By Matt Cannizzaro and David Prange
USBC Communications

RENO, Nev. - A stubborn 4 pin kept Ronnie Sonnier of Beaumont, Texas, from shooting the 39th perfect game of the 2011 USBC Open Championships on Tuesday.

The 47-year-old right-hander's run at perfection came in his first game of singles, and he followed it up with games of 251 and 207 for a 757 series. Matt Weggen of Muscatine, Iowa, leads Regular Singles with 826.

"It was a little nerve-wracking," said Sonnier, who made his 12th tournament appearance and turned in career-best totals in singles and all-events. "We were watching the bowlers on the pair we were moving to for singles, and I thought they were hooking a little more than our doubles pair. I moved in a couple of boards and went high flush on the first two shots. I figured I should stay there, and it worked."

Sonnier was consistent from start to finish at the National Bowling Stadium this year, rolling nine games of 200 or better. He added 692 in doubles and 629 in team for a 2,078 all-events total. His 299 was the 17th of the 2011 Open Championships.

"The first time I bowled the Open Championships, I was invited to fill in with the guys I bowled with today," Sonnier said. "I bowled a couple of years, and then hooked up with another group that fell apart after a few more years. Then, in 2004, I got back with the original group, and we haven't missed a tournament since."

Sonnier's wife of four years, Kim, has never seen him shoot a 300 game. He was hoping this would be the first time.

"I asked her if she was nervous," Sonnier said. "She said she was shaking something awful. I really wanted to shoot 300 for her, but also because of the chance to do it here at the Open Championships."

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.