A Michigan Man!

After using the same ball throughout the first two days of competition in this week’s 64th U.S. Open, Mika Koivuniemi decided to change things up with a new ball Thursday morning. The ball change resulted in an opening-game 168. Going back to the Brunswick Fury he used in the first two rounds, the seven-time Denny’s PBA Tour titlist Koivuniemi averaged 225.00 over the final five games to lead the field heading into the final round of qualifying Friday with a 3,924 18-game pinfall and 218.00 average. Koivuniemi leads 123 bowlers into Friday’s nine-game block, after which the top 24 will advance to round robin match play. The 2001 U.S. Open champion, Koivuniemi (Hartland, Mich.) will be looking for his third career Major title. He won his seventh career title earlier this season in the Sun City Classic in El Paso, Texas. Jeff Carter who held the lead after Wednesday’s second round, is second with 3,885, while 24-year-old phenom Sean Rash who has captured two titles this season, is third with 3,853. Among the other bowlers advancing Thursday was 3 time U.S. Open champion Pete Weber who sits 8th with 3,829 and all-time Tour title leader and two-time U.S. Open champion Walter Ray Williams Jr. is 12th with 3,807. The final round of qualifying is already underway, the first of three round robin sessions gets underway tonight at 6. The top four after match play will bowl for the $100,000 top prize and a 3 season exemption live on ESPN Sunday at Noon EST at Brunswick Zone Carolier.