08/21/06
PBA Regional
Kulick wins first career PBA Regional Tour Title
Becomes second woman to win PBA Title
Kelly Kulick's whirlwind summer just keeps getting better. Kulick, who in June became the first woman to earn a full-season exemption on the Denny's Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour, became just the second woman in history to win a PBA Regional Tour title when she won the PBA East Region King Pin Lanes Open Sunday at King Pin Lanes. 
Kulick defeated fellow exempt bowler Tommy Delutz Jr., 20-19, in a two-ball roll-off after the two tied at 221 after 12 frames in the one-game title match. After both struck on the first ball of the roll-off, Kulick struck on her second ball while Delutz knocked down just nine, giving Kulick her first career PBA title. Ironically, King Pin Lanes was also the site of Liz Johnson's first career PBA Regional Tour title last season, which made her the first woman in PBA history to win a singles title of any kind.
Kulick finished second at a PBA Regional Tour event in 2004 at King Pin Lanes, falling to Jim Tomek Jr. in the title match.
"I'm thrilled. I'm so exited to see my name on a banner now," said Kulick, referring to the champions' banner each bowler earns after winning a PBA title. "That's what I wanted most was to walk in a bowling center and see my name hanging above the lanes. One of my goals going into next season was to win a regional title to kind of validate myself and be able to say 'if I can win a regional I can win on Tour.' That will definitely give me more confidence when I'm out there full time."
Two weeks after finishing second to another exempt bowler – Brian Himmler – in the PBA East Region Bowlers Supply Open – Kulick advanced to the title match again. She was third after qualifying, then knocked off William Barlow, 3-2, in the Round of 16, James Wallace, 2-1, in the Round of 8 and Jeff Voght, 224-186, in the semifinals.
In the title match, Delutz could have doubled in the 10th frame to beat Kulick, but he left a 4-6-7-9 split to send the match to a roll-off. The Union, N.J. native earned $2,500 for first.
In June, Kulick finished sixth out of 140 bowlers to earn one of 10 exemptions awarded in the 2006 Denny's PBA Tour Trials. She will be one of 58 exempt bowlers throughout the 2006-07 Denny's PBA Tour season, which begins Oct. 24-29 with the 2006 USBC Masters in Milwaukee, Wis.
PBA East Region King Pin Lanes Open
King Pin Lanes in Rome, N.Y. (August 20, 2006)
Championship Round
(Single-elimination match play, best of one. Losers eliminated, earn $1,250)
#3 Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., def.
#8 Tommy Delutz Jr., Flushing, N.Y., 1-0 (221-221, 20-19)
Round of 4
(Single-elimination match play, best of one. Losers eliminated, earn $825)
#3 Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., def.
#10 Jeffrey Voght, Canajohaire, N.Y., 1-0 (224-186)
#8 Tommy Delutz Jr., Flushing, N.Y.,
def. #12 Adam Subach, Wilmington, Del., 1-0 (195-178)
Round of 8
(Single-elimination match play, best of three. Losers eliminated, earn $650)
#3 Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., def.
#6 James Wallace, Hicksville, N.Y., 2-1
(179-166, 184-241, 236-222)
#8 Tommy Delutz Jr., Flushing, N.Y., def.
#16 Kevin Cartier, Beverly, N.J., 2-1
(210-174, 221-225, 278-237)
#10 Jeffrey Voght, Canajohaire, N.Y., def.
#2 Bobby Hall II, Landover, Md., 2-1
(198-160, 188-230, 212-203)
#12 Adam Subach, Wilmington, Del., def.
#4 Jim Tomek Jr., Camp Hill, Pa., 2-0
(265-172, 194-172)
Round of 16
(Single-elimination match play, best of five. Losers eliminated, earn $500)
#2 Bobby Hall II, Landover, Md., def.
#15 Noel Vega, Brooklyn, N.Y., 3-2
(211-168, 212-216, 225-150, 237-241, 175-171)
#3 Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., def.
#14 William Barlow, Edgewood, Md., 3-2
(225-238, 224-222, 194-161, 168-251, 245-228)
#4 Jim Tomek Jr., Camp Hill, Pa., def.
#13 Jack Jurek, Lancaster, N.Y., 3-2
(251-177, 163-247, 187-200, 248-192, 244-192)
#6 James Wallace, Hicksville, N.Y., def.
#11 Christopher Blackmore, Alexandria, Va., 3-2
(258-213, 188-224, 228-172, 185-236, 237-186)
#8 Tommy Delutz Jr., Flushing, N.Y., def.
#9 Adam Monks, Oackland, N.J., 3-0
(196-185, 247-168, 211-158)
#10 Jeffrey Voght, Canajohaire, N.Y., def.
#7 Chris Monroy, Holden, Mass., 3-1
(178-226, 215-201, 170-143, 213-208)
#12 Adam Subach, Wilmington, Del., def.
#5 Brian LeClair, Athens, N.Y., 3-1
(229-155, 213-193, 174-205, 235-214)
#16 Kevin Cartier, Beverly, N.J., def.
#1 Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 3-0
(245-211, 216-197, 218-162)
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