Chris Warren and Brian LeClair Lead PBA50 South Shore Classic
Hammond, Ind. – A previous champion at the PBA50 South Shore Classic took the lead then Chris Warren bowled two perfect games over his last four games to tie him.
Brian LeClair won this tournament in 2019, and he was off to a strong start on Tuesday. He rolled games of 206, 235, 245, 257, 279, 244 and 246 for 1,712.
“There are a couple of patterns that I look forward to bowling on because of the way I bowl. I always seem to match up pretty good,” LeClair said of the 37-foot Bat oil pattern. “It played to me more like the original Cheetah pattern from 10 years ago. I don’t think I have ever won on this pattern but the left-handers usually like this pattern a lot.”
He felt like a lot of players on A-squad threw urethane balls early, yet he used medium reactive resin equipment. In the past, he has drawn match ups against left-handers in bracket match play who have gotten the best of him. LeClair is hopeful this week’s results will be different.
“I usually don’t bowl good on this pattern out of the gate. I usually bowl good as the day goes on. I was almost 300 over for the last five games,” he said. “It’s always really good to have a good first day. You have to take advantage of the patterns that favor you when you get them. It is a lot easier when it is the first round because you don’t usually have to search for something the next couple of days to match up.”
LeClair led Don Hogue, the next closest bowler on A-squad, by 102 pins. When B-squad took the lanes, it appeared LeClair would maintain his position until Chris Warren followed up his 220, 195 and 184 start with 265, 300, 248 and 300 also for 1,712.
Warren was in a zone – literally, with his Danger Zone – to finish his block. He is just two weeks removed from winning the 2026 USBC Senior Masters.
“Once I switched balls, I just bowled with it the rest of the time. I was getting on that ball. Once I get it going, I strike a lot,” Warren said. “My best four-game set is 358 over. I went 300, 279, 279, 300.”
Thirty-six pins behind LeClair and Warren is Mika Koivuniemi with 1,676 in third. He is 64-pins ahead of Liz Johnson with 1,676 in fourth then Don Hogue is fifth with 1,610.
The B-squad will be on the lanes first at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Wednesday for the final seven games of qualifying followed by the A-squad at 3 p.m. ET. As soon as that squad is done, the field will be cut to the top 32. All pins will carry forward to the Advancers Round on Thursday. Currently, Keith Glasgow is the cut at 1,496. Enjoy the final day of qualifying on BowlTV.
Top 10 2026 PBA50 South Shore Classic standings:
- Chris Warren, 1,712 total pins (+312)
- Brian LeClair, 1,712 (+312)
- Mika Koivuniemi, 1,676 (+276)
- Liz Johnson, 1,612 (+212)
- Don Hogue, 1,610 (+210)
- Michael Haggitt, 1,584 (+184)
- Rolando Sebelen, 1,578 (+178)
- Scott Le Beau, 1,575 (+175)
- Tony Campagna, Jr., 1,569 (+169)
- Johnnie Payne, 1,568 (+168)