Nevada pair takes Classified lead at 2026 USBC Open Championships
June 30, 2026
RENO, Nev. – Although Robert Yadao and Ken Johnson were more than 400 miles away from home Monday night at the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, their on-lane performance at the National Bowling Stadium could translate to a hometown celebration in Las Vegas for the 2027 event.
Yadao, of Las Vegas, and Johnson, of Henderson, Nevada, teamed together to take over the top spot in Classified Doubles with a 1,231 total and now have less than three weeks to see if they can add a title at the USBC Open Championships to their collection.
While the teammates stayed steady through their first two games of the set, each was saving a string of strikes for Game 3.
Yadao had posted 176 and 199 before starting the final game with six strikes on the way to a 255 finish and 630 series. Johnson had 202 and 178 before a ball change helped him find five in a row – starting in the fifth frame – to close with 221 and 601.
Jay Good of Kyle, Texas, and Javier Juarez of San Marcos, Texas, had held the lead since May 16 with 1,202.
The pair found success at the 2024 Bowlers Journal Championships, where they worked together to win the Handicap Doubles title with a 1,294 total at the South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
Johnson missed the 2025 event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but he started his week in Reno by receiving his championship trophy for the performance from 2024.
“We’ve known each other for 30 years, so to actually put together that performance in 2024 was pretty special,” said Johnson, who made his 12th appearance at the Open Championships. “To do it again here, that could be another special achievement to put under our belts.”
Their run to the lead in Reno was aided by some advice from another member of their eight-team group who had bowled doubles and singles earlier in the day.
“All thanks goes to Bob Godden,” said Yadao, making his 18th tournament appearance. “He saw something when he bowled at 3:15 and was able to get us in the right part of the lane with the right equipment. He also told me to drill two of these bowling balls on Thursday, and my first time using them is here. He got us going in the right direction. Ken made a move and ball change and trusted what Bob said, too.”
“Once I saw what he was talking about, it just kind of fell into place,” Johnson said.
Both players were aware they were in the mix for the top spot heading down the stretch.
Yadao’s momentum was temporarily slowed down by an 8 pin in the ninth frame, but the 61-year-old right-hander made the single pin.
“He had the five-bagger going, and I had a strike in the eighth,” Yadao said. “I always have the scores in my head. I looked up and saw that if I struck in the ninth, we were there. I threw it pretty nice and slammed an 8 pin, and my legs started shaking. I had to settle down, because we still had to bowl the 10th.”
Johnson was up first in the final frame and started with a 2-4-5-8 combination. The 49-year-old right-hander had no problem covering the spare. He closed with an eight count on his fill ball, but the spare to start the frame helped make the path to the top of the standings a little easier for the pair.
Yadao bounced back with two strikes and an eight count on his fill to secure the lead.
“I didn’t feel nervous for the 10th frame, but I got up there and rocketed the ball down the lane,” Johnson said. “Making the spare was definitely big. Some of the biggest shots in your life aren’t strikes or 300s or 800s. It’s making the right spare at the right time, and some of the best shots you make are spares.”
While texts and messages started to pass among their group about the performance in doubles, Yadao and Johnson also reflected on having the chance to see a championship banner in the rafters next year at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
“Being part of the Captain’s Club, we have eight teams and 40 bowlers with us,” Yadao said. “They way they support us is pretty cool. We root each other on, and we’ve already got some texts and emails about it. It’s humbling for sure, and it’s cool to have the support of family and friends.
“Thinking about having our names on a banner … that’s kind of an emotional thing for me. Knowing that I’ve had surgery on my right foot, surgery on my left foot, surgery on my left hand, injections in my right hand … to share it with Ken would be a treat.”
“To see one of those banners in a place where we bowl, it’d be pretty cool to see,” Johnson added.
Yadao closed out his 2026 appearance with 605 in singles, which currently places him in the top 50 for the Classified Division. With 474 in team Sunday, he posted 1,709 for his nine-game total and also is in the top 25 for Classified All-Events.
Johnson added 536 in team and 500 in singles for an all-events score of 1,637 in the Standard Division.
Classified Doubles features bowlers with combined entering averages of 320 and below.
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.
Yadao, of Las Vegas, and Johnson, of Henderson, Nevada, teamed together to take over the top spot in Classified Doubles with a 1,231 total and now have less than three weeks to see if they can add a title at the USBC Open Championships to their collection.
While the teammates stayed steady through their first two games of the set, each was saving a string of strikes for Game 3.
Yadao had posted 176 and 199 before starting the final game with six strikes on the way to a 255 finish and 630 series. Johnson had 202 and 178 before a ball change helped him find five in a row – starting in the fifth frame – to close with 221 and 601.
Jay Good of Kyle, Texas, and Javier Juarez of San Marcos, Texas, had held the lead since May 16 with 1,202.
The pair found success at the 2024 Bowlers Journal Championships, where they worked together to win the Handicap Doubles title with a 1,294 total at the South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
Johnson missed the 2025 event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but he started his week in Reno by receiving his championship trophy for the performance from 2024.
“We’ve known each other for 30 years, so to actually put together that performance in 2024 was pretty special,” said Johnson, who made his 12th appearance at the Open Championships. “To do it again here, that could be another special achievement to put under our belts.”
Their run to the lead in Reno was aided by some advice from another member of their eight-team group who had bowled doubles and singles earlier in the day.
“All thanks goes to Bob Godden,” said Yadao, making his 18th tournament appearance. “He saw something when he bowled at 3:15 and was able to get us in the right part of the lane with the right equipment. He also told me to drill two of these bowling balls on Thursday, and my first time using them is here. He got us going in the right direction. Ken made a move and ball change and trusted what Bob said, too.”
“Once I saw what he was talking about, it just kind of fell into place,” Johnson said.
Both players were aware they were in the mix for the top spot heading down the stretch.
Yadao’s momentum was temporarily slowed down by an 8 pin in the ninth frame, but the 61-year-old right-hander made the single pin.
“He had the five-bagger going, and I had a strike in the eighth,” Yadao said. “I always have the scores in my head. I looked up and saw that if I struck in the ninth, we were there. I threw it pretty nice and slammed an 8 pin, and my legs started shaking. I had to settle down, because we still had to bowl the 10th.”
Johnson was up first in the final frame and started with a 2-4-5-8 combination. The 49-year-old right-hander had no problem covering the spare. He closed with an eight count on his fill ball, but the spare to start the frame helped make the path to the top of the standings a little easier for the pair.
Yadao bounced back with two strikes and an eight count on his fill to secure the lead.
“I didn’t feel nervous for the 10th frame, but I got up there and rocketed the ball down the lane,” Johnson said. “Making the spare was definitely big. Some of the biggest shots in your life aren’t strikes or 300s or 800s. It’s making the right spare at the right time, and some of the best shots you make are spares.”
While texts and messages started to pass among their group about the performance in doubles, Yadao and Johnson also reflected on having the chance to see a championship banner in the rafters next year at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
“Being part of the Captain’s Club, we have eight teams and 40 bowlers with us,” Yadao said. “They way they support us is pretty cool. We root each other on, and we’ve already got some texts and emails about it. It’s humbling for sure, and it’s cool to have the support of family and friends.
“Thinking about having our names on a banner … that’s kind of an emotional thing for me. Knowing that I’ve had surgery on my right foot, surgery on my left foot, surgery on my left hand, injections in my right hand … to share it with Ken would be a treat.”
“To see one of those banners in a place where we bowl, it’d be pretty cool to see,” Johnson added.
Yadao closed out his 2026 appearance with 605 in singles, which currently places him in the top 50 for the Classified Division. With 474 in team Sunday, he posted 1,709 for his nine-game total and also is in the top 25 for Classified All-Events.
Johnson added 536 in team and 500 in singles for an all-events score of 1,637 in the Standard Division.
Classified Doubles features bowlers with combined entering averages of 320 and below.
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.