Even a knee brace and a limp from a nagging injury couldn't slow down Dennis Tomhave (pictured left) of Vermillion, S.D., who was able to battle through the discomfort and move into the top spot in Classified Singles at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships on Friday.

The 55-year-old right-hander improved with each set he bowled at Cashman Center this week and finished with games of 224, 229 and 226 for a 679 singles effort. Ryan Knutson of Dilworth, Minn., previously held the Classified Singles lead with 664.

"I figured that even the Classified lead was over 700, so I didn't really give much thought to the standings," said Tomhave, who made his 21st USBC Open Championships appearance. "Now that I'm older and my health is not as good, I can't maintain my average like I used to, so I don't worry about my performance too much. I had no idea I took the lead. This feels awesome."

Tomhave injured his knee years ago, and as he's gotten older, arthritis has set in and made the pain worse, which affects his pushaway. As he considers an eventual knee replacement, he has dropped from three leagues each week to just one, but still plans to compete at the Open Championships each year.

"One of the main guys I come with has been bowling with me since the beginning, so we plan to keep coming," Tomhave said. "All of the excitement of walking in for team event that was there the first year is still there every year. The tournament is also a good excuse to see different places and have a nice vacation with my wife."

Tomhave's 2009 tournament started slowly with a 156 game, but a little advice from his teammates and a change in strategy helped him finish his team event with a 550 series. He improved to 570 in doubles on the way to a 1,799 all-events total, which is good for second place overall. Anthony Kastle of Charlotte, N.C., leads Classified All-Events with 1,834.

"My first goal each year is to not let my teammates or doubles partner down," Tomhave said. "There are always some jitters that first game, you're a little tighter and spares are tougher. By the time you get to singles, the pressure is off because you're on your own and can't let anyone down, and it's easier to relax."

Now that he's in the lead, Tomhave likely will keep one eye on the leaderboard.

"I was just trying to bowl for myself and do the best I could," Tomhave said. "Of course, it would be a dream come true to win. Actually, just seeing my name on the leaderboard right now is like a dream come true, whether I win or not."

Presenting sponsors for the 2009 USBC Open Championships are the Coast Casinos in Las Vegas and the Eldorado Hotel Casino, Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; Brunswick, capital equipment supplier; Storm Products, Inc.; Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel and Four Queens Hotel and Casino, the official brackets sponsors; Sapphire Gentleman's Club; Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino; MGM Mirage; Jerry's Nugget Casino and Fitzgerald's Casino and Hotel.

 

 

2009 USBC Open Championships

Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev. (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)

REGULAR DIVISION

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls

 

Team
1, Junior Team USA Support (Steve Novak, Amanda Vermilyea, Anthony LaCaze, Jeffrey Mersch, Erik Vermilyea), Orlando, Fla., 3,236. 2, Forgey Sports Medicine 1, Milwaukie, Ore., 3,200. 3, Super Bowl-Appleton, Kaukauna, Wis., 3,181. 4, Plamor Lanes, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 3,152. 5, Highland Lanes 2, Ottawa, Ohio, 3,140. 6, AF Strike Eagles, Burke, Va., 3,138. 7, On the Ball Pro Shop, Tulsa, Okla., 3,137. 8, Wichita Bowling Supply 2, Wichita, Kan., 3,134. 9, Handy Andy Rolands 5, Maricopa, Ariz., 3,124. 10, Rob Bailey's Pro Shop 1, Sun Prairie, Wis., 3,117.

Doubles
1, Ron Nelson, Bridgeview, Ill./Bryan O'Keefe, Arlington, Texas, 1,466. 2, Jason Guest, Urbandale, Iowa/Scott Wohlwend, Moline, Ill., 1,453. 3, Richard Renollet, Park City, Kan./James Hall, Wichita, Kan., 1,415. 4, Marty Barington, Mitchell, S.D./Brian Diede, Huron, S.D., 1,406. 5, David Scott, Springfield, Mo./DeWayne Scott, Mountain View, Mo., 1,401. 6, Kevin Kelly/Chad Fowler, Minot, N.D., 1,383. 7, Barbara Batt/Gabby DaClouche, Jacksonville, Fla., 1,376. 8, Curtis Odom, Coldwater, Mich./Mark Weller, Jonesville, Mich., 1,372. 9, Rick Ehrnschwender, Cincinnati/Chris Viale, Westfield, Mass., 1,361. 10, Emil Dudas, Toms River, N.J./Gary Budra, Howell, N.J., 1,360.

Singles
1, Keith Jeffery, St. Louis, 777. 2, Orin Baugher, Spokane, Wash., 773. 3, Jason Johnson, Macedonia, Ohio, 772. 4, Jeff Voght, Canajoharie, N.Y., 771. 5, Jason Zook, Tampa, Fla., 770. 6, Scott Horvath, Windsor, Colo., 748. 7 (tie), Brian Watson, Washington, W.V., and Steven Vance, Stone Mountain, Ga., 747. 9, Jim Santino, Birch Run Mich., 745. 10, Troy Kendrick, Laguna Niguel, Calif., 744.

All-Events
1, Ron Nelson Jr., Bridgeview, Ill., 2,138. 2, Chris Dicus, Chillicothe, Ohio, 2,123. 3, Jeff Voght, Canajoharie, N.Y., 2,115. 4, Anthony LaCaze, Glen Ellyn, Ill., 2,110. 5, Michael Hansell, Broken Arrow, Okla., 2,107. 6, Richard Renollet, Park City, Kan., 2,103. 7, Stace Bohlender, Lawton, Okla., 2,075. 8, Bob Handley, Winter Park, Fla., 2,073. 9, Jason Porter, Ludington, Mich., 2,070. 10, Scott Culp, Lima, N.Y., 2,066.

Team All-Events
1, Junior Team USA Support (Steve Novak, Amanda Vermilyea, Anthony LaCaze, Jeffrey Mersch, Erik Vermilyea), Orlando, Fla., 9,846. 2, Cambridge 1, Feeding Hills, Mass., 9,784. 3, Forgey Sports Medicine 1, Milwaukie, Ore., 9,582. 4, Bowler's Connection, Waukee, Iowa, 9,548. 5, St. Charles Lanes, O'Fallon, Mo., 9,541. 6, Joliet Town/Country Lanes 2, Joliet, Ill., 9,496. 7, Holiday Bowl 2, Wichita Falls, Texas, 9,477. 8, Forgey Sports Medicine 2, Portland, Ore., 9,330. 9, S and C Promo Products. Omro, Wis., 9,326. 10, AF Strikes Eagles, Burke, Va., 9,320.

CLASSIFIED DIVISION

Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls

 

Team
1, Malad Gun Club (Darren Tripp, William Evans, Mike Bercier, Doyle Williams, Rex Williams), Malad City, Idaho, 2,745. 2, ATW, New London, Minn., 2,698. 3, Pro Zone 3, Mission Hills, Calif., 2,696. 4, Yetties From Ypsi, Ypsilanti, N.D., 2,684. 5, Golden Gate Bowling Club 2, San Francisco, 2,683. 6, Whitlow Furnace & Duct, Scobey, Mont., 2,675. 7, Brits On Tour, Oxfordshire, England., 2,671. 8, Wild Bill's, Tremonton, Utah, 2,663. 9 (tie), Johnson Insurance, Hardin, Mont., and Lake Country Rollers 1, Clarissa, Minn., and 2 Bar Lighting, Cheyenne, Wyo., 2,661.

Doubles
1, Eric Douglass, Goldfield, Iowa/Troy Schultz, Clarion, Iowa, 1,204. 2, Veronica Boone/Luis Boone, Mission Hills, Calif., 1,195. 3, George Marquez, Whittier/ Pete Dumpit, El Monte, Calif., 1,192. 4, Mamerto Jablan, Baldwin Park/Philip Lebaguin, Cerritos, Calif., 1,161. 5, Jeff Zolman, Lagrange, Ind./Dick Kelly, Orland, Ind., 1,149. 6, Steve Peterson/Rich Wahl, Hannaford, N.D., 1,147. 7, Kelly Campbell, Wenatchee, Wash./Rollin Murphy, Spokane, Wash., 1,143. 8, Joel Olson/Cory Forcht, Greenfield, Iowa, 1,137. 9, Virginia Sweatt, Lakewood, Calif./Ernie Taylor, Cypress, Calif., 1,134. 10, Mark Heilman, Kasota/Bruce Huikko, South Haven, Minn., 1,132.

Singles
1, Dennis Tomhave, Vermillion, S.D., 679. 2, Ryan Knutson, Dilworth, Minn., 664. 3, Adam Macleod, Brampton, Ontario, 662. 4, Roy Umehira, Honolulu, 657. 5, Jean Reese, Owatonna, Minn., 654. 6, Richard Pecoraro, San Bernadino, Calif., 651. 7, Glenn Matsuda, La Palma, Calif., 644. 8 (tie), Merwin Metzger, Big Lake, Minn., and Patrick Schmidt, Flower Mound, Texas, 632. 10, Alan Schroeder, Mt. Vernon, S.D., 629.

All-Events
1, Anthony Kastle, Charlotte, N.C., 1,834. 2, Dennis Tomhave, Vermillion, S.D., 1,799. 3, Pete Dumpit, El Monte, Calif., 1,798. 4, Roy Umehira, Honolulu, 1,782. 5, Ryan Knutson, Dilworth, Minn., 1,750. 6 (tie), John Dorseth, Scobey, Mont., and Glenn Matsuda, La Palma, Calif., 1,745. 8, Eric Halverson, Spearfish, S.D., 1,738. 9, Luis Boone, Mission Hills, Calif., 1,737. 10, Roger Stansbery, New Hampton, Iowa, 1,735.