Ohio bowler secures lead in Classified Singles at 2025 Open Championships
March 26, 2025
BATON ROUGE, La. – For many, the grind presented at a tournament like the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships challenges your game.
Kenneth Hurst of Dayton, Ohio, has been to the event each year since his debut in 1998, but his appearance Monday resulted in his top showing in singles on the way to the lead in the Classified Division.
He put together games of 235, 178 and 232 for a 645 series to surpass the 636 posted by Justin McManis of Lanark, Illinois, during the first week of the 2025 event.
Needing a strike in his final frame for the chance to take the outright lead, Hurst was able to deliver and followed with an eight count (2-8) and spare to secure the top spot.
“I have bowled this tournament for 27 years and can count on one hand how many times I have scored above 600,” Hurst said. “This was the first year I have bowled in the Classified Division after being in Standard the last seven years and Regular for the other 19 years of my career. Getting older has gotten the best of me when it comes to this tournament, so my skill level has started to diminish.”
Hurst, a 65-year-old right-hander, credited a trip to the Bowlers Journal Championships for the first time in helping him prepare for his time at the Raising Cane’s River Center.
The Bowlers Journal Championships is being contested at All Star Lanes in 2025 and features the same oil pattern being used during doubles and singles at the USBC Open Championships.
“We have a new teammate in our group this year, and she was going to bowl last night and needed a partner, so I tagged along and bowled doubles with her,” Hurst said. “I had never bowled the Bowlers Journal before, since I never had the desire to bowl it. But, I really believe this helped me get lined up for the actual Open shot.”
Hurst has been coming to the Open Championships with his family, including his daughter, Delaney, and son, Ryan. He looks forward to attending the tournament every year.
“I have family that I’ve been bowling with here at the tournament for years now, and I have grandsons who are getting ready to join us here as well in the next few years,” Hurst said. “Bowling this tournament has been a great experience, and I plan on bowling as long as I can remain healthy enough to bowl.”
With his score of 645 being higher than last year’s winning total in Classified Singles (633), Hurst is optimistic and excited about his chances of taking home a coveted Eagle trophy.
“If I were able to hold on and win with this score, I would be extremely excited,” Hurst said. “Words would not be able to describe the feeling of a win here.”
Hurst added sets of 492 in team and 466 in doubles to go along with his 645 in singles for an all-events score of 1,603.
Classified Singles features bowlers with entering averages of 155 and below.
The Open Championships is celebrating its third trip to Baton Rouge in 2025 and scheduled to feature more than 58,000 bowlers and 11,600 five-player teams competing across 150 consecutive days at the River Center.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
Kenneth Hurst of Dayton, Ohio, has been to the event each year since his debut in 1998, but his appearance Monday resulted in his top showing in singles on the way to the lead in the Classified Division.
He put together games of 235, 178 and 232 for a 645 series to surpass the 636 posted by Justin McManis of Lanark, Illinois, during the first week of the 2025 event.
Needing a strike in his final frame for the chance to take the outright lead, Hurst was able to deliver and followed with an eight count (2-8) and spare to secure the top spot.
“I have bowled this tournament for 27 years and can count on one hand how many times I have scored above 600,” Hurst said. “This was the first year I have bowled in the Classified Division after being in Standard the last seven years and Regular for the other 19 years of my career. Getting older has gotten the best of me when it comes to this tournament, so my skill level has started to diminish.”
Hurst, a 65-year-old right-hander, credited a trip to the Bowlers Journal Championships for the first time in helping him prepare for his time at the Raising Cane’s River Center.
The Bowlers Journal Championships is being contested at All Star Lanes in 2025 and features the same oil pattern being used during doubles and singles at the USBC Open Championships.
“We have a new teammate in our group this year, and she was going to bowl last night and needed a partner, so I tagged along and bowled doubles with her,” Hurst said. “I had never bowled the Bowlers Journal before, since I never had the desire to bowl it. But, I really believe this helped me get lined up for the actual Open shot.”
Hurst has been coming to the Open Championships with his family, including his daughter, Delaney, and son, Ryan. He looks forward to attending the tournament every year.
“I have family that I’ve been bowling with here at the tournament for years now, and I have grandsons who are getting ready to join us here as well in the next few years,” Hurst said. “Bowling this tournament has been a great experience, and I plan on bowling as long as I can remain healthy enough to bowl.”
With his score of 645 being higher than last year’s winning total in Classified Singles (633), Hurst is optimistic and excited about his chances of taking home a coveted Eagle trophy.
“If I were able to hold on and win with this score, I would be extremely excited,” Hurst said. “Words would not be able to describe the feeling of a win here.”
Hurst added sets of 492 in team and 466 in doubles to go along with his 645 in singles for an all-events score of 1,603.
Classified Singles features bowlers with entering averages of 155 and below.
The Open Championships is celebrating its third trip to Baton Rouge in 2025 and scheduled to feature more than 58,000 bowlers and 11,600 five-player teams competing across 150 consecutive days at the River Center.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.