Tomie Kawaguchi wins Prince Cup; Hiromi Matsunaga claims last major title in Handa Cup
Tomie Kawaguchi (l.) and Hiromi Matsunaga (r.) closed out the 2011 Japan PBA Ladies Tour with victories in the JLBC Prince Cup and the third and last "major" of the season, the 43rd All Japan Pro Bowler Championships a.k.a. Handa Cup. Matsunaga, who won three titles this sason, led the 2011 JPBA Ladies Tour in two of the three major categories (points and averages), while Kawaguchi, who captured two titles, led the Ladies pros in earnings.
Tomie Kawaguchi (l.) and amateur Natsuki Sasaki (r.) captured two of the three "major" titles on the 2011 Japan Professional Bowlers Association Ladies Tour. Kawaguchi reached the title matches in both events. She defeated Wendy Macpherson, United States, to win the Round 1 Cup, the richest women's tournament on the tour, but fell to Natsuki Sasaki, who became the first amateur bowler ever to win the Ladies Japan Open.
2010 women's ranking leader rebounds from second place with back-to-back victories
Mayumi Yoshida (pictured) dominated the 2011 Japan PBA Ladies Tour summer swing winning two titles and finishing second in the three tournaments held from July through September 2011. After finishing second to Hiromi Matsunaga in the the 27th Rokko Queens Open Kirin Cu, Yoshida bagged her career titles No. 7 and 8 by winning the 6th MK Charity Cup and the 2011 Tokai Ladies Open. Overall Yoshida pocketed 3.41 million Yen ($43,750) and a Nissan car. in the three events.
Claims BIGBOX Women's Higashi-Yamato Cup for her tenth career JPBA title
Wendy Macpherson (l.) of Henderson, Nevada, has reached another milestone in her illustrious career when she defeated Yuko Nakatani (r.), 203-191, in the title match of the BIGBOX Women's Higashi-Yamato Cup. Macpherson, who has won 20 titles on the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour before the PWBA ceased operations in the fall of 2003, captured her second consecutive title on the JPBA Tour and the tenth JPBA title of her career worth 1.200.000 Yen.
Wendy Macpherson (l.) defeated 2011 Japan Professional Bowlers Association Ladies Tour Player of the Year frontrunner Hiromi Matsunaga (r.) in the title match of the JFE Cup Women's Chiba Open, 217-199, to successfully defend her 2010 title. The 43-year former PWBA star, who used a Columbia 300 Outburst, pocketed 1.2 million Yen or approximately 14,890 Dollar. I was Macpherson's first JPBA title in 2011 and the ninth of her career.
Earns her 13th career pro title in the Miyazaki Pro-Am Open Tournament
In the first tournament after the great earthquake, Yachio Kato (l.) of Tokyo captured her 13th career Japan Professional Bowlers Association women's title in the Miyazaki Pro-Am Open Tournament which was held in the Kyushu Region in South Japan from April 21-24, 2011. The 59-year-old ended a five-year title draught with a 225-217 victory against Hiromi Matsunaga (r.) en route to earn the 1.200.000 Yen winner's check (approx. US$14,627.
Claims her fifth JPBA Title in the 2011 JPBA Ladies Tour season-opener
The 2011 Japan Professional Bowlers Association Ladies Tour kicked off with the 33rd Kansai Open Ladies Bowling Tournament from Feb. 18-20, 2011. Hiromi Matsunaga (pictured) of Yamaguchi won her fifth career JPBA title after defeating Masami Sato in the title match 247-202. 26-year-old Matsunaga, who has won two titles on the 2010 JPBA Tour and finished in second place in the point rankings, received the 1.5 million Yen first place check (approx. US$ 18,025) and was awarded 800 ranking points.
The Japan Professional Bowlers Association (JPBA) has announced the schedule for the 2011 Ladies and Men's JPBA Tour including 14 tournaments for the women and 10 tournaments for the men.
The Ladies Tour begins with the Kansai Open Feb. 18-20, 2011 and concludes with the Handa Pro Bowling Championships Dec. 15-17, 2011. The Men's Tour kicks off with the Hand Cup Pro Bowling Masters April 9-11, 2011 and also concludes with the Handa Pro Bowling Championships Dec. 1-3, 2011.
Tomie Kawaguchi (l.) and Hiromi Matsunaga (r.) closed out the 2011 Japan PBA Ladies Tour with victories in the JLBC Prince Cup and the third and last "major" of the season, the 43rd All Japan Pro Bowler Championships a.k.a. Handa Cup. Matsunaga, who won three titles this sason, led the 2011 JPBA Ladies Tour in two of the three major categories (points and averages), while Kawaguchi, who captured two titles, led the Ladies pros in earnings. 
Tomie Kawaguchi (l.) and amateur Natsuki Sasaki (r.) captured two of the three "major" titles on the 2011 Japan Professional Bowlers Association Ladies Tour. Kawaguchi reached the title matches in both events. She defeated Wendy Macpherson, United States, to win the Round 1 Cup, the richest women's tournament on the tour, but fell to Natsuki Sasaki, who became the first amateur bowler ever to win the Ladies Japan Open.
Mayumi Yoshida (pictured) dominated the 2011 Japan PBA Ladies Tour summer swing winning two titles and finishing second in the three tournaments held from July through September 2011. After finishing second to Hiromi Matsunaga in the the 27th Rokko Queens Open Kirin Cu, Yoshida bagged her career titles No. 7 and 8 by winning the 6th MK Charity Cup and the 2011 Tokai Ladies Open. Overall Yoshida pocketed 3.41 million Yen ($43,750) and a Nissan car. in the three events. 
Wendy Macpherson (l.) of Henderson, Nevada, has reached another milestone in her illustrious career when she defeated Yuko Nakatani (r.), 203-191, in the title match of the BIGBOX Women's Higashi-Yamato Cup. Macpherson, who has won 20 titles on the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour before the PWBA ceased operations in the fall of 2003, captured her second consecutive title on the JPBA Tour and the tenth JPBA title of her career worth 1.200.000 Yen. 
Wendy Macpherson (l.) defeated 2011 Japan Professional Bowlers Association Ladies Tour Player of the Year frontrunner Hiromi Matsunaga (r.) in the title match of the JFE Cup Women's Chiba Open, 217-199, to successfully defend her 2010 title. The 43-year former PWBA star, who used a Columbia 300 Outburst, pocketed 1.2 million Yen or approximately 14,890 Dollar. I was Macpherson's first JPBA title in 2011 and the ninth of her career.
The 2011 Japan Professional Bowlers Association Ladies Tour kicked off with the 33rd Kansai Open Ladies Bowling Tournament from Feb. 18-20, 2011. Hiromi Matsunaga (pictured) of Yamaguchi won her fifth career JPBA title after defeating Masami Sato in the title match 247-202. 26-year-old Matsunaga, who has won two titles on the 2010 JPBA Tour and finished in second place in the point rankings, received the 1.5 million Yen first place check (approx. US$ 18,025) and was awarded 800 ranking points.
The Japan Professional Bowlers Association (JPBA) has announced the schedule for the 2011 Ladies and Men's JPBA Tour including 14 tournaments for the women and 10 tournaments for the men.
The Ladies Tour begins with the Kansai Open Feb. 18-20, 2011 and concludes with the Handa Pro Bowling Championships Dec. 15-17, 2011. The Men's Tour kicks off with the Hand Cup Pro Bowling Masters April 9-11, 2011 and also concludes with the Handa Pro Bowling Championships Dec. 1-3, 2011.
