The U.S. Open is one of the four major tournaments in the Professional Bowlers Association. The first modern-day U.S. Open tournament in the PBA took place in 1971 and was won by Mike Limongello. (Prior to 1971, this event was known as the BPAA All-Star.) With four victories, Pete Weber holds the most modern-day U.S. Open trophies.
The U.S. Open winner currently earns $100,000 and a three-year Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exemption. This means the winner gains automatic entry into the Top 64 field each week for the following three seasons, without having to go through the Tour Qualifying Round (TQR).
Contents |
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Final score (championship match) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Mike Limongello | Teata Semiz | 194-186 |
| 1972 | Don Johnson | George Pappas | 233-224 |
| 1973 | Mike McGrath | Earl Anthony | 234-222 |
| 1974 | Larry Laub | Dave Davis | 258-237 |
| 1975 | Steve Neff | Paul Colwell | 279-217 |
| 1976 | Paul Moser | Jim Frazier | 226-195 |
| 1977 | Johnny Petraglia | Bill Spigner | 279-232 |
| 1978 | Nelson Burton Jr. | Jeff Mattingly | 204-201 |
| 1979 | Joe Berardi | Earl Anthony | 232-195 |
| 1980 | Steve Martin | Earl Anthony | 248-222 |
| 1981 | Marshall Holman | Mark Roth | 200-179 |
| 1982 | Dave Husted | Gil Sliker | 255-180 |
| 1983 | Gary Dickinson | Steve Neff | 214-202 |
| 1984 | Mark Roth | Guppy Troup | 244-237 |
| 1985 | Marshall Holman | Wayne Webb | 233-205 |
| 1986 | Steve Cook | Frank Ellenburg | 245-211 |
| 1987 | Del Ballard Jr. | Pete Weber | 247-209 |
| 1988 | Pete Weber | Marshall Holman | 203-171 |
| 1989 | Mike Aulby | Jim Pencak | 195-178 |
| 1990 | Ron Palombi Jr. | Amleto Monacelli | 269-205 |
| 1991 | Pete Weber | Mark Thayer | 289-184 |
| 1992 | Robert Lawrence | Scott Devers | 226-221 |
| 1993 | Del Ballard Jr. | Walter Ray Williams Jr. | 237-193 |
| 1994 | Justin Hromek | Parker Bohn III | 267-230 |
| 1995 | Dave Husted | Paul Koehler | 266-245 |
| 1996 | Dave Husted | George Brooks | 216-214 |
| 1997 | Not held | ||
| 1998 | Walter Ray Williams Jr. | Tim Criss | 221-189 |
| 1999 | Bob Learn, Jr. | Jason Couch | 231-215 |
| 2000 | Robert Smith | Norm Duke | 202-201 |
| 2001-02 | Mika Koivuniemi | Patrick Healey, Jr. | 247-182 |
| 2002-03 | Walter Ray Williams Jr. | Michael Haugen Jr. | 236-198 |
| 2003-04 | Pete Weber | Brian Voss | 231-178 |
| 2004-05 | Chris Barnes | Patrick Allen | 213-212 |
| 2005-06 | Tommy Jones | Ryan Shafer | 237-223 |
| 2006-07 | Pete Weber | Wes Malott | 210-204 |
| 2007-08 | Norm Duke | Mika Koivuniemi | 224-216 |
| 2008-09 | Mike Scroggins | Norm Duke | 191-173 |
| 2009-10 | Bill O'Neill | Mike Scroggins | 267-207 |
| 2010-11 | Norm Duke | Mika Koivuniemi | 225-216 |
The U.S. Open features what PBA.com describes as "the toughest lane oil design in all of bowling." The pattern is considered "flat," meaning equal amounts of oil are applied to every lane board.[1] (A typical lane condition allows more oil in the middle section of lane boards, and lesser amounts on the outer boards.)
Many claim the oil pattern is responsible for the lack of left-handed winners in this tournament, because there isn't enough ball traffic on the left side to create a "track area."[1] When Mike Scroggins won the 2009 event in North Brunswick, NJ, he became the first left-hander in 20 years (Mike Aulby, 1989) to earn a U.S. Open title. Interestingly, Aulby's win was on an oil pattern where oil was applied more heavily on the outer boards (that is, those closest to the gutters), to the point where the outer parts of the lanes were effectively unplayable. In all, left-handers account for six victories (McGrath [1973], Moser [1976], Petraglia [1977], Cook [1986], Aulby [1989], and Scroggins [2009]) and nine runner-up finishes (Anthony [1973, 1979, 1980], Davis [1974], Devers [1992], Bohn [1994], Couch [1999], Allen [2005], Scroggins [2010]) at the U.S. Open since 1971. It is also the only major title that left-hander and 43-time titleist Earl Anthony never won in his career, though he did finish runner-up three times.
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