LAS VEGAS -Last year, Kenny Parks of Hammond, Ind., claimed the USBC Senior Masters as his first professional title on the way to a breakout season on the Professional Bowlers Association Senior Tour.

The 52-year-old right-hander, who now is in his third year on the PBA Senior Tour, finished last year in the top 10 in all of the Tour’s major statistical categories, but still is trying to regain his stride through four tournaments this season.

With the next event just days away, and back-to-back majors right around the corner, Parks got a big confidence boost with a solid performance at the Open Championships this week.

Parks made his first Open Championships appearance since 2001 and started the event with 11 consecutive strikes before a 3 pin on his 12th shot left him with the 11th 299 game of the 2009 tournament. There have been 22 perfect games this year.

“I really don’t get nervous anymore,” Parks said. “The lanes started to hook more, and I started to adjust. On the last ball, I knew when it left my hand I threw it bad.”

Parks knows what an honor it would have been to shoot a 300 game at the Open Championships and what it actually takes to accomplish it. He followed his 299 with games of 181 and 186 for a 666 series and helped D’s Pro Shop 5 to a 3,060 team total at Cashman Center on Wednesday night.

“You have to make a shot here,” Parks said. “You have to regulate your respiratory system and keep your breathing in control. The lanes are always changing, and it’s hard to adjust. I didn’t match up well when I moved. I’m disappointed I didn’t shoot 300.”

Since winning the Senior Masters, Parks has spent a lot of time in the spotlight and recently had the opportunity to compete in Bowling’s Clash of Champions, where he went toe-to-toe with 2007-08 Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour Player of the Year and eventual Clash champion, Chris Barnes.

“It’s a great format, and I stayed alive for seven balls,” Parks said. “You’ve got to throw the ball good every shot. It’s a though situation, and you can’t show people how good you really are since you’re only throwing one shot at a time and can be eliminated at any point. I was not getting the breaks like some of the guys out there, but I’m really glad I had the opportunity to do it.”

Parks has covered a lot of miles so far this season, and now he’ll head to Brentwood, Calif., for the PBA Senior Northern California Classic, which begins Sunday. He finished his 2009 Open Championships campaign with 707 in singles and 614 in doubles for a career-best 1,987 all-events total.

“Two days ago I was in Georgia were I won a tournament,” said Parks, who made his 12th Open Championships appearance. “We drove across the country to make it here, and now it’s off to California for a couple of days. Then we come back to Vegas for two more weeks.”

The 2009 PBA Senior U.S. Open will be held at Suncoast Bowling Center from May 31-June 5, and then Parks will put his title on the line at the 2009 Senior Masters, which will be held at South Point Bowling Center from June 7-12.

“I wish I was defending in Tucson (Ariz.), but I will have the same preparation as I always do,” Parks said. “It will be different being seeded in the finals and not bowling qualifying, but I have to make good shots one ball at a time.”

Presenting sponsors for the 2009 USBC Open Championships are the Coast Casinos in Las Vegas and the Eldorado Hotel Casino, Silver Legacy Resort Casino and Circus Circus in Reno, Nev. Other participating sponsors are Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; Brunswick, capital equipment supplier; Storm Products, Inc.; Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel and Four Queens Hotel and Casino, the official brackets sponsors; Sapphire Gentleman’s Club; Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino; MGM Mirage; Jerry’s Nugget Casino and Fitzgerald’s Casino and Hotel.

By Matt Cannizzaro and Jason Pinter
USBC Communications

Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite