Just 12 bowlers have been able to wear that coveted green jacket multiple times.
On Wednesday night, Francois Lavoie joined that class of champions by earning his second U.S. Open Title at Victory Lanes in Morresville, North Carolina.
In the final match, Lavoie defeated Sean Rash, 221-172 to win the title and $30,000 top prize. This is his fourth career PBA Tour title and second major.
“I realized a childhood dream when I won my first PBA major in 2016,” Lavoie said. “Since then, there have been some good times and some bad times. Earlier this year, times were tough. But I’m so glad we were able to turn things around and end the 2019 season with a huge win. A few years apart, different hairstyles, but still the same US Open green jacket. Feels surreal at the moment. My whole body is sore and I’m exhausted, but it’s well worth it when this is the end result.”
After qualifying, Lavoie earned the #2 seed for the stepladder finals which were broadcast live on CBS Sports. In his first match, Lavoie faced Team Roto Grip athlete, Anthony Simonsen. The brutal lane conditions proved to be a challenge as both athletes tried to fill frames and stay consistent through the match. Lavoie stayed clean to defeat Simonsen 214-164 to advance to the title match.
In the final match, Lavoie started with five consecutive strikes adding a little extra pressure as his opponent snuggled to get comfortable.
“I had a hard time getting my hand to do what I wanted to get the right ball motion, but we stuck with it and stayed in it,” Lavoie said in the official USBC Press Release. “Throwing the front five in the final game was huge, especially since our plan was just to try to hit the 1-3 every time. That pair was really hard.”
Throughout the event he consistently filled frames on the demanding conditions which allowed him to rise to the top of the leaderboards and eventually win the title.
The U.S. Open was the final major of the 2019 PBA Tour season. The 2020 PBA Tour Season kicks off in January for the PBA Hall of Fame Classic in Arlington TX. To view the full schedule visit pba.com.
In addition, Storm Products joined Logo Infusion to create the 2019 Storm USA Collection where fans at home can add an All-American themed jersey to their collection to honor the most challenging event of the PBA Tour season. To view the full collection, click here.
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