Former college teammates combine to take Standard Doubles lead at Open Championships
April 02, 2026
RENO, Nev. – The leaderboard continues to shift at the 2026 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, and there is a new Standard Doubles duo leading the way.
Reese Harvey of Reno, Nevada, and Jacob Mickelson of Pullman, Washington, took the Standard Doubles lead with a combined total of 1,254.
Mickelson started doubles with 259 before adding 197 and 221 for a 677 series, while Harvey, in his first Open Championships appearance, had games of 215, 201 and 161 for 577 to put them up at the top of the standings.
“I just think kind of the biggest part was we were in the right part of the lane,” Mickelson said. “We both had the right ball, right surface. We executed shots, didn’t make too many bad shots, and when we did, we tried to cover it up with a double or two.”
The two have known each other since attending Washington State not very long ago and bowled for their collegiate team for a few seasons. When Mickelson needed someone to bowl with after someone dropped out, he knew exactly who to call.
“We started bowling together in different tournaments (in college),” Mickelson said. “My doubles partner I’d been bowling with dropped out, so I called Reese and said, ‘Hey, let’s bowl Nationals and try to win this thing.’ That’s been on our minds since we teamed up back in October or November. Reese is one of my best friends, and we play really well together.”
Harvey added, “We bowled together a lot, saw each other all the time, and even ended up working together at my college job. We’ve built that friendship over time, and that definitely helped us bowl well.”
It was a surreal feeling for both of them to see their names at the top of the leaderboard.
“It means a lot to me,” said Harvey. “I’ve mostly been a league bowler and when he called me about Nationals, I decided it was time to take it more seriously and start practicing more, so I’ve been bowling every weekend. Knowing I can take first place shows me it’s only up from here.”
For Mickelson, he has seen what it’s like to have success on the lanes at the Open Championships as his grandfather, Harry Mickelson, had a 300 during team event in 1999 before adding an Eagle two years later in Team All-Events. Family is important to Jacob, who just had his second child with his wife.
“I told her I could back out if I needed to, and she said, ‘I’ve got it here, you go win.’ So, to be in this position, that’s what it means to me. It also just feels like without my family, we wouldn’t even be here.”
Standard Doubles features pairs with combined entering averages between 321 and 362.
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.
Reese Harvey of Reno, Nevada, and Jacob Mickelson of Pullman, Washington, took the Standard Doubles lead with a combined total of 1,254.
Mickelson started doubles with 259 before adding 197 and 221 for a 677 series, while Harvey, in his first Open Championships appearance, had games of 215, 201 and 161 for 577 to put them up at the top of the standings.
“I just think kind of the biggest part was we were in the right part of the lane,” Mickelson said. “We both had the right ball, right surface. We executed shots, didn’t make too many bad shots, and when we did, we tried to cover it up with a double or two.”
The two have known each other since attending Washington State not very long ago and bowled for their collegiate team for a few seasons. When Mickelson needed someone to bowl with after someone dropped out, he knew exactly who to call.
“We started bowling together in different tournaments (in college),” Mickelson said. “My doubles partner I’d been bowling with dropped out, so I called Reese and said, ‘Hey, let’s bowl Nationals and try to win this thing.’ That’s been on our minds since we teamed up back in October or November. Reese is one of my best friends, and we play really well together.”
Harvey added, “We bowled together a lot, saw each other all the time, and even ended up working together at my college job. We’ve built that friendship over time, and that definitely helped us bowl well.”
It was a surreal feeling for both of them to see their names at the top of the leaderboard.
“It means a lot to me,” said Harvey. “I’ve mostly been a league bowler and when he called me about Nationals, I decided it was time to take it more seriously and start practicing more, so I’ve been bowling every weekend. Knowing I can take first place shows me it’s only up from here.”
For Mickelson, he has seen what it’s like to have success on the lanes at the Open Championships as his grandfather, Harry Mickelson, had a 300 during team event in 1999 before adding an Eagle two years later in Team All-Events. Family is important to Jacob, who just had his second child with his wife.
“I told her I could back out if I needed to, and she said, ‘I’ve got it here, you go win.’ So, to be in this position, that’s what it means to me. It also just feels like without my family, we wouldn’t even be here.”
Standard Doubles features pairs with combined entering averages between 321 and 362.
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.