Kansas University bowler Rhino Page earned his first U.S. Amateur title at the USA National Bowling championships that concluded this weekend in Dallas.
Page, a KU junior from San Diego, finished with a 12,812 pinfall total, including 420 bonus pins. The 21-year-old left-hander had 12,392 (221.2 average) and finished with a 21-11 match play record.
It was the second major championship in nine months for Page. He was the Most Valuable Player in helping KU to the 2004 Intercollegiate Bowling Championships title in April.
“I’m in shock,” said Page, third at the 2004 U.S. Amateurs. “I haven’t sat down and let it sink in. It’s pretty exciting, I’ll tell you that much.”
Former KU bowlers Marc D’Errico and Jason Elliott also participated, but did not advance to the match-play finals. Andrew Cain, a Team USA 2002 and 2003 member and 2001 U.S. Amateur champion from Tempe, Ariz., was runner-up to Page with 12,585 (380 bonus pins).
KU’s Kelly Zapf finished 21st in the women’s competition, which was won by Lynda Barnes, a 37-year-old Team USA veteran from Flower Mound, Texas.
The original field of 135 men and 87 women each rolled 24 qualifying games, then was cut to the top 24 women and 32 men for match play.
