The 2nd Annual SC USBC Association State Open Match Game Tournament was held on Saturday and Sunday, February 7th and 8th in Charleston, South Carolina at Royal Z Lanes in Goose Creek. The tournament was hosted by the Greater Charleston USBC Association, and was sponsored by the JBF Pro Shop and Royal Z Lanes, each of which put in $ 250.00 towards the prize fund. Thirty-five of South Carolina’s best bowlers traveled to Charleston from all over the state, to test their skills against each other to determine the Match Game Champion.
On Saturday, the 35 bowlers bowled (8) qualifying games on the Kegel Middle Road pattern. After the 8 games of qualifying, it took a 219 average to make it to match play on Sunday. Sunday morning, the top (12) bowlers came back to bowl 12 games of match play against each other on the Kegel Route 66 pattern.
Matt Burden, pictured above, averaged 244.67 in his twelve games of match play and was crowned the South Carolina State Match Game Champion. He received a plaque & a $ 1,000.00 check from the South Carolina USBC Association. Matt is one of South Carolina’s finest bowlers, winning the 2007 SC State High Average Award with a 242 average bowling in league in Anderson, South Carolina.
Final standings after the 12 games of match play on Sunday:
1st - Matt
Burden - 1167 - $1000
2nd - Jerry Horn - 904 - $600
3rd - Bobby Smith - 764 - $450
4th - Garren Acker - 724 - $350
5th - Terry Decker - 723 - $300
6th - Pete Wagner - 709 - $250
7th - Mac Sanders - 667 - $200
8th - Tony Todd - 607 - $175
9th - Bill Medovic - 492 - $155
10th - David Haynes - 444 - $150
11th - Tim Baker - 388 - $140
12th - Brad Hall - 273 - $135
13th - Mark Tanton - $126 (Alternate)
The South Carolina USBC Association would like to offer their sincere thanks to all the bowlers who traveled to Charleston and participated in this year’s Match Game Tournament. The South Carolina USBC Association is accepting bids for centers/associations that would be interested in hosting the 2009 State Match Games Tournament in October.