Teammates find success at USBC Open Championships
May 26, 2010
RENO, Nev. - Jason Munkberg of Redding, Calif., watched his teammate Bob Rosenau roll a 300 game at the USBC Open Championships on Tuesday and then found his own way into the spotlight with an 800 series Wednesday morning.
The 30-year-old right-hander turned in a 30-strike performance that included games of 263, 286 and 258 and moved him into fourth place in Regular Singles with 807. Terrence Syring of Bay City, Mich., leads with 833. There have been seven 800s at the 2010 event.
Munkberg was disappointed that his own run at perfection in his second game of singles ended prematurely, but he still was able to regroup and focus on the bigger picture.
"I threw good shots, but I grabbed the 11th one, and it hooked early on me," said Munkberg, who bowls at Redding's Shasta Lanes and made his fifth Open Championships appearance. "I've never been in that position before, and there were some nerves. I thought I threw it well and put it where I wanted. At that point, I tried not to think about the series, but it was right up there on the screen. I started the last game with a bad shot but settled down."
Munkberg didn't think about 800 again until the ninth frame, and he stepped onto the approach knowing he needed two strikes in his final frame, which he calmly delivered.
"I was really happy with the shots I made, but it hasn't sunk in yet," Munkberg said. "After doubles, my swing got pretty loose, and I was able to throw the ball where I wanted to. This is definitely my biggest achievement in bowling."
Although he has been an avid bowler since his teens, Munkberg turned his focus from the lanes to the auto repair business he started in 2002. He made his Open Championships debut at the 2004 event in Reno because of its close proximity to his hometown, and he didn't return again until 2007 when it was back at the Stadium.
With business going well and more time to focus on bowling, Munkberg competed in the 2008 tournament in Albuquerque, N.M., with the intention of making the trip annually from then on as a vacation and a chance to spend time with friends like Rosenau.
"Bob and I are good friends, and it's great that we were both able to do well," said Munkberg, who added 682 in doubles and 615 in team for a career-best 2,104 all-events total. "Bob has always done well in Reno, and it was fun to watch him shoot 300. I was throwing the wrong ball and playing the wrong part of the lane, so I moved closer to where he was (around 15-17 at the arrows), and it worked well."
Rosenau's time on the lanes this year was a little bit emotional, and he was mentally drained from the time he walked into the National Bowling Stadium.
He was worried about the health of his father, who is fighting a battle with cancer, and his wife, who was at home dealing with a dislocated finger.
With his father in attendance, Rosenau, also from Redding, threw 12 consecutive strikes in his second game of team and bookended it with games of 214 and 216 for a 730 series. He and Munkberg helped Team 13465 to a 3,090 total. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads with 3,408.
Rosenau, a 43-year-old right-hander, was in familiar territory when stepped onto the approach with 11 consecutive strikes, and he hoped this year's game would turn out better than the 298 he rolled at the Stadium in 2007.
This time, Rosenau pulled his final shot left, but was able to carry the 3-6-10 for the 23rd perfect game of the year and seventh in five days.
"My dad was here to watch me today," said Rosenau, who left the 2-7 split on his final shot in 2007. "Once I thought I had a chance, I really wanted to get it done for him. I really didn't have a good look in practice, but things came together for me. I threw 11 good shots, and I was really lucky on my last shot. The last few years of my life have been a little rough, but if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. I think my luck is starting to change."
Rosenau is a devoted father and husband and decided to take some time away from bowling to make sure he could watch his children grow up. But with Reno only 195 miles from his home, he's made an effort to compete at the tournament when it's at the Stadium. Six of his seven appearances have come in Reno, and he has maintained a 213.3 career average.
Since he wasn't bowling much, Rosenau spent a lot of his time traveling the junior golf circuit with his oldest son, Chris (now 24), who eventually landed a golf scholarship to the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif.
"When my son started playing sports, I started to bowl only one night per week," Rosenau said. "I quit for a couple years because I didn't want to miss any of his sports. It was all about him, and my youngest son, who is now 17."
Prior to his parental duties, Rosenau was a very competitive bowler. In 1993, he won the $10,000 Silver Dollar Classic in Las Vegas, defeating seven-time Professional Bowlers Association titlist Robert Smith and PBA Hall of Famer and 10-time titlist Mike McGrath in the process.
He has competed in 15 PBA regional events during his bowling career and cashed in all of them. In March, Rosenau competed in the PBA Northwest/West Region Caveman Bowl Open and finished fourth.
With one child already grown, and the other close to going to college, Rosenau has the opportunity to get back into competitive bowling on a regular basis.
"I would love to win something here," said Rosenau, who is the night manager of Shasta Lanes. "I definitely think it's within my ability. After the regional, I was a lot more confident coming into this tournament. It's all about knowing your game, and knowing your equipment."
Rosenau finished his 2010 tournament campaign with 677 in singles and 643 in doubles for a career-best 2,050 all-events total. Matt McNiel of Chanhassen, Minn., leads Regular All-Events with a record 2,326.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, 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.
The 30-year-old right-hander turned in a 30-strike performance that included games of 263, 286 and 258 and moved him into fourth place in Regular Singles with 807. Terrence Syring of Bay City, Mich., leads with 833. There have been seven 800s at the 2010 event.
Munkberg was disappointed that his own run at perfection in his second game of singles ended prematurely, but he still was able to regroup and focus on the bigger picture.
"I threw good shots, but I grabbed the 11th one, and it hooked early on me," said Munkberg, who bowls at Redding's Shasta Lanes and made his fifth Open Championships appearance. "I've never been in that position before, and there were some nerves. I thought I threw it well and put it where I wanted. At that point, I tried not to think about the series, but it was right up there on the screen. I started the last game with a bad shot but settled down."
Munkberg didn't think about 800 again until the ninth frame, and he stepped onto the approach knowing he needed two strikes in his final frame, which he calmly delivered.
"I was really happy with the shots I made, but it hasn't sunk in yet," Munkberg said. "After doubles, my swing got pretty loose, and I was able to throw the ball where I wanted to. This is definitely my biggest achievement in bowling."
Although he has been an avid bowler since his teens, Munkberg turned his focus from the lanes to the auto repair business he started in 2002. He made his Open Championships debut at the 2004 event in Reno because of its close proximity to his hometown, and he didn't return again until 2007 when it was back at the Stadium.
With business going well and more time to focus on bowling, Munkberg competed in the 2008 tournament in Albuquerque, N.M., with the intention of making the trip annually from then on as a vacation and a chance to spend time with friends like Rosenau.
"Bob and I are good friends, and it's great that we were both able to do well," said Munkberg, who added 682 in doubles and 615 in team for a career-best 2,104 all-events total. "Bob has always done well in Reno, and it was fun to watch him shoot 300. I was throwing the wrong ball and playing the wrong part of the lane, so I moved closer to where he was (around 15-17 at the arrows), and it worked well."
Rosenau's time on the lanes this year was a little bit emotional, and he was mentally drained from the time he walked into the National Bowling Stadium.
He was worried about the health of his father, who is fighting a battle with cancer, and his wife, who was at home dealing with a dislocated finger.
With his father in attendance, Rosenau, also from Redding, threw 12 consecutive strikes in his second game of team and bookended it with games of 214 and 216 for a 730 series. He and Munkberg helped Team 13465 to a 3,090 total. Bowlers Edge Pro Shop of Neenah, Wis., leads with 3,408.
Rosenau, a 43-year-old right-hander, was in familiar territory when stepped onto the approach with 11 consecutive strikes, and he hoped this year's game would turn out better than the 298 he rolled at the Stadium in 2007.
This time, Rosenau pulled his final shot left, but was able to carry the 3-6-10 for the 23rd perfect game of the year and seventh in five days.
"My dad was here to watch me today," said Rosenau, who left the 2-7 split on his final shot in 2007. "Once I thought I had a chance, I really wanted to get it done for him. I really didn't have a good look in practice, but things came together for me. I threw 11 good shots, and I was really lucky on my last shot. The last few years of my life have been a little rough, but if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. I think my luck is starting to change."
Rosenau is a devoted father and husband and decided to take some time away from bowling to make sure he could watch his children grow up. But with Reno only 195 miles from his home, he's made an effort to compete at the tournament when it's at the Stadium. Six of his seven appearances have come in Reno, and he has maintained a 213.3 career average.
Since he wasn't bowling much, Rosenau spent a lot of his time traveling the junior golf circuit with his oldest son, Chris (now 24), who eventually landed a golf scholarship to the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif.
"When my son started playing sports, I started to bowl only one night per week," Rosenau said. "I quit for a couple years because I didn't want to miss any of his sports. It was all about him, and my youngest son, who is now 17."
Prior to his parental duties, Rosenau was a very competitive bowler. In 1993, he won the $10,000 Silver Dollar Classic in Las Vegas, defeating seven-time Professional Bowlers Association titlist Robert Smith and PBA Hall of Famer and 10-time titlist Mike McGrath in the process.
He has competed in 15 PBA regional events during his bowling career and cashed in all of them. In March, Rosenau competed in the PBA Northwest/West Region Caveman Bowl Open and finished fourth.
With one child already grown, and the other close to going to college, Rosenau has the opportunity to get back into competitive bowling on a regular basis.
"I would love to win something here," said Rosenau, who is the night manager of Shasta Lanes. "I definitely think it's within my ability. After the regional, I was a lot more confident coming into this tournament. It's all about knowing your game, and knowing your equipment."
Rosenau finished his 2010 tournament campaign with 677 in singles and 643 in doubles for a career-best 2,050 all-events total. Matt McNiel of Chanhassen, Minn., leads Regular All-Events with a record 2,326.
Presenting sponsors for the 2010 USBC Open Championships are Circus Circus, Eldorado Hotel Casino and Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada. Other sponsors include Sands Regency Casino Hotel, official brackets sponsor, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, 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.