Fagan is Jan. Bowler of the Month

ARLINGTON, Texas - Mike Fagan, Dallas, Texas, has been unanimously named the January 2012 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America.
 
Fagan won the Alka Seltzer Plus Liquid Gels United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Masters defeating top-seeded Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 246-213. After no strikes and a 30-pin deficit in the first four frames, Fagan threw seven straight strikes to wrap up his third career and first major PBA title.
 
In the double-elimination match-play winner's bracket, Fagan suffered only one loss. An 806-743 setback to Barnes determined the number one and two seeds for the four-man stepladder television finals.
 
The 2003 USBC Masters champion, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Oregon defeated Dan MacLelland, Canada, 251-212 in the first match. Fagan then defeated Smith, 228-190 to face Barnes for the title.
 
The loss was bitter for Barnes, who was looking to be the third bowler to claim the career Grand Slam with wins in each of the four majors (PBA World/National Championship, USBC Masters, U.S. Open, PBA Tournament of Champions) behind Mike Aulby and Norm Duke.
 
Also capturing votes this month were Barnes, Masters runner-up and winner of the 32nd AIK Tournament; Bill ONeill, winner of the 42nd Brunswick Ballmaster Open; Eugene McCune, winner of the PBA Cheetah Open presented by Ebonite; Danielle McEwan, winner, Women's Team USA Trials; and Marshall Kent, winner, Men's Team USA Trials.