If 2019 was any indication of what’s to come, the 2021 PBA Lubbock Sports Open, presented by Storm and South Plains Lanes, should provide a lot of excitement to kick off the PBA Summer Tour this weekend.

The finals at the last two PBA Tour events held at this bowling center both came down to the final frame with wild finishes. In June, at the 2019 PBA Lubbock Sports Shootout, the title match featured Texas resident Stu Williams seeking his third PBA title against lefty Jakob Butturff.

Williams was ahead by four pins and working on a strike when he stepped up on the approach in the 10^th frame. His shot came up light leaving the 2-4-6-10 split. He was able to knock down just the 2-4 forcing Butturff to mark in his final frame.

The lefty, who never quite looked comfortable during the championship match, was fortunate to just leave the six pin on a shot that could have left a 6-8 split. He converted the spare to win his second title in four years in Lubbock, 194-188.

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Earlier that year in January 2019, Dick Allen won at the Lubbock Sports Open in “the wildest finish I’ve ever been a part of,” as he defeated No. 1 seed Sean Rash, 201-200, to win the 2019 PBA Lubbock Sports Open.

Rash shockingly missed a 10 pin in the 10^th frame and Allen had an adventurous final frame. Needing a double and eight to win, he lightly hit the headpin on the first shot and the headpin rolled slowly over to knock over the two pin to get it started. He followed that up with a mixer for a strike and then was fortunate to get eight on his last shot that went through the nose to win by one.

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Allen and Butturff will look to repeat their title performances starting at 9:30 a.m. Eastern on Saturday with eight games of qualifying. Fans can watch live on FloBowling.

After bowlers in the A and B squads finish their eight qualifying games, a third of the field will advance to the casher’s round, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. Eastern on Sunday. The top 16 will bowl eight games of modified round robin match play before the top four advance to the stepladder finals.

Within the field will be Chris Barnes, who won his first PBA50 Tour title on June 30 at South Plains Lanes. Barnes is one of 14 Texas residents ready to compete in front of some of their hometown fans.

The remainder of the Summer Tour includes the PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles in Houston July 30-Aug. 1, PBA Jonesboro Open in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Aug. 7-8, PBA Bowlerstore.com presented by Moxy’s Xtra Pair in Coldwater, Ohio, Aug. 14-15, and the PBA Chesapeake Open from Chesapeake, Virginia, Aug. 21-22.