First-timer wins big at 2015 Bowlers Journal Championships
July 14, 2015
EL PASO, Texas - Ryan Zagar of Kenosha, Wisconsin, put together an unforgettable run during his United States Bowling Congress Open Championships debut in 2015 and jump-started that performance by pacing the field in Open Singles at the Bowlers Journal Championships presented by USBC.
The 21-year-old right-hander claimed the top prize of $10,000 with games of 266, 243 and 247 for a 766 series at the El Paso Convention Center, which included needing a double in the final frame to surpass the 757 set posted by runner-up Sean Corbett of San Antonio. Corbett earned $7,000 for his performance.
Zagar, a former Junior Team USA member, also competed in doubles during the same set to become eligible for the Dual Entry prize list. He earned an additional $1,000 for topping the Dual Entry standings.
"It's exciting, and the student loans are going to be a little better off, too," said Zagar, a collegiate standout at Robert Morris-Illinois who helped the Eagles capture the men's title at the 2013 XBowling Intercollegiate Team Championships. "It was a blessing in disguise how I even ended up at the tournament this year. It's a great group of guys, and they are very supportive. We fed off each other the entire time out there, and the fact this was the first set off the plane makes it even better. It was the start of an incredible trip."
The momentum from Zagar's performance at the Bowlers Journal Championships also translated to success at the USBC Open Championships as he nearly took home an eagle in his first appearance.
He made a run at the Regular Singles lead before settling into second place with a 787 series. His overall performance left him in seventh place in Regular All-Events (2,104), and he helped High Five Gear of Wichita, Kansas, into eighth place in Regular Team (3,214) and 10th in Team All-Events (9,628).
Two-time Open Championships titlist Bo Goergen of Sanford, Michigan, added two more trophies to his mantle after winning Senior Singles at the 2015 Bowlers Journal Championships and teaming with Jerome Penxa Jr. of Romeo, Michigan, for the Senior Doubles crown.
Goergen claimed the singles title and $4,000 with games of 231, 247 and 258 for a 736 series and was entered in doubles with Penxa during the same set. Penxa added a 621 series for a 1,357 total. The doubles win earned the pair $2,000.
"It means a lot, and it's an accomplishment I'm very proud of," said Goergen, who won the 2009 Regular Singles title at the Open Championships with a record score of 862 and returned the next year to help his team to the Team All-Events win. "I'm probably more excited for Jerry than I am myself, already having the opportunity to win two eagles at the Open. To be able to share this with someone that hadn't quite experienced something at this level is exciting."
Les Shirwindt of Las Vegas and Marcia Solberg of Webster, South Dakota, also took home singles titles at the 2015 Bowlers Journal, worth $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.
Shirwindt, a 2011 Team All-Events champion at the Open Championships, earned the top spot in the Super Senior Singles standings with a 721 effort, while Solberg finished with a 707 series to capture the 199 & Under Handicap Singles title.
Jonathan Wilbur of North Clarendon, Vermont, and Todd Lathrop of Colchester, Connecticut, took home the Open Doubles title and $7,500 with a 1,419 total, and David Armstrong of Naperville, Illinois, and Susan Schlink of Chicago won Handicap Doubles, worth $1,200, with 1,276.
A total of 27 bowlers claimed a share of the 30 Clean Jackpot at the Bowlers Journal Championships in 2015, worth $585.63 apiece. Three bowlers hit the Strike-It-Rich Jackpot, worth $5,270.67 each, and former Junior Team USA member Chris Bardol of Brockport, New York, fired a 300 game to win the High Game Jackpot and $15,812 prize.
For the third consecutive year, the Bowlers Journal was held under the same roof as the Open Championships and featured the same lane condition used during doubles and singles at the Open Championships.
Both events will return to the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada, in 2016.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.
The 21-year-old right-hander claimed the top prize of $10,000 with games of 266, 243 and 247 for a 766 series at the El Paso Convention Center, which included needing a double in the final frame to surpass the 757 set posted by runner-up Sean Corbett of San Antonio. Corbett earned $7,000 for his performance.
Zagar, a former Junior Team USA member, also competed in doubles during the same set to become eligible for the Dual Entry prize list. He earned an additional $1,000 for topping the Dual Entry standings.
"It's exciting, and the student loans are going to be a little better off, too," said Zagar, a collegiate standout at Robert Morris-Illinois who helped the Eagles capture the men's title at the 2013 XBowling Intercollegiate Team Championships. "It was a blessing in disguise how I even ended up at the tournament this year. It's a great group of guys, and they are very supportive. We fed off each other the entire time out there, and the fact this was the first set off the plane makes it even better. It was the start of an incredible trip."
The momentum from Zagar's performance at the Bowlers Journal Championships also translated to success at the USBC Open Championships as he nearly took home an eagle in his first appearance.
He made a run at the Regular Singles lead before settling into second place with a 787 series. His overall performance left him in seventh place in Regular All-Events (2,104), and he helped High Five Gear of Wichita, Kansas, into eighth place in Regular Team (3,214) and 10th in Team All-Events (9,628).
Two-time Open Championships titlist Bo Goergen of Sanford, Michigan, added two more trophies to his mantle after winning Senior Singles at the 2015 Bowlers Journal Championships and teaming with Jerome Penxa Jr. of Romeo, Michigan, for the Senior Doubles crown.
Goergen claimed the singles title and $4,000 with games of 231, 247 and 258 for a 736 series and was entered in doubles with Penxa during the same set. Penxa added a 621 series for a 1,357 total. The doubles win earned the pair $2,000.
"It means a lot, and it's an accomplishment I'm very proud of," said Goergen, who won the 2009 Regular Singles title at the Open Championships with a record score of 862 and returned the next year to help his team to the Team All-Events win. "I'm probably more excited for Jerry than I am myself, already having the opportunity to win two eagles at the Open. To be able to share this with someone that hadn't quite experienced something at this level is exciting."
Les Shirwindt of Las Vegas and Marcia Solberg of Webster, South Dakota, also took home singles titles at the 2015 Bowlers Journal, worth $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.
Shirwindt, a 2011 Team All-Events champion at the Open Championships, earned the top spot in the Super Senior Singles standings with a 721 effort, while Solberg finished with a 707 series to capture the 199 & Under Handicap Singles title.
Jonathan Wilbur of North Clarendon, Vermont, and Todd Lathrop of Colchester, Connecticut, took home the Open Doubles title and $7,500 with a 1,419 total, and David Armstrong of Naperville, Illinois, and Susan Schlink of Chicago won Handicap Doubles, worth $1,200, with 1,276.
A total of 27 bowlers claimed a share of the 30 Clean Jackpot at the Bowlers Journal Championships in 2015, worth $585.63 apiece. Three bowlers hit the Strike-It-Rich Jackpot, worth $5,270.67 each, and former Junior Team USA member Chris Bardol of Brockport, New York, fired a 300 game to win the High Game Jackpot and $15,812 prize.
For the third consecutive year, the Bowlers Journal was held under the same roof as the Open Championships and featured the same lane condition used during doubles and singles at the Open Championships.
Both events will return to the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada, in 2016.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open/Women's Championships page.