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Dynasty Athlete Representation

Dynasty’s Scroggins Wins 66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open for Second Career Major

Defeating Professional Bowlers Association Player of the Year contenders Norm Duke and Chris Barnes in the stepladder finals, Mike Scroggins of Amarillo, Texas, won his second career major in winning the 66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open Sunday at Brunswick Zone Carolier.

It was Scroggins’ sixth career PBA Tour title; he won the 2005 United States Bowling Congress Masters for his first major victory also defeating Duke.

Scroggins defeated PBA Hall of Famer and fellow Dynasty client Duke 191-173 in the championship match to win the $100,000 first prize and a three-year Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exemption.

“It’s so satisfying to win it because it’s such a grind,” Scroggins said. “I just wanted to go out and bowl a decent game. Normally you’re going to have to throw a 220 or 230 so it was just karma, I guess, that I was able to beat Norm and Chris.

“I’m a believer in you have to beat the best to be best and I consider Norm to be one of the best,” Scroggins added.

In the semi-final match, Scroggins defeated Chris Barnes 200-199, who had a chance to repeat as Player of the Year with a victory. Barnes could have won the match with a strike on the first ball of the 10th frame but left a solid 8 pin. Needing a strike on his fill ball to tie the match, Barnes left a 10 pin.

“I threw my best shot,” said Barnes who had eight television appearances this season and two wins to get back into the Player of the Year race. “I’ve put it in perspective–things work out the way they work out, but I’m just thankful to be in this position. Four weeks ago I didn’t think I would have a shot at Player of the Year.”

Duke, who ranks tied for fifth in all-time career PBA Tour titles with 32, was trying to become the first bowler to win back-to-back U.S. Opens since Dave Husted accomplished the feat in 1995-96. Duke was Player of the Year in 1994 and 2000. He left a 4-6-7-10 split in the third frame and a 4-6-7 split in the ninth frame.

“I’ve said it before, it’s more than rolling a good shot,” said Duke. “On those shots where I had the splits I thought those were two of the best shots of my career. I still feel I bowled well, the breaks just didn’t go my way.

“I’m proud of Mike, he did a great job.”

In the opening match former exempt player Richard Wolfe of Vienna, Va., defeated PBA Hall of Famer and 19-time PBA Tour titlist Amleto Monacelli, 213-176 to advance to the second match where he lost to Barnes 243-240.

The 66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open marks the end of the regular season on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour.

LUMBER LIQUIDATORS PBA TOUR

66th Lumber Liquidators U.S. Open

Brunswick Zone Carolier, North Brunswick, N.J.

Final Standings

1, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 391 (two games), $100,000

2, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 173 (one game), $50,000

3, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 442 (two games), $25,000

4, Richard Wolfe, Vienna, Va., 453 (two games), $13,000

5, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 176 (one game), $9,000

Stepladder Results

Match One – Wolfe def. Monacelli, 213-176

Match Two – Barnes def. Wolfe, 243-240

Semifinal Match – Scroggins def. Barnes, 200-199

Championship Match – Scroggins def. Duke, 191-173

Some Information gathered courtesy of the PBA.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.