RENO, Nev. - There have been a lot of challengers in the Regular Team event at the USBC Open Championships this week, but Strike Synergy of Honeoye Falls, N.Y., was the first team to finish the job and claim the top spot in the standings.

Anchor bowler Pat Donaghue stepped up in the 10th frame not knowing he needed two strikes to take the lead Monday night, but with his teammates and many spectators watching, he calmly delivered two clutch strikes and seven pins for a 3,254 total, five pins better than previous leader, Professional Image Center 1 of Wichita, Kan.

The 51-year-old right-hander was unaware of the score but knew the lead was within reach. Instead of figuring out what he needed, he focused on throwing the best possible shots he could.

"I knew we were close," said Donaghue, who made his 14th Open Championships appearance. "But, I didn't know we could take the lead. My goal was still the same. I wanted to hit my target and hit the pocket. I wanted to give myself a chance to get as many pins as possible. I didn't know we took the lead until the final ball. This feels wonderful, fantastic and gratifying all at the same time."

Strike Synergy got off to a slow start with a 979 game, but bounced back with 1,121 and 1,154. Donaghue led the way with a 728 series and was followed by Troy McClure (673), David Arida (639), Paul Perotto (611) and Kevin Donaghue (603).

The teammates took their preparation for this year's event very seriously. They had two videotaped practice sessions with their companion team, Pleasure Lanes 1 of Hilton, N.Y., on the lane condition they'd see at the National Bowling Stadium, and Donaghue bowls in a USBC Sport league that recently started using the Open Championships pattern.

"We started around seven or eight and slowly migrated to 13 or 14," said Donaghue, who bowls league at Clover Lanes in Rochester, N.Y. "The videotape helped us because we could really see what the ball was doing the last 20 feet of the lane. We tried to play the lanes in a similar fashion, and we made moves in a similar fashion. We recognized that straighter was greater. We wanted to take our time and pay attention to stay ahead of the breakdown."

Donaghue also was elated to be able to share the moment with his son, Kevin.

"It's great to bowl with my son," said Donaghue, who is a member of the Rochester USBC Bowling Association Hall of Fame. "I taught him the game. He respects the game and has worked his tail off. He throws the ball better than I do, but I am a little bit more accurate than he is. He tells me when to make changes, and I tell him when he is a little wild."

Another father-son duo made a run at the Regular Team lead earlier Monday but came up one pin short.

Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer David Husted and his son, Corey, already are in the record books as the first father and son to win a PBA regional doubles title, and this time, they helped Mark Baker Bowling of Milwaukie, Ore., to games of 1,003, 1,124 and 1,121 for a 3,248 total, which now is third overall.

The group had a shot at the lead as Corey Husted stepped up to close things out, but the young anchor left a 7 pin on his first shot in the 10th frame.

Mark Baker Bowling was led by David Grooms, who rolled a 718 series, and he was joined by David Husted, a 14-time PBA champion (653), Mark Baker (637), Bob Porter (635) and Corey Husted (605).

"It was a lot of fun," said Baker, who made his sixth Open Championships appearance. "We knew we needed 225 a man if we were going to get there. Bob punched out, Dave spared, I doubled, and I knew Husted was going to get them, so it came down to Corey. He threw it good, it hit the pocket and he got nine. That's all you can ask for. It was a blast."

Baker and the elder Husted met on the PBA Tour in the early 1980s and have been best friends ever since. Although their touring days are over and they have moved on to other opportunities, their friendship is as strong as ever, and they enjoy the chance to share the lanes at the Open Championships.

"It would be to cool to win this event at some point, but if Dave doesn't call, I'm probably not bowling," said Baker, who now is a professional bowling instructor who coaches the likes of PBA stars Bill O'Neill, Chris Barnes, Tommy Jones and Jason Couch. "We've been friends since my second week on Tour. Being able to watch the NCAA Championship game and have dinner with my best friend means more to me than bowling, though. You only get one best friend in this world. If my two sons turn out like him, I would be a great dad."
Although Baker hasn't bowled professionally since 1999, the adrenaline rush he felt in the 10th frame Monday brought back memories.

"That 10th frame was so much fun," said Baker, a four-time PBA titlist. "I guess when you've bowled on Tour and you don't bowl anymore, you miss the adrenaline. It's hard to get that adrenaline going, and that little spike right there was fun. That's why you still bowl."

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.