Sunday, September 4, 2023 – Las Vegas, Nevada
Story courtesy of Jay Leon Guerrero.
Guam’s Gregory Borja bowled well over the Labor Day weekend in a pair of money tournaments in Las Vegas, Nevada.
On Sunday, Borja shot a total of 676 over three games in the Amateur Bowlers Tour Labor Day Explosion Tournament at the Gold Coast Bowling Center to win first place.
Borja bested 10 finalists, including Jay Leon Guerrero, who had finished in 6th place, to earn the $1500 cash prize.
Borja and Leon Guerrero had little time to celebrate as they both earned finalist spots in the Las Vegas TAT Open at South Point Stadium. The Las Vegas Open was a bigger tournament with a larger prize pool.
The Guam Bowlers won all their matches in their divisions’ field of 75 finalists and were matched against each other in the semi-finals. Borja eliminated Leon Guerrero to make the finals TV pair 220-208.
Borja now had a chance to win $15,000 if his score was the highest of five bowlers. He started with a strike, followed by an open frame, and then managed to put together a hambone (4 strikes in a row).
An open frame (2-10 split) later in the game stopped momentum but Borja was still in a good position to win the $7000 (2nd place) or $4000 (3rd place) cash prize if he was able to mark in the 10th frame.
Borja’s 10th frame was a bit high in the pocket, and he left a single 6-pin. Unfortunately, nerves got to Borja, and he missed the spare for a score of 198.
Catalina Gomez Riveo, the tournament’s top female, won the tournament with a score of 252. Riveo bettered her male opponents and did not need her handicap to win the $15,000 money prize. PBA Pro Jakob Buttruff finished second with a 200, Dave Dentlinger was third with a 199, Borja had a 198 and Sol Cericos scored 172 for fifth.
Guam Bowling 