Brian Dennis takes over the lead after two rounds of the USBC Senior Masters
June 06, 2024
FULL STANDINGS
LAS VEGAS – Brian Dennis of Creedmoor, North Carolina, averaged 243 for his five games of qualifying on Wednesday and took over the lead after two rounds of the United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters.
Dennis, a 50-year-old right-hander, has finished each of his five-game qualifying blocks at Sam’s Town Bowling Center with a 267 game, and hasn’t posted a game below 228 in his 10 games of competition in the year’s first major senior championship.
Dennis, who is bowling in this event for the first time, has been remarkably consistent as he averaged 245 in Round 1 of qualifying and has a total pinfall of 2,443 (244 overall average). He owns a five-pin lead over USBC and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Jason Couch of Clermont, Florida.
“I’ve been able to throw just one ball for the entire 10 games,” Dennis said. “It’s an IQ Tour, so an older coverstock that’s been really smooth and predictable for me. I’ve been able to keep it in play, and I’m not getting some of the weird reactions some of the guys have been seeing. I’ve been able to stay in that ball for two days, and fingers crossed for a third.”
Couch, a 16-time PBA and two-time PBA50 Tour champion, is after his first major win in PBA50 competition. His five-game set on Wednesday included games of 278 and 279. He already has a PBA50 Tour victory to his credit this year after winning the season-opening Hamtramck Singles Classic Open at Vision Lanes in Westland, Michigan.
Third place belongs to Kevin Croucher of Grants Pass, Oregon, with a total pinfall of 2,391 (239 average). Croucher had a 258 game, plus a pair of 257 games, in his second round of qualifying to move up from 17th place. He is the lone super senior (player over the age of 60) in the top five.
Chris Barnes of Denton, Texas, who, like Couch, is a USBC and PBA Hall of Famer, finds himself in fourth place (2,386). Barnes, who owns 19 PBA Tour titles and five PBA50 Tour wins, is seeking his third PBA50 major championship.
Defending champion John Janawicz of Winter Haven, Florida, made a big move on Wednesday, jumping from a tie for 51st place after Round 1 of qualifying all the way to fifth place (2,375). Janawicz tied with Dan Knowlton of Dade City, Florida, for the best block in Round 2 with 1,253 (250.6 average)
First round leader Brian LeClair of Delmar, New York, sits just outside the top five in sixth place (2,368).
After competing on the double burn on Tuesday and the burn on Wednesday, Dennis will bowl his final five games of qualifying Thursday morning on fresh oil. He talked about his game plan for that session.
“Definitely going to be to the right,” Dennis said. “I think I’ll still be able to shape it some and not have to try to manipulate anything or change anything too drastically. Hoping for a similar ball motion, and it may be the same ball I’ve been using, but I’ve got a couple of other ones ready to go if I need them.”
For now, Dennis is not really thinking too much about being the tournament leader.
“As we were bowling today, someone asked where I stood and I said, ‘I don’t really know,’” Dennis said. “I might start paying more attention to it tomorrow if it’s close, but for now I’m just trying to stick to my process and make the best shots I can.”
All 312 competitors at the 2024 USBC Senior Masters will bowl three five-game blocks over three days, and the top 63 will join Janawicz in the tournament’s double-elimination bracket after 15 games.
Janawicz is guaranteed a spot in the bracket as the defending champion and can improve his seeding through qualifying. But, if he qualifies outside of the top 63, he will enter the bracket as the No. 64 seed.
Bracket matches will be contested in a three-game total-pinfall format, until the field is cut to the top five for the live stepladder finals Sunday, June 9, at 1 p.m. Eastern on BowlTV.
Since the stepladder will be broadcast on BowlTV, the top seed will have to be defeated twice in the true double-elimination format. The winner of the 2024 USBC Senior Masters will take home a major championship on the PBA50 schedule and the first-place prize of $20,000.
For scores and information about the 2024 USBC Senior Masters, visit BOWL.com/SeniorMasters.
LAS VEGAS – Brian Dennis of Creedmoor, North Carolina, averaged 243 for his five games of qualifying on Wednesday and took over the lead after two rounds of the United States Bowling Congress Senior Masters.
Dennis, a 50-year-old right-hander, has finished each of his five-game qualifying blocks at Sam’s Town Bowling Center with a 267 game, and hasn’t posted a game below 228 in his 10 games of competition in the year’s first major senior championship.
Dennis, who is bowling in this event for the first time, has been remarkably consistent as he averaged 245 in Round 1 of qualifying and has a total pinfall of 2,443 (244 overall average). He owns a five-pin lead over USBC and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Jason Couch of Clermont, Florida.
“I’ve been able to throw just one ball for the entire 10 games,” Dennis said. “It’s an IQ Tour, so an older coverstock that’s been really smooth and predictable for me. I’ve been able to keep it in play, and I’m not getting some of the weird reactions some of the guys have been seeing. I’ve been able to stay in that ball for two days, and fingers crossed for a third.”
Couch, a 16-time PBA and two-time PBA50 Tour champion, is after his first major win in PBA50 competition. His five-game set on Wednesday included games of 278 and 279. He already has a PBA50 Tour victory to his credit this year after winning the season-opening Hamtramck Singles Classic Open at Vision Lanes in Westland, Michigan.
Third place belongs to Kevin Croucher of Grants Pass, Oregon, with a total pinfall of 2,391 (239 average). Croucher had a 258 game, plus a pair of 257 games, in his second round of qualifying to move up from 17th place. He is the lone super senior (player over the age of 60) in the top five.
Chris Barnes of Denton, Texas, who, like Couch, is a USBC and PBA Hall of Famer, finds himself in fourth place (2,386). Barnes, who owns 19 PBA Tour titles and five PBA50 Tour wins, is seeking his third PBA50 major championship.
Defending champion John Janawicz of Winter Haven, Florida, made a big move on Wednesday, jumping from a tie for 51st place after Round 1 of qualifying all the way to fifth place (2,375). Janawicz tied with Dan Knowlton of Dade City, Florida, for the best block in Round 2 with 1,253 (250.6 average)
First round leader Brian LeClair of Delmar, New York, sits just outside the top five in sixth place (2,368).
After competing on the double burn on Tuesday and the burn on Wednesday, Dennis will bowl his final five games of qualifying Thursday morning on fresh oil. He talked about his game plan for that session.
“Definitely going to be to the right,” Dennis said. “I think I’ll still be able to shape it some and not have to try to manipulate anything or change anything too drastically. Hoping for a similar ball motion, and it may be the same ball I’ve been using, but I’ve got a couple of other ones ready to go if I need them.”
For now, Dennis is not really thinking too much about being the tournament leader.
“As we were bowling today, someone asked where I stood and I said, ‘I don’t really know,’” Dennis said. “I might start paying more attention to it tomorrow if it’s close, but for now I’m just trying to stick to my process and make the best shots I can.”
All 312 competitors at the 2024 USBC Senior Masters will bowl three five-game blocks over three days, and the top 63 will join Janawicz in the tournament’s double-elimination bracket after 15 games.
Janawicz is guaranteed a spot in the bracket as the defending champion and can improve his seeding through qualifying. But, if he qualifies outside of the top 63, he will enter the bracket as the No. 64 seed.
Bracket matches will be contested in a three-game total-pinfall format, until the field is cut to the top five for the live stepladder finals Sunday, June 9, at 1 p.m. Eastern on BowlTV.
Since the stepladder will be broadcast on BowlTV, the top seed will have to be defeated twice in the true double-elimination format. The winner of the 2024 USBC Senior Masters will take home a major championship on the PBA50 schedule and the first-place prize of $20,000.
For scores and information about the 2024 USBC Senior Masters, visit BOWL.com/SeniorMasters.