BARRETT BATTLES TO OCTOBER IBMA BOWLER OF THE MONTH

      

Dom Barrett, Colchester, England, has been named the October 2018 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the International Bowling Media Association.

 

Barrett defeated Jakob Butturff, Chandler, Arizona, 207-206, for the 2018 U.S. Open title, his second major and seventh PBA title.  

           

After finishing the qualifying round in third place, Barrett maintained that position before dropping to fourth after the round robin match play.

 

The television stepladder finals began as the fourth-seed Barrett downed the fifth-seed Marshall Kent, Yakima, Washington, 258-203. Barrett outstruck the third-seed E.J. Tackett, Bluffton, Indiana, 264-248 in the semifinal, setting up the title match with the top seed Butturff.

 

The Arizona left-hander led the U.S. Open by over 600 pins going into the television finals for the second straight year. Butturff was defeated by Rhino Page, 256-222, in the 2017 U.S. Open title match

 

Barrett's U. S. Open crown is also his second PBA title this season, following the season-opening DHC Japan Invitational.      

 

Others obtaining votes in close voting this month were Liz Johnson, winner, 20th SamHo Korea Cup 2018, Stuart Williams, winner, PBA Tulsa Open, Anthony Simonsen, winner, FloBowling PBA Wolf Open, E.J. Tackett, winner, PBA Bear Open

 (Photos Courtesy of USBC)

O'KEEFE CAPS CAREER YEAR AS NOVEMBER BOWLER OF THE MONTH

Shannon O'Keefe, Shiloh, Illinois, has been named the November 2018 Kegel Bowler of the Month by the International Bowling Media Association.

 O'Keefe topped Sin Li Jane, Malaysia, 238-236, for the women's title at the 54th QubicaAMF World Cup in Las Vegas.    

           

After finishing the eighteen-game qualifying round in third place averaging 208, O'Keefe spent the twenty-four-game match play in the top ten, defeating Daphne Tan, Singapore, to secure fourth place going into the championship round.

 

The semifinals began as the fourth-seeded O'Keefe stunned top-seeded Nadia Pramanik, Indonesia, 247-202. The third-seeded Sin ousted second-seeded Maria Jose Rodriguez, Columbia, 207-166, in the other semifinal, setting up the final match with O'Keefe.

 

The win comes at the end of an amazing year for the head coach for the highly-ranked McKendree University women's bowling team. O'Keefe won two titles out of seven championship round appearances, including the USBC Queens tiara, en route to 2018 PWBA Player of the Year.

 

Others obtaining votes this month were Sam Cooley, Australia, winner of the men's 54th QuibicaAMF World Cup, Tim Foy, Jr., winner of the PBA East Region Bowlers Discount Pro Shop Open presented by Track, and Dick Allen and Walter Ray Williams, Jr., winners of the PBA/PBA50 Southern Region Decker Appraisal Services Harrisonburg Baker Doubles Honoring Guppy Troup.