Oklahoma bowler beats weather, ties for lead at USBC Open Championships
04/08/09
Tom Hammack of Jenks, Okla., almost missed his chance to compete in the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships when snow in the Denver area delayed his flight into Las Vegas, but luckily, he was able to make it to Cashman Center in time to bowl doubles and singles Monday.
Hammack hit the tournament lanes with one goal, which was to post his personal-best score at the USBC Open Championships. With some advice from his teammates, who bowled their team event Sunday night, the 50-year-old right-hander was able to strike his way to a career-high series and into a tie for the Classified Singles lead with 679.
"I wanted to come in here and bowl the best I could do," said Hammack, who made his fifth Open Championships appearance. "I never look at the leaderboards when I come here, especially today. All I had coming into tonight was what the guys were telling me about the lanes in team event."
Hammack started the night off slowly with a 449 series in doubles, but things clicked as he started singles with three consecutive strikes. After games of 199 and 215, he struck 11 times, including his last eight shots, for a 265 finale. He is tied with Dennis Tomhave of Vermillion, S.D.
"I finally found my mark, and everything was working," Hammack said. "I didn't know I could take the lead, but I knew I needed the last strike for a 265."
Before the final ball was rolled, Hammack felt some nerves come over him, but he still didn't know what the leading score was.
"I wasn't nervous until the last ball," said Hammack, whose previous high series at the Open Championships was a 585 singles effort at the 2006 event in Corpus Christi, Texas. "I stepped back and took some deep breaths. No one told me what first place was or what I needed. No one said a word, and that's the best thing they could've done."
After he finished his game and his teammates informed him on what he just did, Hammack got pretty excited. "It really hasn't sunk in yet, but I'm so excited," Hammack said. "I can't believe I'm in first place at nationals."
With a 1,128 all-events total thus far, Hammack will try to find a team looking for a substitute so he can get all nine games in.
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.
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev. (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls
1, Turbo 2-N-1 Grips 1 (Marc McDowell, Steve Richter, Jeff Richgels, Gail Myers Jr., Mike Shady), Oregon, Wis., 3,403. 2, Don Johnson Memorial, 3.306. 3, Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Neb., 3,250. 4, Junior Team USA Support,Orlando, Fla., 3,236. 5, The Bowling Shop, Keller, Texas, 3,224. 6, Forgey Sports Medicine 1, Milwaukie, Ore., 3,200. 7, Attorneys At Law, Montrose, Ill., 3,194. 8, Super Bowl-Appleton, Kaukauna, Wis., 3,181. 9, Ray Cyr's Pro Shop, Baldwinsville, N.Y., 3,177. 10, Plamor Lanes, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 3,152.
Doubles
1, Marc McDowell, Monona, Wis./Mike Shady, Fairview, Pa., 1,474. 2, Ron Nelson, Bridgeview, Ill./Bryan O'Keefe, Arlington, Texas, 1,466. 3, Jason Guest, Urbandale, Iowa/Scott Wohlwend, Moline, Ill., 1,453. 4, John Brodersen, Helena, Mont./Bruce Steffani, Great Falls, Mont., 1,444. 5, Edward Gallagher, Clarksville, Tenn./Ray Edwards, Middle Island, N.Y., 1,440. 6, Mike Holland/Ryan Holland, Houston, 1,429. 7, Richard Renollet, Park City, Kan./James Hall, Wichita, Kan., 1,415. 8, Aaron Craig/Brian Wallace, Lexington, Ky., 1,408. 9, Marty Barington, Mitchell, S.D./Brian Diede, Huron, S.D., 1,406. 10, David Scott, Springfield, Mo./DeWayne Scott, Mountain View, Mo., 1,401.
Singles
1, Vincent Yoder, Wooster, Ohio, 810. 2, Joseph Burgio, Buffalo, N.Y., 788. 3, Keith Jeffery, St. Louis, 777. 4, Orin Baugher, Spokane, Wash., 773. 5 (tie), Jason Johnson, Macedonia, Ohio, and Steven Malik, Racine, Wis., 772. 7, Jeff Voght, Canajoharie, N.Y., 771. 8, Jason Zook, Tampa, Fla., 770. 9, Gary James, Spring, Texas, 767. 10, Justin Hromek, Tampa, Fla., 764.
All-Events
1, Don Burdick, DeKalb, Ill., 2,168. 2, Ron Nelson Jr., Bridgeview, Ill., 2,138. 3, Mike Shady, Fairview, Pa., 2,133. 4, Andres Gomez, Weston, Fla., 2,130. 5, Chris Dicus, Chillicothe, Ohio, 2,123. 6, Jeff Voght, Canajoharie, N.Y., 2,115. 7, Gail Myers Jr., Monroe, Wis., 2,111. 8, Anthony LaCaze, Glen Ellyn, Ill., 2,110. 9, Michael Hansell, Broken Arrow, Okla., 2,107. 10, Richard Renollet, Park City, Kan., 2,103.
Team All-Events
1, Turbo 2-N-1 Grips 1 (Marc McDowell, Steve Richter, Jeff Richgels, Gail Myers Jr., Mike Shady), Oregon, Wis., 10,317. 2, Don Johnson Memorial, Lexington, Ky., 10,056. 3, Junior Team USA Support, Orlando, Fla., 9,846. 4, Cambridge 1, Feeding Hills, Mass., 9,784. 5, The Bowling Shop 2, Keller, Texas, 9,778. 6, Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Neb., 9,663. 7, Forgey Sports Medicine 1, Milwaukie, Ore., 9,582. 8, Thunderbird Bowl 1, Wichita, Kan., 9,561. 9, Bowler's Connection, Waukee, Iowa, 9,548. 10, St. Charles Lanes, O'Fallon, Mo., 9,541.
Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls
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 (tie), Eagle Bowl 2, Eagle Grove, Iowa, and 5 Star Farms, Bowling Green, Mo., 2,686. 6, Yetties From Ypsi, Ypsilanti, N.D., 2,684. 7, Golden Gate Bowling Club 2, San Francisco, 2,683. 8, Ice Cream Place, Bonner, Mont., 2,679. 9, Whitlow Furnace & Duct, Scobey, Mont., 2,675. 10, Brits On Tour, Oxfordshire, England., 2,671.
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, Jay McDonald, Totowa, N.J./Robert Andes, Wallington, N.J., 1,157. 6, Toby Sanchez/Matt Landis, Walden, Colo., 1,152. 7, Jeff Zolman, Lagrange, Ind./Dick Kelly, Orland, Ind., 1,149. 8, Steve Peterson/Rich Wahl, Hannaford, N.D., 1,147. 9, Kelly Campbell, Wenatchee, Wash./Rollin Murphy, Spokane, Wash., 1,143. 10, Dennis Poepping, Alexandria, Minn./Dale Poepping, Sauk Centre, Minn., 1,141.
Singles
1(tie), Dennis Tomhave, Vermillion, S.D., and Tom Hammack, Jenks, Okla., 679. 3, Kelly Aeikens, Benson, Minn., 677. 4, Ryan Knutson, Dilworth, Minn., 664. 5, Adam Macleod, Brampton, Ontario, 662. 6, Roy Umehira, Honolulu, 657. 7, Jean Reese, Owatonna, Minn., 654. 8, Richard Pecoraro, San Bernadino, Calif., 651. 9, Glenn Matsuda, La Palma, Calif., 644. 10, Dale Helgevold, Osceola, Iowa, 638.
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, Richard Ruby, Milford, N.J., 1,796. 5, Roy Umehira, Honolulu, 1,782. 6, Brian Wright, Stokechurch Bucks, England. 7, Allen Blommel, Clarissa, Minn., 1,757. 8, Ryan Knutson, Dilworth, Minn., 1,750. 9 (tie), John Dorseth, Scobey, Mont., and Glenn Matsuda, La Palma, Calif., 1,745. <
United States
Cashman Center in Las Vegas, Nev., United States (Feb. 21 - July 24, 2009)
Tom Hammack of Jenks, Okla., almost missed his chance to compete in the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships when snow in the Denver area delayed his flight into Las Vegas, but luckily, he was able to make it to Cashman Center in time to bowl doubles and singles Monday.Hammack hit the tournament lanes with one goal, which was to post his personal-best score at the USBC Open Championships. With some advice from his teammates, who bowled their team event Sunday night, the 50-year-old right-hander was able to strike his way to a career-high series and into a tie for the Classified Singles lead with 679.
"I wanted to come in here and bowl the best I could do," said Hammack, who made his fifth Open Championships appearance. "I never look at the leaderboards when I come here, especially today. All I had coming into tonight was what the guys were telling me about the lanes in team event."
Hammack started the night off slowly with a 449 series in doubles, but things clicked as he started singles with three consecutive strikes. After games of 199 and 215, he struck 11 times, including his last eight shots, for a 265 finale. He is tied with Dennis Tomhave of Vermillion, S.D.
"I finally found my mark, and everything was working," Hammack said. "I didn't know I could take the lead, but I knew I needed the last strike for a 265."
Before the final ball was rolled, Hammack felt some nerves come over him, but he still didn't know what the leading score was.
"I wasn't nervous until the last ball," said Hammack, whose previous high series at the Open Championships was a 585 singles effort at the 2006 event in Corpus Christi, Texas. "I stepped back and took some deep breaths. No one told me what first place was or what I needed. No one said a word, and that's the best thing they could've done."
After he finished his game and his teammates informed him on what he just did, Hammack got pretty excited. "It really hasn't sunk in yet, but I'm so excited," Hammack said. "I can't believe I'm in first place at nationals."
With a 1,128 all-events total thus far, Hammack will try to find a team looking for a substitute so he can get all nine games in.
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.
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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
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Team1, Turbo 2-N-1 Grips 1 (Marc McDowell, Steve Richter, Jeff Richgels, Gail Myers Jr., Mike Shady), Oregon, Wis., 3,403. 2, Don Johnson Memorial, 3.306. 3, Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Neb., 3,250. 4, Junior Team USA Support,Orlando, Fla., 3,236. 5, The Bowling Shop, Keller, Texas, 3,224. 6, Forgey Sports Medicine 1, Milwaukie, Ore., 3,200. 7, Attorneys At Law, Montrose, Ill., 3,194. 8, Super Bowl-Appleton, Kaukauna, Wis., 3,181. 9, Ray Cyr's Pro Shop, Baldwinsville, N.Y., 3,177. 10, Plamor Lanes, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 3,152.
Doubles
1, Marc McDowell, Monona, Wis./Mike Shady, Fairview, Pa., 1,474. 2, Ron Nelson, Bridgeview, Ill./Bryan O'Keefe, Arlington, Texas, 1,466. 3, Jason Guest, Urbandale, Iowa/Scott Wohlwend, Moline, Ill., 1,453. 4, John Brodersen, Helena, Mont./Bruce Steffani, Great Falls, Mont., 1,444. 5, Edward Gallagher, Clarksville, Tenn./Ray Edwards, Middle Island, N.Y., 1,440. 6, Mike Holland/Ryan Holland, Houston, 1,429. 7, Richard Renollet, Park City, Kan./James Hall, Wichita, Kan., 1,415. 8, Aaron Craig/Brian Wallace, Lexington, Ky., 1,408. 9, Marty Barington, Mitchell, S.D./Brian Diede, Huron, S.D., 1,406. 10, David Scott, Springfield, Mo./DeWayne Scott, Mountain View, Mo., 1,401.
Singles
1, Vincent Yoder, Wooster, Ohio, 810. 2, Joseph Burgio, Buffalo, N.Y., 788. 3, Keith Jeffery, St. Louis, 777. 4, Orin Baugher, Spokane, Wash., 773. 5 (tie), Jason Johnson, Macedonia, Ohio, and Steven Malik, Racine, Wis., 772. 7, Jeff Voght, Canajoharie, N.Y., 771. 8, Jason Zook, Tampa, Fla., 770. 9, Gary James, Spring, Texas, 767. 10, Justin Hromek, Tampa, Fla., 764.
All-Events
1, Don Burdick, DeKalb, Ill., 2,168. 2, Ron Nelson Jr., Bridgeview, Ill., 2,138. 3, Mike Shady, Fairview, Pa., 2,133. 4, Andres Gomez, Weston, Fla., 2,130. 5, Chris Dicus, Chillicothe, Ohio, 2,123. 6, Jeff Voght, Canajoharie, N.Y., 2,115. 7, Gail Myers Jr., Monroe, Wis., 2,111. 8, Anthony LaCaze, Glen Ellyn, Ill., 2,110. 9, Michael Hansell, Broken Arrow, Okla., 2,107. 10, Richard Renollet, Park City, Kan., 2,103.
Team All-Events
1, Turbo 2-N-1 Grips 1 (Marc McDowell, Steve Richter, Jeff Richgels, Gail Myers Jr., Mike Shady), Oregon, Wis., 10,317. 2, Don Johnson Memorial, Lexington, Ky., 10,056. 3, Junior Team USA Support, Orlando, Fla., 9,846. 4, Cambridge 1, Feeding Hills, Mass., 9,784. 5, The Bowling Shop 2, Keller, Texas, 9,778. 6, Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Neb., 9,663. 7, Forgey Sports Medicine 1, Milwaukie, Ore., 9,582. 8, Thunderbird Bowl 1, Wichita, Kan., 9,561. 9, Bowler's Connection, Waukee, Iowa, 9,548. 10, St. Charles Lanes, O'Fallon, Mo., 9,541.
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CLASSIFIED DIVISION
Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls
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Team1, 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 (tie), Eagle Bowl 2, Eagle Grove, Iowa, and 5 Star Farms, Bowling Green, Mo., 2,686. 6, Yetties From Ypsi, Ypsilanti, N.D., 2,684. 7, Golden Gate Bowling Club 2, San Francisco, 2,683. 8, Ice Cream Place, Bonner, Mont., 2,679. 9, Whitlow Furnace & Duct, Scobey, Mont., 2,675. 10, Brits On Tour, Oxfordshire, England., 2,671.
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, Jay McDonald, Totowa, N.J./Robert Andes, Wallington, N.J., 1,157. 6, Toby Sanchez/Matt Landis, Walden, Colo., 1,152. 7, Jeff Zolman, Lagrange, Ind./Dick Kelly, Orland, Ind., 1,149. 8, Steve Peterson/Rich Wahl, Hannaford, N.D., 1,147. 9, Kelly Campbell, Wenatchee, Wash./Rollin Murphy, Spokane, Wash., 1,143. 10, Dennis Poepping, Alexandria, Minn./Dale Poepping, Sauk Centre, Minn., 1,141.
Singles
1(tie), Dennis Tomhave, Vermillion, S.D., and Tom Hammack, Jenks, Okla., 679. 3, Kelly Aeikens, Benson, Minn., 677. 4, Ryan Knutson, Dilworth, Minn., 664. 5, Adam Macleod, Brampton, Ontario, 662. 6, Roy Umehira, Honolulu, 657. 7, Jean Reese, Owatonna, Minn., 654. 8, Richard Pecoraro, San Bernadino, Calif., 651. 9, Glenn Matsuda, La Palma, Calif., 644. 10, Dale Helgevold, Osceola, Iowa, 638.
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, Richard Ruby, Milford, N.J., 1,796. 5, Roy Umehira, Honolulu, 1,782. 6, Brian Wright, Stokechurch Bucks, England. 7, Allen Blommel, Clarissa, Minn., 1,757. 8, Ryan Knutson, Dilworth, Minn., 1,750. 9 (tie), John Dorseth, Scobey, Mont., and Glenn Matsuda, La Palma, Calif., 1,745. <
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