Summerlin bowler rolls three perfect games in winter season

Heather Cory

Sun City Summerlin resident, Jay Zornow, practices bowling at Suncoast Bowling Center. Zornow has bowled three 300-games in the last month, including an 800-plus series.

By Christopher Drexel (contact)

Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009 | 6 p.m.

Heather Cory

Sun City Summerlin resident, Jay Zornow, practices bowling at Suncoast Bowling Center. Zornow has bowled three 300-games in the last month, including an 800-plus series.

Heather Cory

Sun City Summerlin resident, Jay Zornow, practices bowling at Suncoast Bowling Center. Zornow has bowled three 300-games in the last month, including an 800-plus series.

Jay Zornow has almost gotten used to what it feels like to bowl a perfect game.

When the last frame approaches, most of his fellow competitors tend to stop what they are doing and watch. Then, when the last strike happens, it is pandemonium.

"You don't want to turn around because you know everyone in the league is back there watching you — seeing them would make me nervous," Zornow said. "Of course when you get the 300, they're all up on the approach and you're getting hugs and congratulations. It's very exciting."

Zornow, 65, recently experienced the feeling three times in a six-week span.

The Sun City Summerlin resident bowled a perfect game on Dec. 17 and Jan. 23 at Suncoast and Feb. 2 at South Point. His performance on Dec. 17 included bowling 833 in a three-game series, the first time he has topped 800.

Zornow recorded his first perfect game in 2005 and hadn't had another one until Dec. 17.

He was surprised to have accomplished the feat three times this winter after never recording a perfect game through his initial three decades regularly playing the sport.

"It's been a shock," he said. "I mean, you can hit the pocket all day long but you have to get breaks to get a 300. You can bowl three games and hit the pocket 30 times and never get a 300. So there is some luck involved."

Zornow's run has also been surprising to his wife Joann, who used to bowl in couples leagues with her husband but has solely become a spectator of her husband's in recent years.

She didn't witness his latest perfect game.

"The last one he came and said to me, 'Turn around,'" Joann Zornow said. "I looked at his face and I knew. I said, 'Don't tell me you did it again,' and he said he did. I think it's phenomenal. He's more focused on bowling now than ever. He's really enjoying himself."

Zornow bowls in three leagues and averages 207.

"I saw one of his 300s and it was just terrific," said Ken Tottori, who has bowled in leagues with Zornow for six years.

"He's gotten very good at bowling. And he's very down to Earth, so he deserves what he's got," he said.

Though he's bowling as much as he ever has, Zornow said bowling three perfect games in six weeks is still a feat that makes him want to pinch himself.

"It's absolutely unbelievable," he said. "It's hard to believe when you get that first one. I got that four years ago, but then to get three in this span, I think it's almost unheard of."

Christopher Drexel can be reached at 990-8929 or christopher.drexel@hbcpub.com.