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Bowling Highlights

Simonsen applauds Duke as he wins USBC Masters

Ed Townsend
Posted 4/8/22

The legendary 58-year-old PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke almost pulled off another big championship Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas, but lost a thriller 219-216 to 25-year-old two-handed bowler Anthony …

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Bowling Highlights

Simonsen applauds Duke as he wins USBC Masters

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The legendary 58-year-old PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke almost pulled off another big championship Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas, but lost a thriller 219-216 to 25-year-old two-handed bowler Anthony Simonsen.

Simonsen continues to rewrite the bowling record book, and he added another chapter last Sunday as he claimed his fourth major championship and second win at the United States Bowling Congress Masters.

Under difficult bowling, as of the result of the Masters scoring shot, the 25-year-old two hander recorded the win at the 2022 event with a strike and eight pins in his final frame.

The win last Sunday at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino netted Simonsen his second $100,000 top prize in less than two months after he won the U.S. Open in February.

The championship round of the 2022 USBC Masters was broadcast live on Fox.

Simonsen’s first win at the Masters came in 2016 and helped him become the youngest bowler in history to win a major at 19 years and 39 days old.

His wins at the 2019 PBA Players Championship and 2022 U.S. Open also set the mark for youngest to win two and three majors, respectively, and he added another record Sunday as the youngest to four at 25 years and 87 days old.

He’s now just one of nine bowlers to win the Masters twice, and the victory marked his 10th PBA tour title. He’s also the first player to win both the Masters and U.S Open during the same season since USBC and PBA Hall of Famer Mike Aulby accomplished the feat in 1989.

Duke, who earned the top seed for the stepladder after going undefeated in the event’s double-elimination bracket, was looking to add another record to his legendary career on the lanes.

He was in search of his 41st PBA tour title, eighth major and second win at the masters after claiming the title in 1993.

Duke, the 58-year-old right hander, is the youngest bowler ever to win a PBA title at the age of 18, and he would have become the oldest bowler to win a national tour title, major and the Masters with a victory Sunday.

Simonsen and Duke have shared some parallels in their careers, even with the difference in ages. Both originally hailed from Texas and found success on the PBA tour at a young age.

As Duke looks toward the end of his professional career, Simonsen has appreciated the mentorship provided by the hall of famer.

“Norm has always been respectful to me, and my mom and him were friends for a long time,” Simonsen said.

“I think that’s where part of my love and appreciation stands with Norm. It’s been an absolute privilege to share the lanes with him. Norm’s a special one and I don’t think there will be anybody who does it like him ever again,” Simonsen noted.

Ed's Outlook

I have always expressed the fondness I have had for 58-year-old PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke since we first met at one of the early PBA events in the Albany area.

Norm, always a fan favorite, had many wins and just last Sunday almost won the USBC Open.

When we were traveling to many of the PBA championship tournaments in the Northeast for many years, we would always have lunch with Norm whether it be at the Thruway Lanes in Cheektowaga, NY (near Buffalo), Windsor Locks, CT, Garden City, Long Island or at North Brunswick, N.J. he always took some time to spend with us.

We wish him well. He’s one of the best.

Bowling Tip by Mike Luongo

Those down lane markers are boards that measure three feet long and are darker in color.

They are located on the tenth and thirteenth boards across from each other at 40 and 43 feet.

And there are two markers across from each other located in front of those range finders on the fifteenth and twentieth boards at 34 to 37 feet down the lane.

The purpose of these boards is for the advanced bowler to see exactly where his or her ball is traveling once it reaches that point in the lane.

This is the final targeting before the ball hits the pins and the markers show the bowler if he or she is throwing their ball down the lane and arriving at the same board down the lane.

This enables the bowler to maintain the same exact line, and effectively produce the same result time after time. This is critical for success in striking ball after ball, and one of the most important things to master for consistent bowling success.

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