Father and son lead Open Doubles at 2026 Bowlers Journal Championships
April 04, 2026
RENO, Nev. – The father-and-son team of James and Jeffrey Campbell had a big day at the 2026 Bowlers Journal Championships on Thursday, combining for a 1,542 total to take the lead in Open Doubles.
Jeffrey, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, rolled games of 227, 300 and 264 for a 791 series, while James, of Loudon, Tennessee, had 252, 248 and 251 for 751.
The performance also helped James – a 2004 Team All-Events winner at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships and the 2025 Super Senior Classic champion – move into the top spot in Super Senior Singles. Jeffrey currently sits in second place for Open Singles.
The pair cruised past the 1,483 posted by Brandon Kreyer of Mounds View, Minnesota, and Nicholas Solar of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Mike Calvin of Warren, Michigan, previously led Super Senior Singles with 723, and 2012 Regular Team champion Nick Heilman of La Crosse, Wisconsin, leads Open Singles with 813.
A new rule change for the 2026 USBC Open Championships and Bowlers Journal Championships allowed them to pair up for the first time at both events. Both Jeffrey and James are members of the Professional Bowlers Association, but James’ status as a super senior at 62 years old gave them the green light to pair up.
“It has always been a hope to bowl doubles together here,” Jeffrey said. “With us both being members, we had not been able to until this year. It’s a great feeling putting up that score together.”
James added, “It’s unbelievable. When you get to bowl with your kid and see what he does, it’s pretty special.”
Both were in their first session at the Bowlers Journal Championships, and some key fill balls helped show them the way for later in the block.
“We had really good communication, and I know I tried a couple balls,” James said. “I started out with a big solid ball – the Brunswick Mesmerize Solid – and then went to the Brunswick Alert. I left a 9 pin, and I threw it at the 9 pin and threw it on the fill ball, so I had a really good idea what it was going to do off that.
“I left a 4 pin in the third frame of the last game, and then went high for the 3-6-9-10 and somehow made it. I told him I think I have to make a ball change. I think I was getting into where he was playing. I was right of him early and then got into that, and my ball was picking up too soon. From throwing the two fill balls with it, I was able to get a really good read of what it was going to do and made a really good guess on the first two shots.”
For Jeffrey, trying something new on his fill ball in Game 1 let him know the route he needed to go. He proceeded to roll 20 consecutive strikes after it and 23 of the final 24 to close his set.
“I tried something on the fill ball of the first game and knew I wasn’t making a switch – the rest of the day was going to be me and the adjustments I could make with my hand,” said Jeffrey, who rolled a perfect game during team competition at the 2021 Open Championships. “Once I threw that shot on the fill ball and saw it spark, I knew I was going to be in one ball for the rest of the day.
“It’s always nice to shoot a 300, but it’s still a three-game tournament and I knew we were sitting in a good spot, so I was more focused on getting the double in Game 2. I got lucky on the 11th one but got up and threw it well for the 12th.”
Although it’s early in the 2026 event, both James and Jeffrey have played the waiting game in the past.
“I’ve been there before – I was fortunate enough to win a Team All-Events Eagle in 2004,” James said. “We took the lead early and had to wait like eight weeks. I didn’t even check the scores. Didn’t look at it. I think that’s the last thing you want to do. I had no clue what the number was coming in, but 1,542 is huge.”
Jeffrey didn’t take the lead with his performance at last year’s Open Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but he was hoping for a top-three finish in Regular All-Events after posting sets of 791 in doubles (with a 299), 689 in singles and 664 in team for a 2,144 total. He finished the year in fourth place.
“I got to watch all-events all year trying to finish third – I started singles going open-open because I made a bad ball change off a 7 pin – so I know what sitting there and watching scores does.
“From being out there, you can get a gauge on scoring. There will be multiple 1,500s this year. To put up 1,542, odds are that someone will have to get up in the 10th and have to strike to get around it. But whatever happens, it’s still a great score. I’m very pleased with how we threw the ball.”
Another individual pleased with how they threw the ball was James’ wife and Jeffrey’s mother, Carla, who was in attendance this week in Reno cheering them on.
James and Jeffrey paired up again Saturday at the Open Championships, posting a 1,314 total in Regular Doubles, which currently places them inside the top 20.
Jeffrey finished his 2026 appearance with 729 in doubles, 653 in singles and 612 in team for an all-events score of 1,994. James had sets of 601 in singles, 594 in team and 585 in doubles for 1,780.
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.
Jeffrey, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, rolled games of 227, 300 and 264 for a 791 series, while James, of Loudon, Tennessee, had 252, 248 and 251 for 751.
The performance also helped James – a 2004 Team All-Events winner at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships and the 2025 Super Senior Classic champion – move into the top spot in Super Senior Singles. Jeffrey currently sits in second place for Open Singles.
The pair cruised past the 1,483 posted by Brandon Kreyer of Mounds View, Minnesota, and Nicholas Solar of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Mike Calvin of Warren, Michigan, previously led Super Senior Singles with 723, and 2012 Regular Team champion Nick Heilman of La Crosse, Wisconsin, leads Open Singles with 813.
A new rule change for the 2026 USBC Open Championships and Bowlers Journal Championships allowed them to pair up for the first time at both events. Both Jeffrey and James are members of the Professional Bowlers Association, but James’ status as a super senior at 62 years old gave them the green light to pair up.
“It has always been a hope to bowl doubles together here,” Jeffrey said. “With us both being members, we had not been able to until this year. It’s a great feeling putting up that score together.”
James added, “It’s unbelievable. When you get to bowl with your kid and see what he does, it’s pretty special.”
Both were in their first session at the Bowlers Journal Championships, and some key fill balls helped show them the way for later in the block.
“We had really good communication, and I know I tried a couple balls,” James said. “I started out with a big solid ball – the Brunswick Mesmerize Solid – and then went to the Brunswick Alert. I left a 9 pin, and I threw it at the 9 pin and threw it on the fill ball, so I had a really good idea what it was going to do off that.
“I left a 4 pin in the third frame of the last game, and then went high for the 3-6-9-10 and somehow made it. I told him I think I have to make a ball change. I think I was getting into where he was playing. I was right of him early and then got into that, and my ball was picking up too soon. From throwing the two fill balls with it, I was able to get a really good read of what it was going to do and made a really good guess on the first two shots.”
For Jeffrey, trying something new on his fill ball in Game 1 let him know the route he needed to go. He proceeded to roll 20 consecutive strikes after it and 23 of the final 24 to close his set.
“I tried something on the fill ball of the first game and knew I wasn’t making a switch – the rest of the day was going to be me and the adjustments I could make with my hand,” said Jeffrey, who rolled a perfect game during team competition at the 2021 Open Championships. “Once I threw that shot on the fill ball and saw it spark, I knew I was going to be in one ball for the rest of the day.
“It’s always nice to shoot a 300, but it’s still a three-game tournament and I knew we were sitting in a good spot, so I was more focused on getting the double in Game 2. I got lucky on the 11th one but got up and threw it well for the 12th.”
Although it’s early in the 2026 event, both James and Jeffrey have played the waiting game in the past.
“I’ve been there before – I was fortunate enough to win a Team All-Events Eagle in 2004,” James said. “We took the lead early and had to wait like eight weeks. I didn’t even check the scores. Didn’t look at it. I think that’s the last thing you want to do. I had no clue what the number was coming in, but 1,542 is huge.”
Jeffrey didn’t take the lead with his performance at last year’s Open Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but he was hoping for a top-three finish in Regular All-Events after posting sets of 791 in doubles (with a 299), 689 in singles and 664 in team for a 2,144 total. He finished the year in fourth place.
“I got to watch all-events all year trying to finish third – I started singles going open-open because I made a bad ball change off a 7 pin – so I know what sitting there and watching scores does.
“From being out there, you can get a gauge on scoring. There will be multiple 1,500s this year. To put up 1,542, odds are that someone will have to get up in the 10th and have to strike to get around it. But whatever happens, it’s still a great score. I’m very pleased with how we threw the ball.”
Another individual pleased with how they threw the ball was James’ wife and Jeffrey’s mother, Carla, who was in attendance this week in Reno cheering them on.
James and Jeffrey paired up again Saturday at the Open Championships, posting a 1,314 total in Regular Doubles, which currently places them inside the top 20.
Jeffrey finished his 2026 appearance with 729 in doubles, 653 in singles and 612 in team for an all-events score of 1,994. James had sets of 601 in singles, 594 in team and 585 in doubles for 1,780.
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.