Liz Johnson has another big day, leads U.S. Women's Open after Qualifying

    05/10/10

    United States

    Five international bowlers among top the 24 players for match play

    2009WUSOLizJohnsonKellyKulick.jpgLiz Johnson (left) of Cheektowaga, N.Y., posted the day's best block for the second consecutive day to take the lead in qualifying at the 2010 U.S. Women's Open, a United States Bowling Congress event.

    Johnson's eight-game pinfall total of 1,797 on Sunday at Cityview Lanes pushed her total to 5,307 pins (221.13 average) to give her the lead by nearly 100 pins over Kelly Kulick (right) of Union, N.J. Kulick averaged nearly 225 to lead the first two rounds of qualifying but averaged just over 201 on Sunday.

    Johnson said she had some physical issues that she was dealing with after last month's USBC Queens but felt good heading into the tournament. On Sunday she posted games of 279, 246, 189, 268, 244, 157, 224 and 190.

    "I pretty excited, pretty amazed that I'm leading at this time," Johnson said. "I felt really good coming in, physically and mentally. I made a lot of good shots over the last two days and I feel really good about myself going into match play.

    "Today I had some really good games. The 157 hurt a little bit but I got back on the horse – you have to forget those bad games. You have 24 games of qualifying and 24 games of match play, so it's a marathon."

    2009USBCOCShannonOKeefe.jpg200910PBAWSLyndaBarnes.jpgThe field has been cut to the top 24 players for match play, which starts Monday, and positions three through six are held by players from the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Amanda Beck of Plano is third with 5202 followed by Shannon O'Keefe (left, 5118) and Tennelle Milligan (5113) of Arlington, and Lynda Barnes (right, 5089) of Double Oak.

    Milligan, the runner-up at the 2010 Queens held in El Paso, Texas, last month, had the third-highest block of the day on Sunday.

    "Coming home, sleeping in my own bed, I'm a little bit more comfortable this week," Milligan said. "I always like it if you're in the top 10 going into match play at the U.S. Open. But there are a lot of games – 24 more games – and you have to bowl well."

    2008CherieTanYazreelTan.jpgFormer PWBA champion Carol Gianotti, Australia, was the best of five international bowlers, who survived the cut. Gianotti was in 7th place with 5045 followed by two-time world champion Clara Juliana Guerrero, Colombia in 11th with 5005 and three Singaporeans, Cherie Tan (left, 13th, 4973), Jazreel Tan (right, 21st, 4853), who missed the first perfect game of the Open by one pin in game #20, and Geraldine Ng, who hit the cut off number with 4814 (200.58 average).

    200910PBAWSTammyBoomershine.jpgAlso making the cut was defending champion Tammy Boomershine (right) of North Ogden, Utah (18th, 4905), and 2008 champion Kim Terrell-Kearney (17th, 4922), who will be inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame on Wednesday with the induction ceremonies at the International Bowling Campus in Arlington.

    On Monday, the tournament continues with the top 24 competing in round-robin match play, which will consist of 24 total games Monday and Tuesday. All match-play rounds will be broadcast live on BOWL.com.

    After match play, the top five players after 48 games, including bonus pins, will advance to the championship round at the International Training and Research Center in Arlington for the live ESPN2-televised finals at 8 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 12.

     


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    2010 U.S. Women's Open - Third Round Qualifying


    The top 24 advance to Round Robin Match Play

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