Charlie Brown II rolls 817 to take lead at 2026 Bowlers Journal Championships
April 28, 2026
RENO, Nev. – Charlie Brown II of Grand Rapids, Michigan, closed his set Friday night at the 2026 Bowlers Journal Championships with 10 strikes to take the lead in Open Singles with an 817 series.
The 45-year-old right-hander connected for games of 279, 258 and 280 to rise to the top of the standings at the National Bowling Stadium, passing the 813 posted on March 26 by 2012 Regular Team champion Nicholas Heilman of La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Since Brown was in doubles during the set – taking over second place in Open Doubles with Daniel Kelsey of Garden City, Michigan (706 series), with 1,523 – he also moved into the top spot for the Dual Entry prize fund.
In the final game, Brown quickly put himself in a must-strike scenario starting in the third frame.
“I had a great look, but I was really trying to stay in the moment,” Brown said. “You start thinking about big numbers like 800, but I just wanted to keep making good shots. I started with a strike, then threw one right and left a washout. I regrouped, made the spare and executed the rest of the game.”
Stepping up in the 10th working on seven in a row, he needed two more for a chance at the lead. Brown connected for the first two in high-flush fashion. Needing seven pins on the fill for the outright lead, he crossed over on the final shot but was able to add one more strike to the mix.
“I told myself to just make the best shot of the day and don’t do anything different,” Brown said. “The second shot in the 10th was pure. That one really locked it up.
“Everyone talks about the last shot, but by that point I had already done what I needed to do. It was still important, but the job was basically finished.”
Now, Brown will start the waiting game to see if his final score is enough for the top spot. Regardless of the final outcome, he’s proud of the performance.
“It was an incredible night,” Brown said. “I had some time to think about it, and you always go through the what ifs. I feel like I might be one shot short, but right now I’m in the lead, and that’s going to be tough to beat. If someone does beat it, they deserve it. No matter what happens, it’s something I’ll remember.”
During his time at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships in 2026, Brown put together sets of 687 in doubles, 674 in singles and 657 in team for an all-events score of 2,018.
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 45-year-old right-hander connected for games of 279, 258 and 280 to rise to the top of the standings at the National Bowling Stadium, passing the 813 posted on March 26 by 2012 Regular Team champion Nicholas Heilman of La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Since Brown was in doubles during the set – taking over second place in Open Doubles with Daniel Kelsey of Garden City, Michigan (706 series), with 1,523 – he also moved into the top spot for the Dual Entry prize fund.
In the final game, Brown quickly put himself in a must-strike scenario starting in the third frame.
“I had a great look, but I was really trying to stay in the moment,” Brown said. “You start thinking about big numbers like 800, but I just wanted to keep making good shots. I started with a strike, then threw one right and left a washout. I regrouped, made the spare and executed the rest of the game.”
Stepping up in the 10th working on seven in a row, he needed two more for a chance at the lead. Brown connected for the first two in high-flush fashion. Needing seven pins on the fill for the outright lead, he crossed over on the final shot but was able to add one more strike to the mix.
“I told myself to just make the best shot of the day and don’t do anything different,” Brown said. “The second shot in the 10th was pure. That one really locked it up.
“Everyone talks about the last shot, but by that point I had already done what I needed to do. It was still important, but the job was basically finished.”
Now, Brown will start the waiting game to see if his final score is enough for the top spot. Regardless of the final outcome, he’s proud of the performance.
“It was an incredible night,” Brown said. “I had some time to think about it, and you always go through the what ifs. I feel like I might be one shot short, but right now I’m in the lead, and that’s going to be tough to beat. If someone does beat it, they deserve it. No matter what happens, it’s something I’ll remember.”
During his time at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships in 2026, Brown put together sets of 687 in doubles, 674 in singles and 657 in team for an all-events score of 2,018.
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.