20TH NEW MEXICO OPEN WILL SET NEW RECORDS

Rio Rancho:

The New Mexico Open bowling tournament will offer record prize-money of more than
$ 76,000 when it’s 20th edition hits the lanes at Tenpins & More in Rio Rancho, August 16-18.

Defending champion and twice runner-up, Francois Lavoie of Wichita, Kansas will be trying to join Albuquerque’s John Young as the tournament’s only two-time winner. (Young won the first two events in 2004 and 2005).

First prize is also a record $ 13,500, based on 192 entries, with prize-money paid one in every four entries. Last year the field size was 211 in the 24-lane Center.

In last year’s championship match, local bowler, J D Nance, who had finished runner-up to PBA Rookie-of-the-Year, Cortez Schenck the prior year, had a chance to send top-seeded Lavoie to overtime, but lost after the French-Canadian threw a clutch tenth frame double for the nod 202-194.

Former PBA national tour champion, Mike Miller is preparing another testing lane pattern, evidenced in the past nineteen years with winning averages typically in the 205-215 range. Lavoie carded 210.4 in 2023.

Hope for a New Mexico victory received a boost after DeeRonn Booker, the pro-shop operator at Starlight Bowling, Bar & Grill. won the USBC Masters in Las Vegas earlier this year. And of course, Nance will be back to go “one better” than the past two years.

Last year’s third and fourth place finishers, Steven Novak of Louisville, Kentucky and Fero Williams from Oklahoma are also.amongst early sign-ups.

High game prizes on each pair in every squad give an indication of expected output. Squad one the average winning score was 241.8, squad two 247.4, three 257.9, four 243.3 and five 254.3.

Following eight-game qualifying rounds the top 32 will return Sunday for double-elimination bracket play, until only four remain – the unbeaten leader and three from the loser’s bracket – to contest the championship round.

Emil Williams BowlStreamTV.com will cover three pairs of lanes from start to finish, along with score updates and predictions, while area radio station, KDSK 92.9 will provide a two-hour live remote on opening day.

Tournament entry forms are available on-line at www.tenpinsmore.com under the “league” tab.

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Please contact Steve Mackie by email at [email protected] or call 505-891-4462 after 4pm MT for more details.