PBA USBC Masters Recap
bowlingball.com 6/12/2018
A show that featured 4 right handed bowlers, a lefty, lots of Storm and Roto Grip bowling balls, two of the bowlers who work in the industry and non-touring players, and one of the bowlers wearing casino card themed pants, what a spectacle! . The USBC Masters was conducted in Syracuse, NY, a city emerging as a very popular spot for the bowling community.
The first match featured the reigning U.S. Open champion Rhino Page and Storm’s very own Steve Kloempken. The best thing about this show is zero urethane used like last year’s Masters. Steve was throwing the Phaze II in the opening match, and has incredible mechanics might I add, defeated Rhino Page in the first match who I believed tried to play too far in on the left lane and had good shots on the right lane with no breaks. One shot going sideways, one no carry, but the Roto Grip Idol worked great when he changed to it. But it was all about Steve Kloempken and continuing to ride the momentum of his success at the USBC Open Championships this year.
Second match featured Joey, with colorful casino themed pants, and Steve Kloempken. Joey has an old school style and threw the DV8 Pitbull Bite. In my opinion, where he was trying to play, he should’ve moved in the extra few boards like Steve had done, and taking that very strong ball up the lane had it read earlier than Steve’s Phaze II. But Steve struggled, and ultimately had to grind it out and won the match. Let’s note too, Joey Paluszek, a.k.a. Joey Pants, is a great spare shooter, and Storm bowling balls kick the 10 pin out really good.
Third match was the co-workers from Storm who were going to have bragging rights in the office come that following Monday, Steve and Alex Hoskins. Alex was 3rd last year in the Masters. That left lane proved to get tighter as the day went on, but it was Hoskins who emerged throwing a late six pack to eliminate his ex-boss to advance to the title match.
Title match featured Andrew Anderson, the lone member of Team EBI on the show and the third place finisher at the TOC, and Alex Hoskins, who has already upped his finish from third last year to at least second. Andrew Anderson got off to a good start, but Hoskins wanted to get softer with the ball and ultimately resulted in his demise of the tournament, but the man who struck and the phantom pin that stood back up in qualifying, got revenge by winning the title and his first PBA major of his career.
With the PWBA starting back up, I’m sure we will be writing about that, along with everything PBA, USBC, and yes lots of that to discuss, and anything bowling all right here at bowlingball.com. It’s where bowlers go.
