Before the 1st Frame #4 takes team lead at 2024 USBC Open Championships
July 02, 2024
NOTE: A video interview with the team will be added to this story at a later time.
LAS VEGAS – The members of Before the 1st Frame #4 made their move toward the lead in Regular Team at the 2024 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships with a big number in Game 2 and secured the top spot with clutch deliveries down the stretch Tuesday at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
The team – featuring Matt Fitch, Steven Zimmer, Jacob Yazell, Mike Conn and Tim Foy Jr. – sits at the top of the standings after rolling games of 1,071, 1,227 and 1,075 for a 3,373 total.
Trip 4 Pro Shop of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, had held the lead since April 4 with 3,363.
The 1,227 effort in Game 2 – highlighted by a 289 from Zimmer and 279 from Conn – was the second highest team game at the 2024 USBC Open Championships.
The final game didn’t go as smoothly for the group, but they each recorded big shots along the way to give Foy the chance to secure the lead from the anchor position.
Fitch finished the game with five strikes to get to 218, and although the strikes weren’t falling for Zimmer the way they did in Game 2, he stayed clean for 196. Yazell paced the team in Game 3, posting the final four strikes to finish with 248.
Conn, a former Junior Team USA member and the 2009 Junior Gold Championships winner, left the 3-10 split to start his final frame and narrowly converted the spare, and a six count on his fill ball gave him 192 to set the stage for Foy.
Foy, a fourth-place finisher this year at the Professional Bowlers Association Delaware Classic and owner of a 300 game in team at the 2021 Open Championships in Las Vegas, had posted a strike in the ninth frame and had multiple paths to secure the lead.
A spare, followed by a strike on his fill ball, would have allowed Before the 1st Frame #4 to take the lead by a pin. The talented two-hander didn’t leave it to chance, however, delivering a strike on his first ball and recording a nine count (10 pin) on his second shot to move the team to the top of the leaderboard. He closed the game with the spare conversion to finish with 221.
Conn led the effort Tuesday with a 715 series and was followed by Zimmer (705), Yazell (700), Foy (650) and Fitch (603).
The group will be split across different squads Wednesday for doubles and singles at the Bowling Plaza with a run at Team All-Events on the horizon.
Conn, Zimmer and Fitch will be competing during the 7 a.m. Pacific squad, while Yazell and Foy will return for minors during the 6 p.m. Pacific squad.
Higgy’s Aquarium of Lewis Center, Ohio, took the lead in Team All-Events on June 28 with a 10,226 total.
The 2024 Open Championships got underway Feb. 23 and will run through July 29 at the South Point Bowling Plaza. The tournament is scheduled to feature more than 11,000 teams and 55,000 bowlers making their way to compete in Las Vegas.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
LAS VEGAS – The members of Before the 1st Frame #4 made their move toward the lead in Regular Team at the 2024 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships with a big number in Game 2 and secured the top spot with clutch deliveries down the stretch Tuesday at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
The team – featuring Matt Fitch, Steven Zimmer, Jacob Yazell, Mike Conn and Tim Foy Jr. – sits at the top of the standings after rolling games of 1,071, 1,227 and 1,075 for a 3,373 total.
Trip 4 Pro Shop of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, had held the lead since April 4 with 3,363.
The 1,227 effort in Game 2 – highlighted by a 289 from Zimmer and 279 from Conn – was the second highest team game at the 2024 USBC Open Championships.
The final game didn’t go as smoothly for the group, but they each recorded big shots along the way to give Foy the chance to secure the lead from the anchor position.
Fitch finished the game with five strikes to get to 218, and although the strikes weren’t falling for Zimmer the way they did in Game 2, he stayed clean for 196. Yazell paced the team in Game 3, posting the final four strikes to finish with 248.
Conn, a former Junior Team USA member and the 2009 Junior Gold Championships winner, left the 3-10 split to start his final frame and narrowly converted the spare, and a six count on his fill ball gave him 192 to set the stage for Foy.
Foy, a fourth-place finisher this year at the Professional Bowlers Association Delaware Classic and owner of a 300 game in team at the 2021 Open Championships in Las Vegas, had posted a strike in the ninth frame and had multiple paths to secure the lead.
A spare, followed by a strike on his fill ball, would have allowed Before the 1st Frame #4 to take the lead by a pin. The talented two-hander didn’t leave it to chance, however, delivering a strike on his first ball and recording a nine count (10 pin) on his second shot to move the team to the top of the leaderboard. He closed the game with the spare conversion to finish with 221.
Conn led the effort Tuesday with a 715 series and was followed by Zimmer (705), Yazell (700), Foy (650) and Fitch (603).
The group will be split across different squads Wednesday for doubles and singles at the Bowling Plaza with a run at Team All-Events on the horizon.
Conn, Zimmer and Fitch will be competing during the 7 a.m. Pacific squad, while Yazell and Foy will return for minors during the 6 p.m. Pacific squad.
Higgy’s Aquarium of Lewis Center, Ohio, took the lead in Team All-Events on June 28 with a 10,226 total.
The 2024 Open Championships got underway Feb. 23 and will run through July 29 at the South Point Bowling Plaza. The tournament is scheduled to feature more than 11,000 teams and 55,000 bowlers making their way to compete in Las Vegas.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.