2011 U.S. Open Bowling Finals

The 68th U.S. Open features finalists Norm Duke, Tommy Jones, Mika Koivuniemi and Ryan Shafer.
Originally aired live on ESPN Sunday, February 27, 2011 from Brunswick Zone Carolier in North Brunswick, New Jersey.

[@dreddskijones]

A win is a win. Norm Duke was the winner but was still humble. Mika played great also on this game but he came out short. I like them both.

[@GamingFanactic911]

Poor Mika; I saw this too when it aired and I can't believe it happened. It's a classic and shocking ending to any PBA tournament, but hey it's proof as Rob said that you bowl every frame since every pin counts.

[@GamingFanactic911]

@UkogNahog hh yea Norm definitely did

[@mottthehoople684]

This might be my favorite title match of all time...Dukes mental game was great..he never mailed it in and forced his opponent to mark...

[@FlameDragon]

Neat looking back at this and seeing the first mention of E.J. Tackett

[@mrevanborne23]

Wow just wow. I'm in just as much shock as norm lol. I'm a belmonte and a norm duke fan. Just wow.

[@antonjohnson1706]

Me too :P

[@painandsufferingmn]

Love me some Norm Duke. But man what a heartbreaker for Mika. And seeing his daughter start to cry behind him made that even more sad. I really feel for the guy and his family.

[@brandonhero1236]

Fell bad for Koivuniemi

[@BWall247]

That was an shocking end to a great performance by "Major" Mika. Both players needed to overcome adversity to become a champion but only one could be crowned. I was literally on the edge of my seat for this one; 5 stars!

[@wasup8264]

what a Finnish! (I had to do it)

[@nickberg2821]

nice

[@GamingFanactic911]

Haha good one

[@aapeli8658]

wasup82 what do you mean??!

[@douglasharris5216]

Aaro Poussu Finland Finnish

[@thesportsking4620]

Please man. 🛑

[@teeepeee2]

25:52 Tackett has come so far since this. Nearly 15 years later, and already 20+ titles, 5 majors, and 2 POYs.

[@coasterfreak0471]

Norm really "Duke"d it out with Koivuniemi in this match... (had to do it)

[@w4lkm4n]

32:02 Mika says (to himself): "Get out of there(approach) if you hear someone cough in the audience... why do you stay there and think about it?" In case somebody didn´t want to believe Randys translation :D

[@prototypejack671]

I would like to know what he said when he missed the single pin spare if you got time to spare 😬

[@fiddlefaddle1]

It drives me crazy when I hear fellow league members with 200+ averages on the house shot, think they can take on professionals. If they try their shot on the us open, the ball would just fall in the gutter.

[@fiddlefaddle1]

I'm sorry if my comment bothers you so. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence would understand that the term "drive me crazy" is phrase that some use to describe a mock irritation. Just like the phrase,"why don't you get a life, moron."

[@theripoffchicago]

pfretman you're right. Real pba shots are no joke. It becomes a shot makers game. League bowlers have plenty of area.

[@dustinlewis5863]

pfretman p

[@JavaKing2014]

A lot of people think that PBA shots are just like house shots but I have enough knowledge and experience to know that you need to adjust your speed, angle, target and so on. That's a big challenge.

[@tackywacky99]

I bowl with some of the best junior bowlers in the world and we all easily average over 220 on house shots and when it comes to broken down pba patterns or sport patterns, we all usually average only 160-190

[@PinoyBowlerGS92]

I love how Norm gives a little justice or a heart to Mika

[@austinw.3238]

Man to this day, I still feel so bad. His career never really recovered from this.

[@Massflavour]

fortunately he won the TOC a month prior to this

[@salvation4all313]

Mika did recover from this. On 12/2/12, Mika became the first European player to win the PBA-DHC Japan Cup. Less than two weeks later, he won the PBA-WBT Qatar Open for his 11th PBA title. His next two PBA Tour titles also came in international events: at the 2013 PBA-WBT Vienna Open and 2014 Brunswick Ballmaster Open in his native Finland. His 14th and most recent PBA Tour title was earned at the 2014 Viper Open, part of that year's World Series of Bowling in Las Vegas. He then retired in 2015.

[@austinw.3238]

That's all great, but he was never the same Major Mika that we all knew him as, along with the fact that he just got old because he started his PBA career at a late age

[@agoo7581]

I think that had more to do with his age than anything else my man.

[@pagames1531]

Truest statement Rob Stone has ever made on a telecast : "That is why you bowl EVERY FRAME."

[@jeremylehman8560]

yet, he still amazing at bowling!

[@Riz2336]

That's a bummer to blow a whole title match by missing an easy spare. I think the nerves got the best of him.

[@GamingFanactic911]

it is heartbreaking still to this day but yeah definitely nerves.

[@anonymousmouse237]

"They wont remember anything 20 years from now." 13 years later we're watching it on youtube, memorialized.

[@thebowlingaddict2414]

I miss Mika... was so good for so long and this really seemed to be his killer

[@ckobo84]

You would think he'd cut back a bit on the back swing and loft and throw a more gentle shot in that situation.

[@buffaloben15golf88]

Some players never recover from a devastating blunder even if they’re amazing. Look and Jean Van De Velde in the 1999 British open. Was three strokes ahead with one hole to go and lost in a playoff. Never was the same again. Only won one time again on the European Tour and that was six years later. He wins that major and he could’ve easily became a 10 time winner or more on the Euro tour and maybe a couple PGA titles too. Momentum comes from huge moments of truth and it’s real.

[@Steve.Orland]

What’s crazy is that Duke and Koivuniemi also met for the title match at the 2008 US Open, where Norm made the bucket (a tough spare!) to win 224-216. In 2011, Koivuniemi missed an easy spare to lose 225-216 … Wacky stuff man lol

[@iconredesign]

Duke could have struck on the fill to shoot 225 too, he left a 6-pin after throwing it straight and hard at the rack to make count lol

[@jll9916]

That last shot by mika: he short armed it to me he looked afraid to release it

[@nickberg2821]

i noticed that too.

[@JCGoKingsGo]

1:10:41 - that look says "This is NOT gonna be a fun trip home". Poor Mika...what a match.

[@matthewbennett9791]

This is right up there with Del Ballard, Jr.'s gutterball in 1991....

[@buffaloben15golf88]

1:06:06 Randy: “That shot all but just about sealed this title.” Norm Duke: Hold my beer

[@lakt2136]

Really thought Mika was going to strike on that 1st shot in 10th. I believe Mika threw out the ball too far right. You can tell how Duke gave sympathy towards Mika on him deserving to win. Still no doubt I see both bowlers as an image for others to learn and be inspired from. They both did something many people dreamt about.

[@ajaxai]

3:34, Did anyone see the guy in the green screen suit? XD

[@johnnywaffles8205]

You have just brought like to a dark situation. Imma give you a thumbs up

[@andrewphillips2179]

Norm Duke and Mika Koivuniemi have bowled some amazing title matches

[@CheezyTime]

Norm is such a class act

[@quinnbostic2603]

Norm Duke deserved the win that stone 8 was dirty.

[@Checkstatz]

Shafer was in his own head from the minute he said during the pregame interview, “ I just want things to go my way.”

[@MrIncrysis]

Norm feels worse for Mika than good about himself.....class

[@GlobalStormGrip]

hoping for the 2008 us open upload. also a great finish ;) :)

[@tapedenmark]

The first signs of E.J Tacket :)

[@TheAbele992]

Søren Hartner Terp what are you talking about

[@pickle6529]

@@TheAbele992 25:51

[@TheAbele992]

@@pickle6529 Ah, thank you

[@williammurphy8293]

I like how Mika literally ignored what Shafer said and basically said I’m gonna let the ball do the talking. Talk keeping composure against your opponent LOL

[@Rick_Schott]

Man, years later it’s still hard to watch.

[@FilipinoBunny]

Poor Mika ❤

[@louiscsanko3673]

US OPEN, NO THROW RIGHT AND WATCH IT COME BACK.!!! YOU HAVE TO BE A SHOT MAKER, EXAMPLES [ WEBER, DUKE, SCHAEFER [ 12 MAJORS FINALS] MIKA, GUYS LIKE BARNES, WILLIAMS, PA, AND MANY OTHERS, THIS TOURNAMENT BRINGS THE CREAM OF THE CROP👍👍

[@nordattack]

Norm won because he shot an end of game Hambone to force Mika to perform. Mika failed to perform. Norm earned this win.

[@daisuke4bleach]

So I'm really new to all of the PBA lingo and what makes it different than just going to a bowling alley for fun. Why is it that different places are harder to bowl at? What makes US open the hardest? What exactly do they mean by oil patterns and how does this compare to just going to a bowling alley? Which 3 places are the hardest to bowl at?

[@seymourbutts563]

The us open in those days was the toughest due to the oil pattern. It's completely flat, which provides no help whereas typically the pattern at your local alley is designed with heavy concentrations of oil in the middle and dry areas on the outside, which literally guides your ball towards the pocket. Think of it like a 10 yard wide fairway vs a 50 yard one in golf

[@thebowlfosho4974]

32:17 Watch closely and you'll see the towel falls off the ball return lol

[@frenchfrey65]

at about 30 minutes in Mika swears in Finnish XD

[@EPICGUYDUDE]

What did Mika say after missing the pin?

[@VREXAL]

He said "Fuck Mika"

[@EPICGUYDUDE]

+zeXalTAS and then he said something else, what was that?

[@HoldupHen]

+EPICGUYDUDE Aint this a Bitch

[@nikootso]

+EPICGUYDUDE you cannot fucking miss one pin

[@nikootso]

+EPICGUYDUDE thats what i and mika said at the same time lol

[@markwickmen9677]

What's the song when Norm Duke strikes??

[@VREXAL]

Play the Game by Kansas

[@markwickmen9677]

Thanks

[@300deebo]

Relax, Mika. You won the TOC and a $250,000 paycheck. Second place in the U.S. Open is an accomplishment.

[@steveboone1498]

Pete Weber personally decided to skip this tournament due to his father Dick Weber passing away. He would return to the US open and win it the following year capturing his fifth US title.

[@natejohnson3638]

Not true, if you go watch the show they did during matchplay he's bowling (missed the show by a little bit). His father passed away in '05 or '06.

[@elmoblatch9787]

Ryan Shafer looks to have the education of a 6th grader, and the complexion and physique of a BOWLER. Is there a pastier bowler?

[@audioexperience]

how is no one talking about the person in the bright green spandex suit LOL

[@nicholaspenny8340]

“Fuck, Mika…” - Mika

[@jeremylehman8560]

Duke is so much smaller than the other guy

[@steveboone1498]

Five feet two inches

[@hughkingsley8631]

@@steveboone1498 But ten feet tall on the lanes. Norm was the giant slayer.

[@Creed1287]

Can you do the 2012 TOC please? And possibly 05 and 06 roll to riches by motel 6

[@dynamicoranges]

airjordan60 This, please! The 2012 TOC is the only show from a few years back that I haven't seen yet.

[@PinoyBowlerGS92]

I know it’s a Plastic or Polyester Ball but I wish Mika’s Spare Ball would grab the lane a bit more

[@dormnuke]

Norm at 1:09:52 : What if he misses this? *stifles a laugh*

[@NateCraven318]

19:24 Ryan Shafer leaves a blower 7-10!

[@joekuhn8052]

the Brunswick guy...LMFAO so Mafioso is half asleep... wakes up when the camera is on him guy to the right was like boss..boss..camera.

[@winzalahvella417]

Is it just me or did Bowling just became a Wild Jungle?

[@TennisConditioningTV]

pretty nice!

[@JonesDylan874]

1:10:09 HOW DO YOU MISS THAT?! WITH THE CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE LINE

[@nickcaner767]

Right at around 1:09:35, Mika Koivuniemi yells, "Carry!" in Finnish. XD

[@bf3Master101]

Anyone see the guy in the green suit?

[@colegamer5123]

ye

[@joekuhn8052]

lol...just interviewed the guy about his unsportsmanlike comments about the Brooklyn... then gets introduced with a sportsmanship award lolHAHHAA

[@PunksGitRekt]

He said - Fuck Mika! 1:10:15

[@相模のじい様]

ライアンシェファー日本でもお馴染みです。かなりレーンコンディション難しいのかな？

[@Luke-gm9um]

Good morning gran love you and Elly may have corey have you too grandson

[@robertkohen9066]

Schafer is a known choker I always expect it from him

[@saltesta2562]

Can't believe how is Schafer a pro? He throws it so BAD

[@alansabin7487]

bad, good, ??? who cares? it's about doing it the same everytime. and knowing the game. if you met the man your opion would change

[@joseluissalazar7667]

Clash of titans

[@채종임-k7q]

미카코이뷰니에미 놈듀크한테 그냥완전히 쳐지고있구나!!!!!ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

[@fabptitpom]

Shafter should have moved right from the begining...

[@enriquevloggertuber108]

I felt bad for Mika

[@jacewelsh8537]

Mike birch tree peninsula 😂

[@tripswithtom]

I dont feel sorry for ryan at all , he has managed to piss off every single ball company that no one will sponsor him , had a beautiful girl friend in LIZ and pissed her off and pissed off so many bowlers that no one likes him ... bring it on yourself dont blame others

[@mr.g.culinary]

Not to be a contrarian for the sake of it, but I don’t believe that. He’s won the Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award as voted on by his fellow PBA competitors. He’s also got a lasting reputation on the PBA East Region as one of the most helpful and kindest guys in the region, especially to new young bowlers. He’s also donated his time on more than a few occasions to camps and to youth bowlers. Avoid letting a few snippets on TV make you judge someone :)

[@leongai5447]

poor Mika

[@lingtingchoo6335]

7

[@Ewahl91]

Duke won because he had better posture lol

[@bryannewman3556]

#10Pin

[@左章太郎-k3x]

おみごどをしなった...

[@240iBMW]

Mika is acting like a baby. Get over it. Congratulate Norm.

[@jtsax95]

Becky B seriously? It's the US Open.

[@ronaldlewis3930]

BeckyBirder lol

[@jereturunen2175]

Fucking kidding me? The toughest tournament in the world and you say "get over it".. wow you must not know too much about bowling lol

[@joshuaslosser6988]

Not that easy

[@PinoyBowlerGS92]

2011 US Open has sadness but 2012 US Open has madness

[@robertmartinez8268]

For the MILLION TIME....for right handers if they miss the head pin to the left its called a JERSEY not a brooklyn...for lefties if they miss the head pin to the right is a BROOKLYN

[@fabptitpom]

Who gives a shit?

[@JakkeJakobsen]

Robert Martinez everyone calls a right hander striking on the left side a Brooklyn. when everyone does that, it is actually called a Brooklyn, not anything else. Terminology develops, live with it.

[@jtsax95]

Robert Martinez dude.....not sure who told you that lmao. But you're incorrect.

[@ronaldlewis3930]

Robert Martinez you want to be famous? Call it a Brooklyn lol

[@23hunter152]

In the words of Donald Trump: “wrong.”