California bowler rolls 300 in first appearance at Open Championships
July 18, 2026
RENO, Nev. – Chason Hou of Long Beach, California, could not have scripted a much better start to his career at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
The 18-year-old two-hander opened his doubles competition Thursday with the first certified 300 game of his bowling career. Hou followed the 300 with games of 226 and 247 to finish with a 773 series at the National Bowling Stadium.
He teamed with Kyle Ortiz of Henderson, Nevada, to post a doubles score of 1,353 in the Regular Division.
The accomplishment became even more impressive considering Hou was unsure how he would feel when he arrived at the venue. He had been dealing with stomach pain earlier in the day and initially questioned whether he would be able to compete at his best.
“I was nervous going into it because this was my first time here,” Hou said. “I was dealing with some stomach pain, and I didn’t know if I was going to feel better throughout the day.”
After receiving some medication and drinking plenty of water, Hou began to settle in. Once competition started, he focused on making one quality delivery at a time rather than thinking about the significance of the moment.
“I just tried to take it shot by shot, drink a lot of water and stay calm,” Hou said. “Once I got about halfway through the game, everything started to hit me. I was shaking a little bit.”
The nerves continued to build as Hou approached the final frames, but he stayed composed and delivered all three strikes in the 10th to complete the perfect game.
“When I got to the last three shots, I was very, very nervous,” Hou said. “I just tried to stay calm and make the shots.”
Hou turned 18 on Sept. 4, 2025, making him one of the youngest competitors in the tournament field. He accepted an invitation from teammate Kevin Valmonte to make his first trip to the USBC Open Championships.
The opportunity came together quickly, and Hou even had to obtain identification in time to make the trip.
“My state ID came just a few days before we left,” Hou said. “I sent a picture to everyone and told them it finally came. They joked that I still looked 12.”
The jokes continued after Hou completed his perfect game, with his teammates noting the significance of accomplishing the feat at such a young age and during his first appearance at the Open Championships.
“It’s exciting,” Hou said. “To hear my name called when I come back and to know I did this just after turning 18 makes me really happy.”
For Hou, however, the performance was about more than adding his name to the list of bowlers to roll a perfect game at the tournament. It also was a chance to share the moment with those who helped him reach the national stage.
“My parents, friends and family were all watching my scores,” Hou said. “I also want to thank David and Naomi for bringing me here and being part of the trip. It was pretty amazing.”
Hou added 633 in singles and 574 in team to finish his first appearance with an all-events score of 1,980.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
The 18-year-old two-hander opened his doubles competition Thursday with the first certified 300 game of his bowling career. Hou followed the 300 with games of 226 and 247 to finish with a 773 series at the National Bowling Stadium.
He teamed with Kyle Ortiz of Henderson, Nevada, to post a doubles score of 1,353 in the Regular Division.
The accomplishment became even more impressive considering Hou was unsure how he would feel when he arrived at the venue. He had been dealing with stomach pain earlier in the day and initially questioned whether he would be able to compete at his best.
“I was nervous going into it because this was my first time here,” Hou said. “I was dealing with some stomach pain, and I didn’t know if I was going to feel better throughout the day.”
After receiving some medication and drinking plenty of water, Hou began to settle in. Once competition started, he focused on making one quality delivery at a time rather than thinking about the significance of the moment.
“I just tried to take it shot by shot, drink a lot of water and stay calm,” Hou said. “Once I got about halfway through the game, everything started to hit me. I was shaking a little bit.”
The nerves continued to build as Hou approached the final frames, but he stayed composed and delivered all three strikes in the 10th to complete the perfect game.
“When I got to the last three shots, I was very, very nervous,” Hou said. “I just tried to stay calm and make the shots.”
Hou turned 18 on Sept. 4, 2025, making him one of the youngest competitors in the tournament field. He accepted an invitation from teammate Kevin Valmonte to make his first trip to the USBC Open Championships.
The opportunity came together quickly, and Hou even had to obtain identification in time to make the trip.
“My state ID came just a few days before we left,” Hou said. “I sent a picture to everyone and told them it finally came. They joked that I still looked 12.”
The jokes continued after Hou completed his perfect game, with his teammates noting the significance of accomplishing the feat at such a young age and during his first appearance at the Open Championships.
“It’s exciting,” Hou said. “To hear my name called when I come back and to know I did this just after turning 18 makes me really happy.”
For Hou, however, the performance was about more than adding his name to the list of bowlers to roll a perfect game at the tournament. It also was a chance to share the moment with those who helped him reach the national stage.
“My parents, friends and family were all watching my scores,” Hou said. “I also want to thank David and Naomi for bringing me here and being part of the trip. It was pretty amazing.”
Hou added 633 in singles and 574 in team to finish his first appearance with an all-events score of 1,980.
The Open Championships is celebrating its 122nd edition in 2026 and making its 15th trip to Reno, Nevada. The 2026 event is scheduled to feature more than 55,000 bowlers and 11,000 five-player teams competing across 128 consecutive days at the National Bowling Stadium.
Follow the action from the tournament’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts.