Ohio bowler celebrates 50th appearance at 2026 Open Championships
May 28, 2026
RENO, Nev. – Gregory Czachur of Mentor, Ohio, recently made his 50th appearance at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, earning a plaque, chevron and diamond lapel pin at the National Bowling Stadium.
Czachur’s love of the sport began early on when his grade school held an event to teach children how to bowl.
“It was an outing, there was no competition,” Czachur said. “You just went out and bowled. That’s why I started, and I liked the game then. Of course, the balls back then had three thumb holes, you just picked them off the rack and you rented your shoes.”
It quickly became a passion. Czachur was bowling as many as 10 leagues each week.
“I just love the game,” Czachur said. “Some days were like Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Saturday afternoon, Saturday night, there was a lot of bowling. That kept me competitive, kept me consistent.”
Czachur made his first trip to the Open Championships in 1975 when the event was in Dayton, Ohio, not knowing it was the beginning of his long journey at the event.
“Somebody was pressing up to ask me to bowl,” Czachur said. “Back then I bowled in the Cleveland Bowling Association, and somebody needed a bowler, and they asked me to bowl, so I started.”
In 2003, he rolled a 300 game during his singles set, finishing with a 700 series. He followed it up in 2004 with his highest all-event series (2,003).
“That’s very special because you’re only here once a year,” Czachur said. “To do it in the nine games that you’re here, that meant a lot. It’s a different experience because it’s a different site, lane conditions, environment, everything’s different.”
Czachur walked out alongside his wife, Joyce, in shirts commemorating his milestone achievement.
“She doesn’t complain too much about my bowling,” Czachur joked. “Of course, she didn’t know me when I bowled 10 leagues in seven days. She encourages me to go out and bowl, and I enjoy it because you meet the people, the camaraderie. We make a good team going to the bowling alleys.
“The goal now is to just keep bowling as long as I can, to ride off into the sunset.”
Through his 50 appearances, Czachur has knocked down 83,709 pins for a career average of 186.
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.
Czachur’s love of the sport began early on when his grade school held an event to teach children how to bowl.
“It was an outing, there was no competition,” Czachur said. “You just went out and bowled. That’s why I started, and I liked the game then. Of course, the balls back then had three thumb holes, you just picked them off the rack and you rented your shoes.”
It quickly became a passion. Czachur was bowling as many as 10 leagues each week.
“I just love the game,” Czachur said. “Some days were like Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Saturday afternoon, Saturday night, there was a lot of bowling. That kept me competitive, kept me consistent.”
Czachur made his first trip to the Open Championships in 1975 when the event was in Dayton, Ohio, not knowing it was the beginning of his long journey at the event.
“Somebody was pressing up to ask me to bowl,” Czachur said. “Back then I bowled in the Cleveland Bowling Association, and somebody needed a bowler, and they asked me to bowl, so I started.”
In 2003, he rolled a 300 game during his singles set, finishing with a 700 series. He followed it up in 2004 with his highest all-event series (2,003).
“That’s very special because you’re only here once a year,” Czachur said. “To do it in the nine games that you’re here, that meant a lot. It’s a different experience because it’s a different site, lane conditions, environment, everything’s different.”
Czachur walked out alongside his wife, Joyce, in shirts commemorating his milestone achievement.
“She doesn’t complain too much about my bowling,” Czachur joked. “Of course, she didn’t know me when I bowled 10 leagues in seven days. She encourages me to go out and bowl, and I enjoy it because you meet the people, the camaraderie. We make a good team going to the bowling alleys.
“The goal now is to just keep bowling as long as I can, to ride off into the sunset.”
Through his 50 appearances, Czachur has knocked down 83,709 pins for a career average of 186.
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.