Brenda Edwards and Stephen Padilla of Mansfield, Texas,
rolled the highest doubles total in United States Bowling Congress Open
Championships history at Cashman Center on Sunday, and then Edwards
capped off the memorable day with a 300 game in singles. Padilla paced the pair with a 790 series, while Edwards contributed 776
on the way to games of 542, 556 and 468. Their 1,566 total topped the
previous record of 1,544 set by Jonathan Masur of West Orange, N.J.,
and Jeffrey Butler of Garfield, N.J., at the National Bowling Stadium
in 2007. Mike Shady of Fairview, Pa., and Marc McDowell of Monona,
Wis., previously held the Regular Doubles lead this year with 1,474.
Bryan Young of Everett, Wash., came into the 2009 USBC Open Championships knowing he would have to roll the highest series in tournament history if he was going to become the first bowler to win back-to-back Regular Singles titles. The 35-year-old right-hander confidently entered singles after shooting 682 in team and 627 in doubles, but after three frames, it was mathematically impossible for him to top Bo Goergen of Midland, Mich., who leads Regular Singles this year with 862.
The 2009 USBC Open Championships may be entering its final week, but there's still plenty of excitement happening on the lanes at Cashman Center. First-time participant Jonathan Schalow (l.) of Marshfield, Wis., made sure his debut was a memorable one by shooting the sixth 800 series of this year's event, while Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Wayne Webb (r.) of Sacramento, Calif., added his name to the record books with the tournament's 34th perfecto.
Joseph Costa of Chicago made a run at the Classified Singles lead at the USBC Open Championships on Saturday, but came up short and settled into sixth place. Costa started singles with five consecutive strikes on the way to a 233 game and followed it up with a 255 effort. Halfway through his last game, he realized he had a legitimate shot at the lead, but the pins did not fall his way. After missing a 10 pin in the sixth frame, he opened two more times to finish with a 181 game and 669 series. Vernon Daniels of Bermuda leads with 692.
Vince Baptista of Millbrae, Calif., and Wayne Wada of Alameda, Calif. (pictured r-l), have combined for 10 appearances at the USBC Open Championships, but neither had competed in the event outside of the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., until this weekend. The two left-handers are regular visitors to Las Vegas and used this year's USBC Open Championships as a reason for an additional trip to one of their favorite places. They got more than just another vacation, however, as they moved into third place in Classified Doubles at Cashman Center on Monday.
Lol Ellis of Cannock Staffs, England, has competed in events as prestigious as the Men's World Championships and as high-paying as the High Roller and Mini-Eliminator in Las Vegas, and this week, he got his first taste of the USBC Open Championships. The 58-year-old right-hander and the rest of his Team Camel teammates traveled more than 5,000 miles from England to Las Vegas to join the more than 86,000 bowlers competing at Cashman Center this year, and the experience was a memorable one.
After moving into sixth place in Regular Team at the USBC Open Championships on Monday, the members of Jr. Team USA Support of New Port Richey, Fla., continued showing off their skills during doubles and singles Tuesday night. Comprised of former Team USA and Junior Team USA members, the group made a run at the Team All-Events lead Tuesday before settling into fifth place with a 10,034 total. Linds Limited of Milwaukee, which leads Regular Team with 3,449, also leads Team All-Events with 10,372, the third-highest total in USBC Open Championships history.
In less than a month, former Team USA member P.J. Haggerty (far right) of Clovis, Calif., will begin his career as an exempt player on the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association Tour. Since his exempt status will make him ineligible to compete at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships until his PBA Tour career is over, Haggerty took advantage of the opportunity to compete in the event one last time.
Frankie Colon (pictured) of San Juan, Puerto Rico, may have been the quietest member of his energetic and talented team at the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships this weekend, but his performance on the lanes spoke volumes. The 35-year-old right-hander rolled the 33rd perfect game of this year's event on the way to a 777 singles effort at Cashman Center on Sunday and now will be recognized in the squad room along with his teammates each year he returns to the USBC Open Championships. His 300 came between games of 255 and 222.
At 96 years old, there probably isn't much that Fred Finkeldei of Kansas City, Mo., hasn't done, but this week, he got to try something new as he made his first trip to the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships. Finkeldei has been an avid bowler for more than 30 years, still bowls in six leagues in the winter and two in the summer and averages in the 180s, but it took a special invitation to get him to test his skills on bowling's biggest stage.
Michael Nape of Yorkville, Ill., has enjoyed a successful career at the USBC Open Championships, and in 2008, he finally got the one thing that eluded him for 20 years- a title on the tournament lanes. The 40-year-old right-hander helped Fox Bowl 2 of Wheaton, Ill., to the Team All-Events crown last year in Albuquerque, N.M., and this week, the group took to the lanes at Cashman Center to put that title on the line.
Greg Bollinger (l.) of Plainfield, Ill., and P.J. Massey (r.) of St. Joseph, Mo., have known each other for years, but they had no idea they were bowling on the same team squad at the 2009 USBC Open Championships. The two have only seen each other a few times since Bollinger moved back to Illinois, but they were reunited in the spotlight at Cashman Center on Monday night after they both rolled 300 games on the tournament lanes.
Six months ago, Frank Testa of Akron, Ohio, was in a slump like he has never experienced before, and thanks to some recent coaching, he was able to revive his game in time for the 2009 USBC Open Championships. Testa sought the help of USBC Open Championships titlist and current Regular Doubles leader Mike Shady of Fairview, Pa., and the extra effort paid off as Testa rolled the 28th perfect game of this year's event Friday at Cashman Center. The 27-year-old right-hander opened his team event with a 204 game, then rattled off 12 consecutive strikes for a 300 game and finished with 215 for a 719 series.
In 1959, Frank Dunn of Wayne, Pa., boarded a train headed for the USBC Open Championships in St. Louis, and the 17-hour trip turned into a lifelong journey. Dunn has been back to the USBC Open Championships every year but one since 1959, and this week, he made his 50th appearance on the tournament lanes. During his tournament career, he has participated in 33 different cities. This year, Dunn was unable to secure a spot on a team, but had no intentions of postponing his 50th trip down Center Aisle. 
When Dawn Smith of Mason, Ohio, found out she had breast cancer earlier this year, her husband's friends wanted to do something to help the family since they currently are without health insurance. After word spread around Princeton Bowl, where Dawn and Joe Smith bowl league, there were discussions about fundraising ideas. Longtime friend and teammate Don Daniels Jr. of Mason, Ohio, decided to form a team that could raise awareness while competing at the 2009 USBC Open Championships. 
When Lee Vanderhoef of Greenville, S.C., stepped onto the lanes at the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, he wanted to prove to himself that he could still compete with the best. On Sunday, he proved to himself and everyone else at Cashman Center that he could by rolling the 27th perfect game of this year's event on the way to a career-best all-events total. He started singles with games of 229 and 226 before tossing 12 consecutive strikes for a 300 game and 755 series for a 2,122 all-events total, which is 17th in Regular All-Events. 
In the coming months, we'll talk with some of best-known bowlers at the USBC Open Championships and get their thoughts on their time at the tournament and what it takes to succeed on the championship lanes. This week, we heard from Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, who will be in Las Vegas to compete in this year's event. Dorin-Ballard, a USBC Hall of Famer who will be making her third Open Championships appearance, was a star in the Professional Women's Bowling Association and earned 20 titles and two PWBA Player of the Year honors before the organization closed its doors in 2003.
Team USA member Shannon O'Keefe (pictured left) of Arlington, Texas, has found success at amateur and professional events in seven countries, but before Friday, she had never competed at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships. The 30-year-old right-hander made her tournament debut in good company, joined on the lanes at Cashman Center by some good friends and a few of her Team USA teammates, Stefanie Nation, Shannon Pluhowsky, Lynda Barnes and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard.
Joe Hostetler of Minerva, Ohio, experienced a series of unfortunate events at the start of his 2009 USBC Open Championships campaign, but things eventually calmed down, and he ended up having a memorable tournament experience. After a disappointing start, Hostetler finished his first game with a 202. Despite a strained lower back that started to cramp, he continued striking and rolled the 25th perfect game of this year's tournament. He added 227 and finished his team event with a 729 series. He added 716 in singles and 711 in doubles for a 2,156 all-events total and sixth place in Regular All-Events. 
The last time John Nolen (pictured left) of Waterford, Mich., was at Cashman Center, he was hoisting the Frank K. Baker Trophy and celebrating his victory at the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Masters. Four months later, Nolen was back in Las Vegas hoping to master the lanes at the USBC Open Championships and leave his mark on the storied event as he competed for what he hopes will be the last time for many years.