indiana, had set the bar at 793 just a day prior to McDowell’s incredible showing.
With the victory, McDowell became the first champion in Regular Singles to roll both a 299 and 300 during the set. He also became the first competitor since 1984 to secure the title with a game below 200 (Neal Young of Louisville, Kentucky, with games of 196, 289 and 279 for 764).
The five-time Professional Bowlers Association Tour champion was able to match his father, Larry McDowell, during his time in Baton Rouge, too. Larry rolled a 300 game during doubles at the 1997 Open Championships in Huntsville, Alabama.
McDowell’s first win at the Open Championships also took place in Baton Rouge. He helped Smith Barney 1 of Madison, Wisconsin, capture the Team All-Events title with a 9,698 total alongside USBC Hall of Famers Jeff Richgels and Mike Shady, Gail Myers Jr. and Steve Richter.
The same group claimed the victory in Regular Team during the 2011 event in Reno (as Turbo 2-N-1 Grips 1 of Madison) on the strength of a then-record performance in Game 3. The team fired 1,281 to close their set with the winning score of 3,473.
Watch the video below as McDowell looks back at the performance in 2025 and talks about his return to the tournament in 2026.
McDowell put together games of 189, 214 and 216 in his title defense for a 619 series, but he did make another run at the top of the standings in 2026.
Shortly after his on-lane presentation at the National Bowling Stadium, McDowell and his 11th Frame.com #1 teammates – Richgels, Shady, two-time Eagle winner Jeff Nimke and David Leverage – put together games of 1,135, 1,092 and 1,105 to move into fourth in Regular Team with 3,332. The group now sits in fifth place.
Robert Oakleaf Jr. of Louisville, Kentucky, leads Regular Singles at the 2026 Open Championships with 816, and American Fleet Inc. # ONE of Springfield, Missouri, holds the top spot in Regular Team with 3,372.
McDowell, making his 39th tournament appearance in 2026, finished the year with an all-events score of 1,859. He had 622 in doubles and 618 in team.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.