Illinois bowler has 300 as Bowling.com Youth Open starts
Terry Bigham
USBC Communications
Published: July 9, 2015 | Bowl.com
ARLINGTON, Texas – The 2015 Bowling.com Youth Open Championships kicked off Thursday at Orland Bowl in Orland Park, Illinois, and it didn’t take long for the event to have its first perfect game.
Xavier Muhammad, 18, of Hazel Crest, Illinois, rolled a 300 game during the first squad of doubles/singles competition. He started the day by competing in the team event, posting games of 191, 222, and 256 for a 669 series. He then had a 596 set in doubles on games of 212, 200 and 184.
After opening singles with a 204 game, Muhammad threw 12 consecutive strikes for his first certified 300 game. He finished with 177 for a 681 series.
Muhammad’s 300 is the eighth perfect game in tournament history and the first in singles competition. Six of the perfect games in the event’s history were accomplished in team competition, while the only 300 at last year’s tournament was rolled in doubles.
“It feels pretty good,” said Muhammad, who added he was a little nervous and did catch a break on his first shot in the 10th frame. “My dad told me to just breathe after my 10th shot.”
Thursday marked Muhammad’s first appearance at the Youth Open. He also will make his debut in the Junior Gold Championships presented by Storm, Roto Grip and Master, which begins Monday, also in the Chicago area.
“It definitely brought confidence back to my game,” Muhammad said.. “I had kind of been in a slump lately.”
The Bowling.com Youth Open Championships is a non-qualifying tournament open to all USBC Youth members. Competitors bowl nine games total – three games each of singles, doubles and four-player team. All scores are scratch.
Go to BOWL.com/YouthOpen for more information about the Bowling.com Youth Open Championships.
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