Pickford Leads BowlersMart.com 1 and BowlersMart.com 2 to Successful USBC Trip

 Reno, NV – Connor Pickford has been on an unbelievable run on the lanes for the last few months, and it continued Thursday and Friday at the USBC Open Championships. After recently finishing 2nd to Tommy Jones in the PBA Reality Check Classic, where he threw an astonishing (4) 300 games in a 12 game block of match play, Pickford looked for success at the National Bowling Stadium while bowling with his BowlersMart.com teammates.

Pickford started the tournament with 794 in team event, including a 299 game in game two. “We broke them down the right way and everyone starting striking and the energy was high,” said Pickford. “Once I saw my name turn red, it was go time. I knew I had a chance. I stepped up and just wanted to make a good shot. When I threw it I said to myself, ‘I think I just shot 300 at nationals.’ I kneeled down and saw stone 9 pin.”

Pickford added sets of 624 and 743 for a 2,161 all-events total, currently in 16th place. BowlersMart.com 1 finished with 3,340, currently just inside the top 50. The team included Ed Shuler (1,971), David Checkle, Jr. (1,929), Spencer Shumway (1778), and Kelly Hayes (1764).

BowlersMart president Cliff Barnes was on Pickford’s pair both days of the tournament, and has a new view of bowling the USBC Championships. “I really feel like all of us who work for BowlersMart are a family, with a common goal on the business side of it. I felt like we had the chemistry already that’s so hard to find in a team event like this. Bowling with Connor was a lot of fun and very inspiring for us as well.” Barnes bowled on BowlersMart.com 2, led by Ashly Galante (2,004), Andrew Adler (1,935), Barnes (1,883), Brian Checkle (1,759) and Chris Castro (1,758).

Barnes and Pickford attribute much of their success and improvement this year to their BowlersMart colleague and USBC Hall of Famer, John Gaines. After securing his fourth Eagle last year, many BowlersMart employees turn to John for guidance at the Open Championships. “I’ve always known how seriously John takes this tournament. Working with him daily, I now understand why it holds such significance for him. This tournament requires collaborative effort, making individual success impossible. It’s truly a team event, even in doubles or singles.”

BowlersMart, based in Spring Hill, FL, owns 50 pro shop locations, the website www.BowlersMart.com, and several online shopping channels.