Texas bowler finds success in return to Open Championships
Bowling as a substitute on a team from Florida, Walsh shot 753 in singles, 735 in team and 692 in doubles to move into second place in Regular All-Events with 2,180 Sunday at the American Bank Center Exhibit Hall. Dave Mitchell of Farmington, Minn., leads with 2,189.
"I matched up well and got some good breaks, but my main motivation was that some of my friends were here to bowl this weekend too, and I just didn't wanted to embarrass myself," said Walsh, who made his fourth Open Championships appearance. "My expectations weren't really that high because I haven't bowled much, but one of my goals has always been to win an eagle before I was 30. Well, now I'm 30, and it would've been bitter-sweet. I just wish I was a little bit sharper."
With a three-day weekend coming up because of Memorial Day, Walsh knew he had time to make the short trip to Corpus Christi, Texas, and decided to use the sub board on USBCopen.com to offer himself to a team in need of a bowler.
Walsh, a left-hander, used a urethane ball he acquired during his collegiate bowling days and was able to find success playing close to the gutter this year, but he has been around the game long enough to know how important it is to fill frames, especially on difficult conditions.
During his nine games, he had five open frames, which included three single-pin misses. Another costly mistake came in his first game of singles, when he followed with a spare and 10 consecutive strikes, but threw his final shot in the gutter to finish with 280.
"It happens," said Walsh, who won a Professional Bowlers Association regional title on the way to Southwest Region Rookie of the Year honors in 1999. "But in the end, I bowled better than I could've hoped, I got to spend time with some good friends and I got to hang out at the beach. There's no way to be upset after all that."
Almost 10 years ago, Walsh was an All-American at West Texas A&M University and then quickly found success in the PBA Southwest Region after graduation. But after a frustrating stint on the PBA Tour in 2000, Walsh stepped away from the game to focus on getting his master's degree and raising his son Aiden.
Now four years old, Aiden is an avid bowler and helped rekindle Walsh's interest in the sport. Walsh bowled in two leagues this season, and Aiden recently claimed the Pee Wee Division all-events title at his city tournament, setting the bar high for his dad's trip to the Open Championships.
"I'd been bowling my whole life, but I just got burned out there for a while," Walsh said. "I definitely needed the time off, but I'm really starting to enjoy bowling again. My son really has a good time out there too, which makes it even better."
Presenting sponsors for the 2006 USBC Open Championships are Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus Hotel/Casinos in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, Texas State Aquarium, Majestic Ventures Yacht Charters, Inc., USS Lexington Museum and Texas Treasure Casino Cruises.
For more information on the USBC Open Championships, visit USBCOpen.com.
5/28/2006
By Matt Cannizzaro and David Ellis USBC Communications
