McCune Leads 2009 USBC Masters

Playing pain free for the first time this season, Eugene McCune of Munster, Ind., shot a perfect game as he moved into the overall lead after three of four squads Wednesday at the 2009 United States Bowling Congress Masters.

McCune has totaled 2,343 for 10 games of qualifying, an average of 234.3. Propelled by the 300 game, McCune put together a five-game block of 1,203 Wednesday evening. He leads Daniel Miyamoto of Mililani, Hawaii, by 19 pins.

The hard-throwing right-hander has been battling tendonitis and a host of other injuries in his left leg all season and said he was relieved to be able to bowl without pain.

"It's like a breath of fresh air to be able to throw the ball without pain," McCune said. "When you are battling pain like I have, everything about you feels horrible. It even hurts to get up and walk to the bathroom. Then all the sudden it went away and I hope it stays that way. I guess this is what happens when you turn 40, though."

A day after averaging better than 224, Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, improved upon that, shooting 1,171 for five games Wednesday, an average of better than 234, and sits in third with 2,292.

Scroggins, the 2005 USBC Masters champion, said capitalizing on his experience in the event moving forward will be key.

"You win the Masters one year and you just get all that experience," Scroggins said. "In qualifying you just want to stay clean and put up good scores. After that, it starts over and that's when my experience from a few years ago helps out."

Scroggins realizes if he's going to win another Masters title there's a long road ahead. The rest of the field will complete their 10-game qualifying totals Wdnesday with the top 115 bowlers advancing to Thursday morning's final five-game qualifying block. The top 63 bowlers then join defending champion Sean Rash in the double-elimination match play bracket.

"It would be a great honor and something I can hang my hat on if I could win the Masters again," Scroggins said. "Winning the Masters is one of the toughest feats in our sport, right up there with winning the U.S. Open."

John May of Lincolnton, N.C., currently sits in fourth place with 2,269, while Daniel Dunleavy of Staten Island, N.Y., is fifth with 2,258.

"I've done a lot of practicing leading up to this tournament and now it's a matter of staying calm," May said. "I did a little extra to prepare this week because I love this tournament. There's a lot of bowling and the format is great."

In all, more than 450 of the best professional and amateur bowlers are in Las Vegas with their sights set on the $60,000 top prize.

This year marks the first time since 2001 that the Masters is being held on the same lanes that also will be home to the USBC Open Championships. The relationship began with the inception of the Masters in 1951 but ended when the Masters remained at the National Bowling Stadium from 2002 until January of 2004. It was then held in Milwaukee in October of 2004, and again from 2005 until 2007. Because of its return to the Open Championships venue, the Masters was not held in 2008.