LAS VEGAS - After watching their teammates get recognized as the reigning Classified Doubles champions at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, Mark Nelson of Clitherall, Minnesota, and Lynn Good of Battle Lake, Minnesota, made an inspired run into the doubles lead at the 2017 event.

Nelson, a 43-year-old right-hander, led the effort at the South Point Bowling Plaza with games of 174, 194 and 198 for a 566 series, while Good, a 62-year-old right-hander, added 211, 206 and 119 for 536 total and a 1,102 total.

Charles Lindeman of Belt, Montana, and John Lindeman of Fort Benton, Montana, previously held the lead this year in Classified Doubles with 1,058.

Both Nelson and Good made their first USBC Open Championships appearances Wednesday night, and they looked on as Gary Sundby Jr. of Dalton, Minnesota, and David Hjelm of Wheaton, Minnesota, received their championship watches, earned by posting the top score last year at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada (1,155).

Sundby and Hjelm competed in the new Standard Division this year, so they were unable to defend their title, but there's little doubt they'd be excited to see another championship banner make its way back to Shoreline Restaurant Bar and Bowl in Battle Lake, Minnesota.

Watching their presentation helped motivate Nelson and Good to a strong start in doubles, and they needed every bit of it, as their momentum slowed in the final game. Their combined effort resulted in games of 385, 400 and 317.

"I knew what the top score was for doubles," Nelson said. "When we got to the final frames, I knew we had a shot at the lead. I was a nervous wreck in the 10th frame."

The nerves didn't show as both players delivered marks in the 10th frame to add on to their leading total.

Being able to bowl alongside friends also took away some of the pressure of coming to the new $35-million facility and adjusting to some of the differences between the 60-lane venue and the conditions they face in Minnesota.

"This tournament has been on my bucket list, and I'm about ready to retire, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to come out here," Good said. "Being able to bowl with everybody really took a lot of the pressure off. It took a couple of games yesterday to adjust to the difference between the synthetic lanes they have here and the wood lanes back home. It was definitely an experience, and it's nice to be able to say we're leading."

The experience also will serve as a great story after they return home from Las Vegas.

"It will be fun to go back home and tell Mark's dad about this," Good said. "I started bowling with his dad around 1980 or so, so it's going to be neat to tell him about this."

Nelson and Good now will enjoy keeping an eye on the tournament's leaderboard as they hope to bring the title back to Shoreline for a second consecutive year.

Nelson added sets of 494 in singles and 432 to finish his Open Championships debut with a 1,492 all-events total. Good had 471 in singles and 454 in team for 1,461. Cody Maier of Spring Creek, Nevada, leads Classified All-Events with 1,686.

Classified Doubles features bowlers with combined entering averages of 360 and below. Classified Singles and All-Events includes bowlers with entering averages of 180 and below.

Standard Doubles is for bowlers with combined entering averages of 361-418.

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