Reno OpenThis is my report of the first 2 rounds of the PBA Reno Open held at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada. The Reno Open was bowled on the same lanes as the ABC Masters, but the lane conditions were quite a bit different. Where the center of the lanes hooked a lot during the Masters, there was extra oil in the middle of the Reno Open as we bowled on the 'B' pattern. Normally the 'B' pattern plays inside but I decided to try and play my first game up 9 with a dull low particle ball (#0319). I had a double and then a 5-10 in the pocket in the 8th frame to shoot 192. I decided to move inside and hook the ball since my outside line didn't seem to be very effective. I moved into around 17 and had a double with a rip 7-10 in the 6th frame. I followed that with a turkey to shoot 213. In game 3 I had a late 5 bagger to shoot 237. The 4th game was bowled on the first pair of lanes in use and the pair hooked quite bit. I changed to a more polished low particle ball and moved into around 22. After an open in the 6th when I left the 7-9 on a very high hit I finally threw a turkey to end up shooting 202. I started the 5th game out with a 6 bagger and added a double to shoot 255. In game 6 I had a double and a turkey to shoot 226. In game 7 I had a turkey and a finishing 4 bagger to shoot 238. After missing the pocket the first 4 shots of game 8 I managed a double and a turkey to shoot 218. I started the 9th game with a missed 2-4-10 split followed by a double. I was clean the rest of the game to shoot 195. I finished the block at +176. I had 56 strikes out of 101 shots. I missed the pocket 25 times and had 1 strike while missing the pocket, a cross over strike in the 6th frame of game 6. I had 55 pocket strikes on 76 pocket shots or a pocket strike percentage of 72. I had 4 opens, 4 splits (5-10, 7-10, 7-9, 2-4-10). I did pick up the 1-2-8-10 washout, 3-10 split, two 2-4-5's, two 3-6's, two 2-8's, two 6-10's, 2-4, 2-5, 2-4, 2-4-5-8, and the 3-6-9-10. On the 2nd day of qualifying I decided to hook the ball using a very dull low particle ball (#0319) playing around 16 out to around 8. I missed the 4-6-7-9 split completely in the 3rd frame and then missed the 3-10 in the 7th frame. I finally double after that, but for only 176. In the 2nd game I picked up the 2-7 and 3-10 in the 2nd and 3rd frames and then missed the 7-9 in the 5th frame which was flush in the pocket. I finally doubled in the 9th and 10th frame for a 190. Game 3 wasn't any better as I missed the 2-5 in the 4th frame and missed the 10 pin in the 9th frame to shoot 173. I moved outside to around the 2nd arrow for the 4th game, but moved back inside when I had trouble hitting the pocket. I threw a clean 194 game. I again started around the 2nd arrow in the 5th game, but moved inside of the 5th arrow in the 8th frame to finally get a double only to miss the 2-8 in the 10th for a 191. I had 2 doubles in the 6th game to record my first 200 game of the day, 211. Game 7 was kind of interesting as I tried to play way outside around the 3rd board. I picked up the 3-4-6-7 in the 1st, the 2-4-6-10 in the 3rd, and then after having two doubles I picked up the 4-9 in the 10th frame to shoot 215. I started the 8th game trying to play right up the 1-2 board. I started with a 4 bagger but left the 4-6-7-9-10 in the 5th which I missed only the 4 pin on the spare. I ended up shooting 208 in that game and playing 12 in the 8th and 10th frames. In the 9th game when I was out of contention I again tried playing up 12 and started with a 6 bagger. I finished with another 4 strikes in a row to shoot 278. I think I finished around 42nd for the tournament. Not very good bowling in the 2nd round. I had 45 strikes out of 99 shots. I missed the pocket 34 times and had 7 strikes while missing the pocket. I tripped the 4-7-10 in the 5th frame of the 4th game, crossed over in the 9th frame of game 4, 8th frame of game 5 and the 2nd frame of game 6. I again tripped the 4-7-10 in the 2nd frame of game 7, tripped the 4-6 in the 5th frame of game 7, and tripped the 4-7-10 in the 5th frame of the 9th game. That might be the most non pocket strikes I have had in one block in quite a while. I had 38 pocket strikes on 65 pocket shots or a pocket strike percentage of 58. I had 8 opens, 5 splits (4-6-7-9, 3-10, 7-9, 2-4-10, 4-6-7-9-10), and 3 spares (2-5, 10, 2-8). I did pick up the 2-7, 3-10, 4-9, 3-4-6-7, and 2-4-6-10 splits. I also picked up four 3-6's, two 2-8's, 2-4-5, 4-7, 1-2-8, 1-2-4-8, 4-7-8, 6-10. Walter Ray |