For Wendy Macpherson of Henderson, Nev., the past few months have been an emotional roller coaster. Off the lanes, she has been dealing with the loss of her father, while her performance on the lanes could land her in the record books at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.

Making just her second Open Championships appearance, the former Professional Women's Bowling Association star found her way to the top again, shooting 248, 300 and 264 to take the lead in Regular Singles with an 812 series Sunday afternoon. Norm Titus of Columbia, Tenn., previously held the lead with 811. Should she hold on to win, Macpherson would become the first woman to claim a title in the Regular Division.

When she strung together 12 consecutive strikes for the 30th perfect game of this year's event, Macpherson became the second woman to achieve the feat this year, and just the third in the 103-year history of the event. In addition, she joined Kristal Scott of Wichita, Kan., as the only two women to record an 800 series on the tournament lanes. Scott made headlines earlier this week when she rolled an 816 series during her team event.

"I was ready to come out here and bowl and have a really good time, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I'd shoot 300 or 800 or take the lead in singles," said Macpherson, who added 680 in doubles and 603 in team for 2,095 all-events. "I've bowled 22 years in the Women's Championships and I don't think I've ever broken 650 in a singles event, so this is new territory for me."

As a 20-time PWBA titlist, a four-time winner at the USBC Women's Championships and a three-time USBC Queens champion, Macpherson has seen her share of pressure, and she had to draw on every ounce of her experience Sunday during singles.

The 38-year-old right-hander finished her first game with four strikes and rattled off another 19 in a row, before a 7-pin ended the run in the eighth frame. She struck in the ninth frame and again on the first shot in the 10th to put herself in position to take the lead. Although she left the bucket, the 2-4-5-8 combination, on the next shot, she picked off three pins to slip into the lead by a pin with one day of competition remaining.

"I still can't believe what happened today," Macpherson said. "It happened so quick, and it was an amazing zone to be in. It was the three games that all bowlers dream about bowling, and you couldn't have written a better script."

Just nine days ago, Macpherson's father Christian lost his battle with cancer, and bowling was the farthest thing from her mind. With the support of her friends and teammates, she was able to look past the grief and come to the American Bank Center Exhibit Hall looking to have a good time.

"This has been the saddest time of my life, but I'm calm because I know he is at peace," Macpherson said. "This has been a heck of a month for me. I've met my lowest low and this could definitely be considered one of my highest highs. Today really was quite a thrill."

Presenting sponsors for the 2006 USBC Open Championships are Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, Texas State Aquarium, Majestic Ventures Yacht Charters, Inc., USS Lexington Museum and Texas Treasure Casino Cruises.



Top 10 division leaders with hometown and pinfalls:

Team
1, Browning Pontiac (Steve Fehr, George Gohagan III, Ken Jessee, Jon Murph, Ken Abner), Cincinnati, 3,496. 2, Bowlers Universe 1, Rockford, Ill., 3,472. 3, Brunswick Shox, Wichita, Kan., 3,436. 4, The Benik Corporation, Silverdale, Wash., 3,402. 5, Bowling Dynamics Inc., Phoenix, 3,400. 6, Trophy King Pro Shop, Davenport, Iowa, 3,394. 7, Red Carpet Waukesha, Waukesha, Wis., 3,387. 8, Fran's Pro Shop 3, Waterloo, Iowa, 3,382. 9, True Amateur Tournament 1, Upland, Calif., 3,372. 10, Chilton Billiard Supply, Wichita, Kan., 3,365.

Doubles
1, Paul Yoder, Albuquerque, N.M./Bobby Stives, El Paso, Texas, 1,497. 2, Pat McGainey Jr., Baltimore/Brian Bennett, Lewes, Del., 1,496. 3, Paul Zuehlke, Oshkosh, Wis./Jon Schure, Ripon, Wis., 1,461. 4, Kevin Adam/Jacques Jacobson, Reading, Pa., 1,447. 5, Shane Keefauver, Canton, Ill./Doug Manhart, Bloomington, Ill., 1,432. 6, Gary Skidmore, Albuquerque, N.M./John Weltzien, Wellington, Fla., 1,425. 7, Scott Terzo/Mark McClain, Rochester, N.Y., 1,421. 8, Aaron Pawloski, Volcano, Calif./Bobby Huckaby, Santa Cruz, Calif., 1,420. 9, Mike Friedman, Adams, Tenn./Tony Szeluga, Clarksville, Tenn., 1,413. 10, Ryan Lever, New Berlin, Wis./Chad Maas, Brookfield, Wis., 1.412.

Singles
1, Wendy Macpherson, Henderson, Nev., 812. 2, Norm Titus, Columbia, Tenn., 811. 3, Dave Barker, Springfield Ill., 793. 4, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 792. 5, Michael Chontos, Finleyville, Pa., 791. 6, Janette Piesczynski, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 789. 7 (tie), Dave Hewitt, Fremont, Calif., and Jeff Carter, Springfield Ill., 788. 9, David Williams Jr., Omaha, Neb., 783. 10, Ernest Goedicke, Brigham City, Utah, 774.

All-Events
1, Dave Mitchell, Farmington, Minn., 2,189. 2, Andrew Neuer, Milton, Pa., 2,183. 3, Aaron Walsh, Amarillo, Texas, 2,180. 4, Kelly Ray, Arlington, Texas, 2,179. 5, Norm Titus, Columbia, Tenn., 2,177. 6, Shane Keefauver, Canton, Ill., 2,171. 7, Rob Schuh, Neenah, Wis., 2,161. 8, Robert Dillman, Albuquerque, N.M., 2,158. 9, Mitch Sacks, Mundelein, Ill., and Michael Nape, Aurora, Ill., 2,156.

Team All-Events
1, Linds Lakers 1 (Sam Lantto, Gary Green, Charles Vashaw, Todd Savoy, John Eiss), Minneapolis, 9,940. 2, MoRich Ball Company, Milwaukee, 9,893. 3, Bowling Dynamics Inc., Phoenix, 9,866. 4, Montgomery Industries Inc., Braintree, Mass., 9,851. 5, Smith Barney 1, Madison, Wis., 9,849. 6, Warrior Lanes, Des Moines, Iowa, 9,837. 7, Browning Pontiac, Cincinnati, 9,829. 8, Ebonite HQ 1, Hopkinsville, Ky., 9,816. 9, Fox Bowl 1, Wheaton, Ill., 9,814. 10, On Track/Custom Thumb A, Brooklyn Center, Minn., 9,799.

Team
1, Torkelson Construction (Greg Schipull, Roger Haupt, Troy Schultz, Dustin Elston, Eric Douglass), Clarion, Iowa, 2,878. 2, Suburban Lanes, Meade, Kan., 2,851. 3, Sportsman Bowling Club 3, Cerritos, Calif., 2,807. 4, Grogan's Dairy Queen, Dyersburg, Tenn., 2,789. 5, Flirtin' With Disaster, Tallahassee, Fla., 2,777. 6, Git-Er-Done, Gainesville, Ga., 2,764. 7, D&R Golf, New Iberia, La., 2,750. 8, Sparta Pro Shop, Sparta, Mich., 2,745. 9, Hole in the Wall 2, Newton, Iowa, 2,744. 10, Lucky-Lucky, Lubbock, Texas, 2,743.

Doubles
1, Robert Tukker, Mount Prospect, Ill./David Clauss, Chicago, 1,248. 2, Richard Cockerhan, Davison, Mich./Ron Caldwell, North Branch, Mich., 1,234. 3, Chris Lott, Murfreesboro, Tenn./Ronald Morris, Nashville, Tenn., 1,229. 4, Larry Sifton, Lafayette, La./Carlton McCoy, Opelousas, La., 1,223. 5, Kevin Mitchell, Millbrae, Calif./Robert Stephens, San Francisco, 1,214. 6 (tie), Stephen Kubis/Stacey Smith, Houston, and Jared Gould, Jamestown, N.Y./Harvey Osterstuck, Perrysburg, N.Y., 1,212. 8, Kirby Lomax, Gainesville, Ga./Samuel Murray, Toccoa, Ga., 1,211. 9, Ron Hester/Ken Varner, Lexington, N.C., 1,209. 10, Leroy Bellemin, Grand Coteau, La./Rodney Leblanc, Lafayette, La., 1,201.

Singles
1, Shawn Fisher, Albuquerque, N.M., 684. 2 (tie), Steve Jacoby, Gowen, Mich., and Ted Skrzynecki Jr., Ida, Mich., 679. 4 (tie), Darlene Baker, Mahomet, Ill., and Todd Guidry, Lafayette, La., 675. 6, Rand Syverson, Onamia, Minn., 665. 7, Aaron Biagioni, Ottawa, Ill., 661. 8, Frederick Green, Waterford Township, Mich., 660. 9, Chris Case, Knoxville, Tenn., 657. 10, Greg Hidalgo, Austin, Texas, 655.

All-Events
1, Kirby Lomax, Gainesville, Ga., 1,861. 2, John Millet Jr., Greenland, N.H., 1,851. 3, Todd Guidry, Lafayette, La., 1,824. 4, John Murray, Pompano Beach, Fla., 1,802. 5, Jeffery Schrupp, Lester Prairie, Minn., 1,800. 6, Keith Braun, Celina, Ohio, 1,797. 7, Billy Haferkamp, Clifton, Texas, 1,788. 8, Robyn Haires, Panama City, Fla., 1,785. 9, James McLendon, Charlotte, N.C., 1,781. 10, Stephen Kubis, Houston, 1,779.