The 3rd DHC Cup Girls Bowling International 2009 will take place at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Bowling Center in Tokyo, Japan, from March 6-8, 2009. The total prize fund of the tournament is 12 million Yen (approx. USD128,000). The winner will walk away with the 3,000,000 Yen (approx. $12,800) top prize.

Pictured left: Nao Ohishi, Japan, after winning the 2nd DHC Cup Girls Bowling International in the year 2008.

Since its beginning in the year 2007, the DHC Cup Girls Bowling International is sponsored by Mr. Yoshiaki Yoshida, owner and CEO of the DHC Corporation. Mr. Yoshida is one of the biggest supporters - if not the biggest - of the sport of tenpin bowling in Japan.

With his help the host federation, Japan Bowling Congress (JBC), was able to invite more than ten foreign bowlers each year by sponsoring airfare and accommodation. The total prize fund of 128,000 U.S. dollars makes the tournament the third-biggest for women in the world and the biggest outside the United States, just behind the Women's U.S. Open ($150,000) and the USBC Queens ($200,000).

Players, who shoot a 300 game in any round of the DHC Cup Girls Bowling International 2009 will receive a 300,000 Yen bonus (approx. $1,280) sponsored by the organizing committee.

Japanese bowling distributor SUNBRIDGE made a bonus offer that is unheard of in the sport of tenpin bowling. SUNBRIDGE will sponsor the Perfect Game Award for the TV stepladder finals. If a player shoots a 300 game in the stepladder (not in the shootout match), she will receive 30 million Yen or more than 320,000 U.S. Dollars (three-hundred-and-twenty-thousand) plus the regular 300,000 Yen bonus, the highest 300 game award in the history of our sport.

"People will understand, if more than one player bowls 300 in the TV stepladder finals the 300 game award will be divided equally among them," JBC's Masahiko Kosugi added.

Among the players invited by the JBC are 2008 European Ranking queen Nina Flack (pictured left), Sweden; world champion and 2008 PABCON Women's Championship Masters champion, Kelly Kulick (pictured right), United States, the sole woman, who was exempt on the PBA Tour; and Choi Jin-A, Korea, who won two gold including the Masters and three silver medals at the 2008 Asian Championships in Hong Kong.

"Unfortunately, Jin-A must decline our invitation due to an injury", Kosugi stated. "Instead, we invited the silver and bronze medalists from the Asian Championships Masters, 2-time gold medalist Gye Min-Young [Trios, Team] and 3-time gold medalist Jeon Eun-Hee [Trios, Team, All Events], , both from Korea."

Among the 34 participants from nine foreign countries, China, Germany, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Sweden, Singapore and United States are Women's U.S. Open champion Liz Johnson and PBA professional Missy Bellinder, United States; Jasmine Yeong-Nathan (pictured left), the reigning World Cup Champion from Singapore; world and Asian champion Shalin Zulkifli (pictured right) from Malaysia; and World Youth Championships Doubles gold medalist Tina Hulsch from Germany.

They will meet a field of Japan's finest women bowlers such as Urara Himeji (below left), Japan Professional Bowlers Association Triple Crown Winner 2008 and defending DHC Cup champion Nao Ohishi as well as DHC recognized professional bowlers, All Japan National Team members, All Japan Youth National Team members and young professional bowlers from JPBA.

The two previous DHC Cups were won by Japanese bowlers. Suzuna Miyagi (pictured right) won five consecutive matches and defeated top-seeded Shalin Zulkifli, 245-199, en route to win the first edition in the year 2007.

All Japan Youth National Team members Ohishi, the No. 1 seed, topped Tannya Roumimper, Indonesia in the title match of the 2008 DHC Cup, 208-188, to seal the biggest victory of her career.