Cali bowlers lead doubles at 2010 OC
March 21, 2010
RENO, Nev. - Terry Hall of Rocklin, Calif., and Andrew Udahl of Elk Grove, Calif., have bowled doubles together at the USBC Open Championships since 2007, and everything finally clicked for them at the National Bowling Stadium on Saturday night.
Hall led the way with games of 259, 246 and 208 for a 713 series, while Udahl contributed 258, 232 and 218 for 708. Their 1,421 total moved them past Matt Smith of Altoona, Iowa and Jason Hale of Des Moines, Iowa, who previously held the Regular Doubles lead with 1,411.
"We have been bowling doubles together now for the last four years, and we were finally able to click at the same time," said Udahl, who bowls regularly at Fireside Lanes and made his 11th Open Championships appearance. "It was only a matter of time before we popped something off, and I was happy to be able to come through for my partner."
Hall, who posted the second-highest doubles series of his nine-year tournament career, still was in shock when he saw their names at the top of the leaderboard.
"I still can't believe it," said Hall, who shot 741 in doubles at the 2002 event in Billings, Mont. "I didn't know the number at all, so I am extremely happy to come out on top."
When Hall's team disbanded after last year's event in Las Vegas, he and Udahl decided they would like to continue bowling together, which meant Hall needed to build a new team and pair his group with Udahl's.
"It was a good idea to continue to bowl together," said Hall, a 41-year-old right-hander who also bowls league at Fireside Lanes. "We are pretty good at helping each other out and finding where we should play on the lanes. We are constantly talking throughout, and it has taken us four years to get the teamwork aspect together."
Udahl is fifth on the tournament's five-year average list with a 224.03 mark and owns a 212.8 career average on the championship lanes. Although his four worst performances have come at the National Bowling Stadium, things came together for him during his last visit (2007), which included a 299 game, career-best all-events effort (2,064) and a fifth-place singles finish (792). Now, he's glad to be able to continue that success and share it with Hall.
"The fact that we get along so well and can play the same part of the lane helped us a lot," said Udahl, a 40-year-old right-hander who is a member of the Sacramento Bowling Association Hall of Fame. "We were able to get something going at the same time, finally."
Udahl finished his 2010 Open Championships campaign with 694 in singles and 621 in team for a 2,023 all-events total, which puts him in a tie for fourth place in Regular All-Events. Hall added 631 in team and 609 in singles for 1,953. Smith and George Kontos of Joliet, Ill., lead Regular All-Events with 2,073.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.
Hall led the way with games of 259, 246 and 208 for a 713 series, while Udahl contributed 258, 232 and 218 for 708. Their 1,421 total moved them past Matt Smith of Altoona, Iowa and Jason Hale of Des Moines, Iowa, who previously held the Regular Doubles lead with 1,411.
"We have been bowling doubles together now for the last four years, and we were finally able to click at the same time," said Udahl, who bowls regularly at Fireside Lanes and made his 11th Open Championships appearance. "It was only a matter of time before we popped something off, and I was happy to be able to come through for my partner."
Hall, who posted the second-highest doubles series of his nine-year tournament career, still was in shock when he saw their names at the top of the leaderboard.
"I still can't believe it," said Hall, who shot 741 in doubles at the 2002 event in Billings, Mont. "I didn't know the number at all, so I am extremely happy to come out on top."
When Hall's team disbanded after last year's event in Las Vegas, he and Udahl decided they would like to continue bowling together, which meant Hall needed to build a new team and pair his group with Udahl's.
"It was a good idea to continue to bowl together," said Hall, a 41-year-old right-hander who also bowls league at Fireside Lanes. "We are pretty good at helping each other out and finding where we should play on the lanes. We are constantly talking throughout, and it has taken us four years to get the teamwork aspect together."
Udahl is fifth on the tournament's five-year average list with a 224.03 mark and owns a 212.8 career average on the championship lanes. Although his four worst performances have come at the National Bowling Stadium, things came together for him during his last visit (2007), which included a 299 game, career-best all-events effort (2,064) and a fifth-place singles finish (792). Now, he's glad to be able to continue that success and share it with Hall.
"The fact that we get along so well and can play the same part of the lane helped us a lot," said Udahl, a 40-year-old right-hander who is a member of the Sacramento Bowling Association Hall of Fame. "We were able to get something going at the same time, finally."
Udahl finished his 2010 Open Championships campaign with 694 in singles and 621 in team for a 2,023 all-events total, which puts him in a tie for fourth place in Regular All-Events. Hall added 631 in team and 609 in singles for 1,953. Smith and George Kontos of Joliet, Ill., lead Regular All-Events with 2,073.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado and Silver Legacy Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.