Two bowlers roll 800 series at 2019 Bowlers Journal Championships
March 26, 2019
By Matt Cannizzaro and Daniel Farish
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - Less than 15 hours after 23-year-old Packy Hanrahan of Wichita, Kansas (below), took the lead at the 2019 Bowlers Journal Championships presented by the United States Bowling Congress, his sizable score was topped at the South Point Bowling Center.
AJ Rice of Phenix City, Alabama (above), now sits atop the Open Singles standings after rolling games of 278, 278 and 279 for an 835 series Tuesday afternoon. The near-triplicate performance saw him surge past Hanrahan, who set the bar Monday night with games of 299, 279 and 235 for an 813 set.
Both competitors utilize the two-handed style and attack the lanes from the left side.
Ironically, Rice's success was due in part to a conversation he had with Hanrahan about the equipment he used during his three games at the Bowlers Journal Championships. Hanrahan said he used urethane equipment to bowl so well, so Rice decided on a similar strategy.
Stepping up for the final shot of his set, Rice said he wanted to complete the 278 triplicate.
"I thought about it, and I really wanted the triplicate," Rice said. "I just told myself to throw the best ball I can, and we'll see what happens."
Rice, 27, and Hanrahan, both are in town for the 2019 USBC Masters at the nearby Gold Coast Bowling Center and used their time at the Bowlers Journal as a makeshift practice session before Masters competition begins on Wednesday morning.
"I hadn't even planned on bowling, but my buddy Zach talked me into it," Hanrahan said. "I've been working on some things in my physical game, and tonight was an opportunity to implement them. Obviously, they worked, and I feel really good going into the Masters this week."
Rice's big series also helped him and Kevin Doler (558) into the lead in Open Doubles at the Bowlers Journal Championships with a 1,393 total. Ryan Mouw of Muskegon, Michigan, and Kurt Pilon of Warren, Michigan, previously held the lead with 1,363.
Rice and Hanrahan both plan on returning to the Entertainment Capital of the World to compete in the USBC Open Championships, which is being held at the South Point Bowling Plaza from March 9-July 8. The Bowlers Journal features the same oil pattern being used for doubles and singles at the 2019 Open Championships.
After finding such a good look at the Bowlers Journal this week, the two are confident they can use what they learned on the lanes the last two days to find similar success at the Open Championships.
Rice will bowl the first of his three Masters qualifying squads starting at 11 a.m. Eastern, while Hanrahan begins his quest for the Masters title at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
The Masters features 15 games of qualifying over three days, with the top 63 players, plus defending champion Andrew Anderson of Holly, Michigan, entering the double-elimination match-play portion of the event.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS - Less than 15 hours after 23-year-old Packy Hanrahan of Wichita, Kansas (below), took the lead at the 2019 Bowlers Journal Championships presented by the United States Bowling Congress, his sizable score was topped at the South Point Bowling Center.
AJ Rice of Phenix City, Alabama (above), now sits atop the Open Singles standings after rolling games of 278, 278 and 279 for an 835 series Tuesday afternoon. The near-triplicate performance saw him surge past Hanrahan, who set the bar Monday night with games of 299, 279 and 235 for an 813 set.
Both competitors utilize the two-handed style and attack the lanes from the left side.
Ironically, Rice's success was due in part to a conversation he had with Hanrahan about the equipment he used during his three games at the Bowlers Journal Championships. Hanrahan said he used urethane equipment to bowl so well, so Rice decided on a similar strategy.
Stepping up for the final shot of his set, Rice said he wanted to complete the 278 triplicate.
"I thought about it, and I really wanted the triplicate," Rice said. "I just told myself to throw the best ball I can, and we'll see what happens."
Rice, 27, and Hanrahan, both are in town for the 2019 USBC Masters at the nearby Gold Coast Bowling Center and used their time at the Bowlers Journal as a makeshift practice session before Masters competition begins on Wednesday morning.
"I hadn't even planned on bowling, but my buddy Zach talked me into it," Hanrahan said. "I've been working on some things in my physical game, and tonight was an opportunity to implement them. Obviously, they worked, and I feel really good going into the Masters this week."Rice's big series also helped him and Kevin Doler (558) into the lead in Open Doubles at the Bowlers Journal Championships with a 1,393 total. Ryan Mouw of Muskegon, Michigan, and Kurt Pilon of Warren, Michigan, previously held the lead with 1,363.
Rice and Hanrahan both plan on returning to the Entertainment Capital of the World to compete in the USBC Open Championships, which is being held at the South Point Bowling Plaza from March 9-July 8. The Bowlers Journal features the same oil pattern being used for doubles and singles at the 2019 Open Championships.
After finding such a good look at the Bowlers Journal this week, the two are confident they can use what they learned on the lanes the last two days to find similar success at the Open Championships.
Rice will bowl the first of his three Masters qualifying squads starting at 11 a.m. Eastern, while Hanrahan begins his quest for the Masters title at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
The Masters features 15 games of qualifying over three days, with the top 63 players, plus defending champion Andrew Anderson of Holly, Michigan, entering the double-elimination match-play portion of the event.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.