Minnesota bowler strikes his way into record book at 2021 USBC Open Championships

By Matt Cannizzaro and Hope Parsons
USBC Communications

LAS VEGAS -
Brent Neumann of Maple Grove, Minnesota, said if he had to bowl another game Wednesday at the 2021 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, he may not have been able to do it.

Well after finishing off the eighth 300 of this year's tournament, the 33-year-old right-hander still was feeling the physical effects of one of the biggest moments of his bowling career.

The combination of the nerves and excitement left Neumann struggling to fill out the paperwork that comes with such a monumental milestone, but luckily, his name already was etched into the tournament record book the second the late-falling 4 pin on his final shot hit the pin deck.

"I just tried to stick with my routine and make some good shots to see what would happen," Neumann said. "I got lucky. I don't think my hands have ever shaken so much while holding a bowling ball."

Neumann's 300 was the third in team competition this year at the South Point Bowling Plaza, while the other five have been achieved during doubles and singles at the nearby South Point Bowling Center.

The 2021 event marks the first time in 117 years of Open Championships history that competition has been split across two venues.

The performance helped cap the highest series of Neumann's four tournament appearances, a 699 effort that started with games of 217 and 182. It also lifted State of Bowling MN 1 of Alexandria, Minnesota, to a 1,128 final-game total, more than 200 pins better than its previous game.

The group opened with 986 and 912, before things fell into place, and finished with a 3,026 total, which is just outside the top 50 through 19 days of competition at South Point. The Bowlers Shoppe 1 of St. Louis leads Regular Team this year with 3,352.

When not competing, Neumann spends his time serving the sport of bowling as a center manager for the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina, Minnesota.

"This is definitely a highlight of my career," said Neumann, who owns three Central Bowlers Alliance victories and a Minnesota State doubles title. "I've been bowling competitively for 12 years, and I've won a few tournaments back home, but nothing like this."

BergiesProShop1OC2021ForWeb350Earlier in the day, a group of Neumann's friends from Alexandria made a run at the top of the leaderboard, before settling into third place with a 3,275 total.

Bergie's Pro Shop 1 posted games of 1,033, 1,067 and 1,175, led by Chad Meyer, who rolled a 681 series. He was joined by Dan Chambers (666), Frankie Jacobson (660), Kiho Kyun (642) and Jason Price (626).

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