West Virginia bowler climbs to top of leaderboard at Open Championships
March 09, 2024
LAS VEGAS – Shane McGrain of Bunker Hill, West Virginia, accelerated to the top of the leaderboard in Classified All-Events at the 2024 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships with a 1,635 total for his nine games at the South Point Bowling Plaza.
The 47-year-old right-hander rolled scores of 511 in team, 578 in doubles and 546 in singles on his way to the lead. Allison Robb-Flodder of Lathrop, California, had held the early lead in 2024 with 1,598.
His 578 set in doubles, along with doubles partner Cindy Barr’s 462 series, also helped them move into fourth in Classified Doubles with 1,040. Wade Hendrickson and Brent Freund of Cando, North Dakota, lead with 1,081.
During the first game of his singles event, McGrain put together some strikes, which ultimately led to the highest game of his bowling career, 245. Prior to his performance Tuesday, McGrain’s highest game had been 243 during a league session.
“I have not bowled this well in all the years I have been bowling, whether it is in league or a tournament,” said McGrain, who participated in the USBC Open Championships for the fourth time. “A few years ago, my friends in the league I bowl in at home asked me if I would be interested in bowling the national tournament, and it sounded fun, so I joined them with goal of just having a good time.”
McGrain attributes his bowling style to his success this year at the Bowling Plaza and believes that rolling the ball with a straight release takes any oil pattern out of the equation.
“I have been bowling this way all my life, and it doesn’t matter whether the lanes are oiled with a house shot or a Sport pattern,” McGrain said. “I can just throw it hard and straight to the pocket and knock down pins.”
While it is still early in the 2024 tournament, McGrain has hopes his score can hang on for a win at the Open Championships so he can bring home the coveted Eagle trophy that all bowlers participating in the event look to capture.
“If you were to call me in five months and tell me I won the tournament, I would be surprised but also stoked at the same time,” McGrain said. “I come out here with my friends to bowl this for fun, so to be able to win the tournament would be something special.”
The Classified Division features bowlers with entering averages of 155 and below.
The 2024 Open Championships got underway Feb. 23 and will run through July 29 at the South Point Bowling Plaza. The tournament is scheduled to feature more than 11,000 teams and 55,000 bowlers making their way to compete in Las Vegas.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
The 47-year-old right-hander rolled scores of 511 in team, 578 in doubles and 546 in singles on his way to the lead. Allison Robb-Flodder of Lathrop, California, had held the early lead in 2024 with 1,598.
His 578 set in doubles, along with doubles partner Cindy Barr’s 462 series, also helped them move into fourth in Classified Doubles with 1,040. Wade Hendrickson and Brent Freund of Cando, North Dakota, lead with 1,081.
During the first game of his singles event, McGrain put together some strikes, which ultimately led to the highest game of his bowling career, 245. Prior to his performance Tuesday, McGrain’s highest game had been 243 during a league session.
“I have not bowled this well in all the years I have been bowling, whether it is in league or a tournament,” said McGrain, who participated in the USBC Open Championships for the fourth time. “A few years ago, my friends in the league I bowl in at home asked me if I would be interested in bowling the national tournament, and it sounded fun, so I joined them with goal of just having a good time.”
McGrain attributes his bowling style to his success this year at the Bowling Plaza and believes that rolling the ball with a straight release takes any oil pattern out of the equation.
“I have been bowling this way all my life, and it doesn’t matter whether the lanes are oiled with a house shot or a Sport pattern,” McGrain said. “I can just throw it hard and straight to the pocket and knock down pins.”
While it is still early in the 2024 tournament, McGrain has hopes his score can hang on for a win at the Open Championships so he can bring home the coveted Eagle trophy that all bowlers participating in the event look to capture.
“If you were to call me in five months and tell me I won the tournament, I would be surprised but also stoked at the same time,” McGrain said. “I come out here with my friends to bowl this for fun, so to be able to win the tournament would be something special.”
The Classified Division features bowlers with entering averages of 155 and below.
The 2024 Open Championships got underway Feb. 23 and will run through July 29 at the South Point Bowling Plaza. The tournament is scheduled to feature more than 11,000 teams and 55,000 bowlers making their way to compete in Las Vegas.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.