Mika Koivuniemi, the International bowling star now living in Hartland, MI, has been named the January 2011 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA).
Koivuniemi captured two major events on two continents in January. The first was the 41st European Bowling Tour's Brunswick Ballmaster Open in his native Finland, defeating top seed Sean Rash, Montgomery, IL 236-191, earning him 12,000 Euro (approx US$16,320). Koivuniemi became only the fourth bowler to win three Ballmasters Open titles, considered by many as Europe's most prestigious tournament.
Two weeks later, he became the first international player to win the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tournament of Champions (TOC), defeating Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, MI, 269-217, for a record $250,000 first place prize. The 299-100 semifinal win over Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, FL featured not only the highest win margin in PBA television history, but was only the second 299 game in a TOC television round match. The historic Don Johnson 299-268 win over Dick Ritger in the 1970 TOC final was the other.
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