Ricky Schissler Maintains Lead At 2026 PBA Senior U.S. Open
Greeley, Colorado – Day two of qualifying at the 2026 PBA Senior U.S. Open was more challenging for Ricky Schissler, but he is still leading the way.
He continued to focus on his angles through the front part of the lanes Thursday at Highland Park Lanes. He shot 254, 221, 200, 234, 213 and 234 for 1,356. His 12-game qualifying total is 2,772.
“I really like how I battled today. Even though I did not strike nearly as much as the first day, I like where I kept my head. I kept making adjustments and trying to throw it better every shot,” Schissler said. “I knew after the second game it just wasn’t getting to the spot the same way, so I was changing my angles down lane. To keep my head in it is more important than what I am actually doing score wise. I am trying to keep a fresh head and make good decisions based on what I am seeing.”
Looking ahead to bowling on the fresh 39-foot oil pattern on Friday, he is hoping to be able to play straighter. Six months ago, he had success that way winning the 2025 South Point Super Senior Shootout KR Strikeforce Championship in Las Vegas over John Burkett.
“Usually, if I can play straighter, I enjoy it. I won at Ron Mohr’s tournament where I played really straight up the gutter. I do not mind that at all,” Schissler said. “I am probably more comfortable there than I am at fifth or sixth arrow. If I can stay out there to the right for a good amount of time and knock over some wood, that would be the best scenario. But you have to see how everybody else breaks them down.”
Thirty-one pins behind Schissler is Brad Angelo. He started out his day with a brand-new ball shooting 229, 254 and 168 before making a ball change for 238, 216 and 254. His two-day total is 2,741.
“I approach it like I have 72 frames. There are going to be poor shots. There is going to be bad breaks, and hopefully good breaks,” Angelo said. “I have a good picture on the lanes. I have been focusing on the deflection characteristics of the building. If it is not quite right, it is so hard to get strings. Today was a little easier to get strings because we were a little farther to the right than we were on day one.”
Angelo is 32-pins ahead of John Burkett. Chris Barnes, on the B-squad, averaged 236 for his second block to rise from 29th place to fourth place. Tom Carter, who was on the same pair as Angelo, is fifth at 2,661. He averaged 246 for his last four games.
“Tom Carter bowled phenomenal today. He shot 266 on the pair I shot 168. All I had to do was move to where he was in the middle of the game, but I just got stuck in the ball for four or five shots too long,” Angelo said. “I then made the ball change, got back lined up and I saved the day. I am happy where I am at.”
The biggest block and move up the leaderboard on the day was Robert Lawrence. He shot 1,437 to go from 58th to 9th place. The 105-player field will complete the final six-games of qualifying on Friday. The C-squad will get things started at 11 a.m. Eastern followed by the A-squad at 2:30 p.m. ET and finally the B-squad beginning at 6 p.m. ET. The top 24 players will advance to round robin match play beginning on Saturday. Enjoy all the action only on BowlTV.
Top 10 PBA Senior U.S. Open standings:
- Ricky Schissler, 2,772 total pinfall (+372)
- Brad Angelo, 2,741 (+341)
- John Burkett, 2,709 (+309)
- Chris Barnes, 2,682 (+282)
- Tom Carter, 2,661 (+261)
- Andres Gomez, 2,653 (+253)
- Tom Adcock, 2,636 (+236)
- Tom Daugherty, 2,634 (+234)
- Robert Lawrence, 2,633 (+233)
- Mika Koivuniemi, 2,621 (+221)