RENO, Nev. - When Curt Aemisegger of Wauconda, Ill., achieved his childhood dream of winning a championship on bowling's biggest stage, it came at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center when he helped his team to the Regular Team title at the 1990 USBC Open Championships.

More than two decades later, the 55-year-old right-hander returned to The Biggest Little City in the World and found an even bigger stage for his latest accomplishment, a perfect game at the nearby 78-lane National Bowling Stadium, which has hosted the Open Championships seven times since opening its doors in 1995.

"This is the ultimate," said Aemisegger, who made his 33rd Open Championships appearance. "We all dream of coming here and shooting a perfect game. In my career, I've shot PBA (Professional Bowlers Association) 300s, leagues 300s and even Sport 300s, but this one is the dream."

Aemisegger's perfect game Monday was the 26th of the 2011 tournament, and he followed it with games of 214 and 232 for a 746 doubles series. He teamed with 2003 Team All-Events champion Vince Biondo III for a 1,350 total. George Rowan and Rod Singer of Columbus, Ohio, lead Regular Doubles with 1,494.

The two champions also made a run during their team event Sunday, but a slow finish left them with 3,342, just outside of the top 10. Andrew Loose led the way with a 746 series and was followed by Biondo (697), Aemisegger (683), Paul Bober (638) and Rich Blake (578) on the way to games of 1,101, 1,165 and 1,076.

"As a veteran here, you like to see the guys you are bowling with do well," Aemisegger said. "I'd love to get to the winner's circle with these guys and have matching bookends with the eagle I already have at home. This is only our first year with all five of us bowling together, but we really seemed to gel. We got off to a great start, and just ran out of gas. But we gave it a pretty good shot, which was exhilarating."

Aemisegger claims to have an old-school mindset and says there's nothing more enjoyable than team bowling and no Open Championships accomplishment greater than winning an eagle, the coveted trophy presented to all Regular Division winners.

"Our team chemistry was good, and I may be old school, but it's such an incredible feeling when everyone is clicking together and the energy is high for the whole team event," said Aemisegger, a mechanical operations supervisor for Brunswick. "And shooting 300 today was a great feeling, too, as well as an adrenaline high, but there really is nothing like winning an eagle. When you consider how many teams and bowlers come here, to win with those odds is incredible."

Aemisegger closed out his 2011 Open Championships campaign with 603 in singles for a career-best 2,032 all-events total.

Later on Monday, Pat McCarthy of West Haven, Conn., and Tony DeLucia of East Haven, Conn., moved into third place in Regular Doubles with a 1,463 total.

McCarthy led the way with games of 278, 245 and 213 for a 736 series, while DeLucia was close behind with 214, 259 and 254 for 727.

McCarthy added 666 in team and 640 in singles for a 2,042 all-events effort, and DeLucia had 635 in team and 582 in singles for 1,944. Matt Weggen of Muscatine, Iowa, leads Regular All-Events with 2,268.

Click here to watch video highlights from the 2011 Open Championships.
Presenting sponsors for the 2011 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, Humana, official registration sponsor, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and supporting sponsors Storm Bowling Products, UPS, Nationwide Insurance, Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, Harrah's Reno Casino and Hotel and Peppermill Hotel Casino.