Norm Duke vs. Dean Richards - 2019 USBC Masters Match Play

The opening round of match play from the 2019 USBC Masters at Gold Coast in Las Vegas saw #32 seed Norm Duke take on #33 Dean Richards, both averaging 207 for the 15 games of qualifying. Richards had been bowling well, winning a PBA Regional title just the weekend before. How would he fare bowling against one of his idols and one of the greatest of all time? Video shot by Tim Watanabe This was my first Masters (and first national pro event) and what a great experience to compete alongside all the top pros and amateurs from around the world. I think it was the lowest average to cash in recent Masters history at -5/199.7 - they played so tough especially on the fresh. I gave it a run by going +64 on the burn squad but couldn't get anything going on the fresh - the righties (at least the ones that had success) were all playing outside 2nd arrow with a lot of surface and/or urethane which made the lanes very ugly quickly, and the topography from lane to lane was challenging at Gold Coast. I think someone said it best when they said this pattern made some really talented bowlers look very bad, but also made the few that figured it out look amazing.