The 2023 Morris Anderson Memorial Shootout will bring some of the best bowlers to the Magic City once again this season it its’ 20th edition. While the tournament brings with it bitterly cold temperatures come qualifying day, the action inside North Hill Bowl will surely turn up the heat. Here are the storylines heading into the 20th Annual Morris Anderson Memorial Shootout.
Pattern Analysis
The pattern being used this season is a custom 42 foot pattern with a 2.63-1 ratio. This pattern, on paper, appears to be one of the softer patterns used in recent Shootout history. I expect decent scores early, but the ability to get to the pocket from multiple areas will make the breakdown tricky from pair to pair. I expect the cut to be in the area of +35 to +65.
Chasing 300
Once again, Farmers Union Insurance in Minot will contribute $300 to the 300 game pot this season. Since the pot has not been claimed in over 10 years, it has grown to a ridiculous $3300. The first 300 game bowled on Saturday will take home money similar to winning the tournament. I feel like the pattern will definitely allow for big games, but will the pressure of possibly winning $3300 derail any chances at perfection? Time will tell.
King of the Hill
Nick Heilman has made the stepladder finals in 7 of his last 9 visits to Minot. Heilman hasn’t finished lower than 14th place at the Shootout since 2014. The 2017 champion has become a mainstay in the finals at the Shootout and has clearly solved the day 2 riddle at North Hill Bowl. The 2 seasons in which Heilman didn’t make the stepladder finals were both won by Andy Mills (2016 & 2021).
Wall to Wall Coverage
This season will feature NDBowlTV Live Streaming coverage for the entire event. NDBowlTV will go live at 11 am on Saturday for the Qualifying round and 9 am on Sunday for Match Play. You can watch the stream by clicking HERE. Please subscribe!
Travel Conditions
The weather on Thursday and into Friday will be less than ideal in North Dakota making travel conditions to the Shootout a bit tricky. Please keep an eye on the ROAD REPORT and travel safe.
Bold Predictions
Here are my bold predictions for the final 5 on NDBowlTV
– Nick Heilman
– Brady Stearns
– Jeff Campbell
– Paul Bober
– Austyn Ducharme
If you would like to sign up for the 20th Annual Morris Anderson Memorial Shootout, please call North Hill Bowl (701-852-4108)