TEN STATES HERE FOR NEW MEXICO OPEN BOWLING THIS WEEKEND

Rio Rancho:

Ten states are represented in the 20th New Mexico Open bowling tournament being held this weekend, Friday August 16 through Sunday August 18 at Tenpins & More in Rio Rancho.

Defending champion, Francois Lavoie, of Wichita, Kansas, who is also a two-time US Open champion, is hoping for a rare “three-peat” of titles as he has won his last two starts the past two weekends in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

He will be faced with strong opposition from five other previous winners of the event, including Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Arizona, on the comeback trail after recovering from injury and national Hall-of-Fame member, Andrew Cain from Phoenix.

Hopes for a New Mexico victory seem to rest with recent USBC Masters winner, DeeRonn Booker of Albuquerque and past two-time runner-up J D Nance of Rio Rancho.

Booker won last month’s Albuquerque Masters beating Brad Harvey of Amarillo, Texas 212-184 in the final, while Nance won Monday’s pre-tournament event, averaging 220 on the difficult lane condition created for the New Mexico Open this weekend.

Other locals including Zach Harvey, Jacob Gill, Scott Wiley, Joseph La Pointe and last Sunday’s winner, Eric Vanderlip have good current form to challenge visiting bowlers such as Steven Novak of Louisville, Kentucky, former US Open champion, Robert Lawrence of Del Valle, Texas and stylish Steve Kloempken from Pleasant View, Utah who was runner-up here in 2019.

Qualifying squads, over eight games are set for Friday at 9am and 2pm, then Saturday at 7am, 12.30pm and 6.30pm. The top 32 will advance to bracket play Sunday from 7.45am until only four remain to contest the championship round Sunday after 3pm.

The winner will receive a record check for $13,500.

Live coverage of all bowling sessions is available at the YouTube channel of BowlStreamTV.com as well as a live radio remote on Saturday from 10am-Noon on KDSK 92.9FM.

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FYI – Complete tournament details are listed in the Official 24-page Program ready for download at tenpinsmore.com NMO tab. Or email tournament organizer, Steve Mackie at mailto:[email protected].