Local professional bowler returns to Albuquerque after winning PBA Major Title
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –DeeRonn Booker is the Pro Shop manager at Santa Ana Star Casinos Starlight Bowling Center, and the 33-year-old bowler accomplished a major feat on March 31, in Las Vegas, NV. Just a full-time-professional bowler for two seasons, Booker won this year’s USBC Masters, which is one of five events considered to be major events in bowling.
“It was hard to explain, I mean sometimes we think in the back of our minds that this may never happen, but when it did happen I immediately started thinking of all of the people that have helped me get to that point,” said Booker.
This marks Booker’s 1st PBA victory in what was his first TV appearance. Booker was undefeated in this grueling tournament. Making it through the 64-player bracket, Booker knocked out four PBA Tour Champions. “A guy who has won this event twice already, another guy who has won this event four times, the best bowler in the world for the last years, I am like what!? You know, that is exactly what I told myself, I was like are you kidding me? I can tell you that I was so hyper-focused, that I have never been that focused ever in competing and doing anything, and now it’s about trying to figure out how to channel that again”, said Booker.
With this win, Booker is the third African American to win a PBA Tour title, and the first African American to win the Masters. Booker looks to keep winning titles, but he also looks to be a role model and ambassador for the sport.
“I want people to understand my personality, I want them to understand that I am the same person that when you walk in here and say hi, I can’t get the ball to fit right so he is out there on the lane 11-shots shooting 300. You know, with anything that I am doing because everyone means so much to me and what I am doing, like I want them to feel apart of it too”, said Booker.
DeeRonn will continue to work at Santa Ana Star Casino at the pro shop and giving people lessons, but the professional will also be on the road for tournaments. Booker will compete in Kingman, AZ, next on May 4-5.
