Defending champion Brandon Novak competes at 2017 USBC Open Championships
April 06, 2017
LAS VEGAS - For most champions at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, winning a title on the biggest stage in bowling automatically raises the bar for expectations in future years.
That was true for defending Regular All-Events champion Brandon Novak of Chillicothe, Ohio, this week at the South Point Bowling Plaza, but he also made sure to enjoy the complete experience that comes with being the reigning champion.
The 28-year-old right-hander arrived early and got a look at the 2016 champion banners hanging above the lanes this year, and he then was recognized for the first time as a USBC Open Championships titlist before his team event Wednesday.
"It was a nice feeling to come in and see the banner and get the championship watch before we bowled," said Novak, who made his 11th Open Championships appearance. "I was bowling league when I got the call that I'd won, and I cried a little because it has always been a dream of mine to win an Eagle. It was one of the two goals I set for myself when I was younger, and it has been a great experience."
In order to be ready for the 2017 Open Championships, Novak practiced about three times a week, often bowling on past Open Championships oil patterns to help make sure he was sharp and ready to make good, consistent shots.
Novak's title defense got off to a slow start with a 187 game, but he bounced back with 258 on the way to a 636 team set.
Doubles and singles Thursday also was a grind, but Novak was able to add sets of 675 in singles and 605 in doubles for a 1,916 all-events total. His performance was short of this year's Regular All-Events leader, Jacob Boresch of Kenosha, Wisconsin (2,122) and his own winning total from last year, 2,133.
Novak's sets at the National Bowling Stadium in 2016 included 742 in singles, 703 in doubles and 688 in team.
Along with last year's individual success, Novak and Andrew Jordan of Black Lake, Ohio, extended their streak of top-10 doubles finishes to three.
The two were sixth in Regular Doubles in 2014 and earned a pair of eighth-places finishes in 2015 and 2016. This year, they posted a 1,136 total, which is outside the top 10.
"We look forward to this tournament every year and just want to come out and bowl the best week can, while also having a good time," Novak said. "We got off to a slow start in team but continued to grind. The last two days were among the toughest I've had in my recent Open Championships, but we enjoyed the challenge, the side events here and just being in Las Vegas."
Novak's other career goal is to win a title on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour title, which nearly happened in November at the GEICO World Series of Bowling VIII in Reno, Nevada, as he notched his first TV appearance on the way to a fourth-place finish at the PBA Scorpion Championship presented by Reno Tahoe USA.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
That was true for defending Regular All-Events champion Brandon Novak of Chillicothe, Ohio, this week at the South Point Bowling Plaza, but he also made sure to enjoy the complete experience that comes with being the reigning champion.
The 28-year-old right-hander arrived early and got a look at the 2016 champion banners hanging above the lanes this year, and he then was recognized for the first time as a USBC Open Championships titlist before his team event Wednesday.
"It was a nice feeling to come in and see the banner and get the championship watch before we bowled," said Novak, who made his 11th Open Championships appearance. "I was bowling league when I got the call that I'd won, and I cried a little because it has always been a dream of mine to win an Eagle. It was one of the two goals I set for myself when I was younger, and it has been a great experience."
In order to be ready for the 2017 Open Championships, Novak practiced about three times a week, often bowling on past Open Championships oil patterns to help make sure he was sharp and ready to make good, consistent shots.
Novak's title defense got off to a slow start with a 187 game, but he bounced back with 258 on the way to a 636 team set.
Doubles and singles Thursday also was a grind, but Novak was able to add sets of 675 in singles and 605 in doubles for a 1,916 all-events total. His performance was short of this year's Regular All-Events leader, Jacob Boresch of Kenosha, Wisconsin (2,122) and his own winning total from last year, 2,133.
Novak's sets at the National Bowling Stadium in 2016 included 742 in singles, 703 in doubles and 688 in team.
Along with last year's individual success, Novak and Andrew Jordan of Black Lake, Ohio, extended their streak of top-10 doubles finishes to three.
The two were sixth in Regular Doubles in 2014 and earned a pair of eighth-places finishes in 2015 and 2016. This year, they posted a 1,136 total, which is outside the top 10.
"We look forward to this tournament every year and just want to come out and bowl the best week can, while also having a good time," Novak said. "We got off to a slow start in team but continued to grind. The last two days were among the toughest I've had in my recent Open Championships, but we enjoyed the challenge, the side events here and just being in Las Vegas."
Novak's other career goal is to win a title on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour title, which nearly happened in November at the GEICO World Series of Bowling VIII in Reno, Nevada, as he notched his first TV appearance on the way to a fourth-place finish at the PBA Scorpion Championship presented by Reno Tahoe USA.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.