Wilkins moves into all-events lead at 2024 USBC Open Championships

LAS VEGAS – Zach Wilkins of Barrie, Ontario, Canada, has been one of the most consistent performers this year on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, and his early-season success continued to show this week at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.

Wilkins, a 31-year-old two-hander, took over the lead in Regular All-Events on Friday at the 2024 event, posting a 2,116 total over nine games and two different oil patterns at the South Point Bowling Plaza.

He had sets of 742 in team, 694 in doubles and 680 in singles to surpass Jared Wolf of Springdale, Arkansas, for the top spot in the standings. Wolf had held the lead with 2,103 since March 7.

Wilkins, making his sixth appearance at the USBC Open Championships, needed nine pins or better on his first delivery in the 10th frame of his final game of singles to move ahead of Wolf.

He left a 3-6-10, however, meaning he needed at least two pins on the spare attempt to take the lead. Wilkins covered the spare and struck on his fill ball to secure the top spot.

Wilkins had momentum coming in from his showings through the first six events of the 2024 PBA Tour season, which started in January, and he’ll look to keep it going as he prepares for the upcoming USBC Masters, which takes place from March 24-31 at nearby Suncoast Bowling Center.

He had posted four consecutive top-18 finishes to start the season, before making the stepladder finals at the Just Bare PBA Indiana Classic in Anderson, Indiana, at the end of February. Wilkins finished in fourth place.

Learn more about Wilkins’ success this week at the Open Championships and how he’s been fighting against some challenging times in 2024 by watching the video below.



In addition to taking the lead in Regular All-Events, Wilkins also helped Nicholas J’s Pro Shop 2 of La Crosse, Wisconsin, into second place in Team All-Events (9,713) and third in Regular Team (3,149).

The team dropped to fourth place Friday evening, as the members of LTU of 2019 of Grand Blanc, Michigan, posted a 3,158 total to move into third place.

Bowlers Headquarters of Muskego, Wisconsin, leads Team All-Events with 9,915, and Storm Products Inc. 1 of Alva, Florida, is pacing Regular Team with 3,220.

Wilkins was joined on the lanes by 2012 Regular Team champions Andy Mills and Nick Heilman, Rob Warren and Chris VanAkkeren. Mills took over fifth place in Regular All-Events with 2,058, Heilman had 1,986, Warren posted 1,785 and VanAkkeren had 1,768.

The 2024 Open Championships got underway Feb. 23 and will run through July 29 at the South Point Bowling Plaza. The tournament is scheduled to feature more than 11,000 teams and 55,000 bowlers making their way to compete in Las Vegas.

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