Michigan bowler shoots 298 at 2010 OC
May 05, 2010
RENO, Nev. - Only a handful of bowlers each year find themselves in position to roll a perfect game at the USBC Open Championships.
Chris Damon of Kimball, Mich., has been there twice in his seven tournament appearances but fell short of perfection on both occasions.
Damon's recent attempt came in his final game of singles at the National Bowling Stadium on Tuesday night, but he left the 4-7 on his final shot and finished with the fifth 298 of this year's event. There have been 13 perfect games this year.
"I just started to see the lanes break down," said Damon, who started singles with games of 200 and 202 and finished with a 700 series. "I made a big jump left with the right ball, and I started stringing them. This is still special because you are bowling on such a higher level here."
The 29-year-old right-hander had his first shot at 300 during the 2006 Open Championships in Corpus Christi, Texas, also in his final game of singles, but that effort ended with a 4 pin and a 299 game. Although the two attempts were four years apart, the situations were almost the same.
"Actually, both games were very similar," said Damon, who bowls league at Port Huron Lanes. "I made the same exact mistake today as I did then. I should have moved a little left on the final shot, but I didn't. I still got a good result."
In his Open Championships career, Damon has one sub-1,800 all-events total, which came at the Stadium in 2004 when he was ill and only shot 1,491. His career-high is 2,089, shot in his tournament debut at the 2003 event in Knoxville, Tenn.
"In 2004, I was really sick and didn't bowl well," said Damon, who boasts an overall tournament average of 204.4. "I like the prestige of the tournament. Typically, there are a lot of high-quality bowlers, and bowling on something that is tough usually allows the better bowlers rise to the top."
Damon travels to the Open Championships with a group of bowlers from around his hometown. He grew up bowling against his current teammates and now has the opportunity to share the lanes with them.
"Those are all the guys that I used to bowl against in Michigan," Damon said. "They are younger than me, so now that they are bowling with me, it's nice to show them that the old man still has it. It was pretty cool."
While perfection has eluded him twice, Damon is confident his day at the Open Championships will come.
"Hopefully in the next couple of years it will happen," Damon said. "I would say next year, but some time in the next couple of years would be nice. You never know when you are going to do it."
Damon added 638 in team and 487 in doubles for a 1,825 all-events total.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, 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.
Chris Damon of Kimball, Mich., has been there twice in his seven tournament appearances but fell short of perfection on both occasions.
Damon's recent attempt came in his final game of singles at the National Bowling Stadium on Tuesday night, but he left the 4-7 on his final shot and finished with the fifth 298 of this year's event. There have been 13 perfect games this year.
"I just started to see the lanes break down," said Damon, who started singles with games of 200 and 202 and finished with a 700 series. "I made a big jump left with the right ball, and I started stringing them. This is still special because you are bowling on such a higher level here."
The 29-year-old right-hander had his first shot at 300 during the 2006 Open Championships in Corpus Christi, Texas, also in his final game of singles, but that effort ended with a 4 pin and a 299 game. Although the two attempts were four years apart, the situations were almost the same.
"Actually, both games were very similar," said Damon, who bowls league at Port Huron Lanes. "I made the same exact mistake today as I did then. I should have moved a little left on the final shot, but I didn't. I still got a good result."
In his Open Championships career, Damon has one sub-1,800 all-events total, which came at the Stadium in 2004 when he was ill and only shot 1,491. His career-high is 2,089, shot in his tournament debut at the 2003 event in Knoxville, Tenn.
"In 2004, I was really sick and didn't bowl well," said Damon, who boasts an overall tournament average of 204.4. "I like the prestige of the tournament. Typically, there are a lot of high-quality bowlers, and bowling on something that is tough usually allows the better bowlers rise to the top."
Damon travels to the Open Championships with a group of bowlers from around his hometown. He grew up bowling against his current teammates and now has the opportunity to share the lanes with them.
"Those are all the guys that I used to bowl against in Michigan," Damon said. "They are younger than me, so now that they are bowling with me, it's nice to show them that the old man still has it. It was pretty cool."
While perfection has eluded him twice, Damon is confident his day at the Open Championships will come.
"Hopefully in the next couple of years it will happen," Damon said. "I would say next year, but some time in the next couple of years would be nice. You never know when you are going to do it."
Damon added 638 in team and 487 in doubles for a 1,825 all-events total.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, 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.