When Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, decides to hang up her bowling shoes and throw her last ball down the lane, she will look back on a successful career and be pleased with her performances.But, what she might look back on the most, is her performance down the stretch at the PWBA Lexington Open this weekend, while battling injury at Collins Bowling Center-Eastland. Kulick used a 5-1 match play record to claim the No. 1 seed for the event's stepladder finals.
When Colombia native Rocio Restrepo, now living in Louisville, Ohio, arrived for the Thursday practice session of the 2016 PWBA Lexington Open, to say she was tired would have been an understatement Restrepo dealt with several flight delays en route to Lexington and wasn't quite herself during practice. She opted to sleep late Friday and the extra hours of sleep paid off. Restrepo averaged more than 221 through 12 games of qualifying Friday to take the lead at Collins Bowling Center-Eastland with a 2,662 total.
Take a quick look at the field of players competing each week on the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour, such as this week's PWBA Lexington Open, and you will see a list littered with players who were in college within the last five or so years. While these competitors are trying to make their mark on the PWBA Tour, there is a smaller group who have nothing to prove, players such as Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Anne Marie Duggan and Leanne Hulsenberg.
More than a decade ago, Clara Juliana Guerrero made the move from Colombia to the United States to bowl collegiately and chase her dream of competing on the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour. It took a little longer than expected, but Guerrero accomplished the dream of winning a PWBA title, and a major title at that, with a 199-175 victory over Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, in the final of the Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship on Sunday.
Being back in the bowling center where she won her sixth major title, Liz Johnson (l.) of Cheektowaga, New York, said her expectations were not too high heading into the Go Bowling Professional Women's Bowling Association Players Championship. A troublesome practice session had dimmed those expectations, but a strong finish in Saturday's final eight match-play games allowed her to capture the No.1 seed for the stepladder finals at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
After 12 qualifying games of the Go Bowling Professional Women's Bowling Association Players Championship on Friday, Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, has the lead. But a much different accomplishment happened a few spots down the leaderboard. Gabby Mayfield (pictured) of Lake Isabella, California, fought through an emotional day to earn the 16th and final spot for Saturday's match-play rounds at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour added additional events for the 2016 season, including the return of a major championship – the Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship. The tournament is the second major on the 2016 PWBA Tour and will take place June 23-26 at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wis. CBS Sports Network will have live coverage of the stepladder finals of the Players Championship on Sunday at noon Eastern.
Cherie Tan capped an impressive four-week stretch for her and her teammates from Singapore as she delivered in the final frame to capture the 2016 PWBA Storm Sacramento Open. Tan, who earned the top seed for the stepladder finals by posting a 6-0 record in match play, connected on two strikes in the 10th frame of the title match to outlast Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, 208-205, to win her first PWBA title. The stepladder aired nationally on CBS Sports Network on Tuesday.
Heading into the PWBA Greater Detroit Open on Saturday, second-round leader Rocio Restrepo of Colombia really wanted to nail down the top spot for the television show. For the second consecutive day, Restrepo cranked it up for the final few games to lead her match-play group and claim the No. 1 seed for the PWBA Greater Detroit Open TV show. The stepladder finals will be taped June 26 during the Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship and will air Tuesday, July 19, on CBS Sports Network.
Colombia native Rocio Restrepo (l.) was on her way to the second 800 series of the PWBA Tour season at the PWBA Greater Detroit Open on Friday when she decided to try something different. While the change didn't work, Restrepo still pulled out a 238 in her final game of the day to grab the lead with a 2,786 total for the 12 qualifying games. She leads Brittany Smith of Des Moines, Iowa, by five pins with 2015 PWBA Rookie of the Year Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, in third at 2,758.
Shannon O'Keefe of O'Fallon, Illinois, struck on six of her first seven shots on the way to a 246-203 victory over top seed Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, in the title match of the Nationwide PWBA Sonoma County Open. It was the first individual PWBA title for O'Keefe. She teamed with Bill O'Neill to win the PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles last year. Second-seeded O'Keefe defeated New Hui Fen of Singapore in the semi-final match, 235-226, to advance.
In grabbing player of the year honors in the return of the PWBA Tour last season, Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, won three titles, including two majors. This week, she returns to defend her PWBA Detroit Open title when the tour stops at Super Bowl in Canton, Michigan. She said the momentum of last year's success helps, but 2016 is a new year and the PWBA Tour is continuing to provide more challenges. A practice session is set for Thursday, with qualifying rounds taking place Friday and Saturday.
Before the PWBA Tour went on hiatus in 2003, Shannon O'Keefe of O'Fallon, Illinois, spent just under two years learning and growing as a competitor new to the tour. Since the return of the PWBA Tour in 2015, O'Keefe has been making up for lost time and earned the No. 1 seed for the Pepsi PWBA Lincoln Open this week at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Nebraska. She led throughout the event and averaged more than 219 for 24 games to claim the top seed for the televised finals.
Shannon O'Keefe of O'Fallon, Illinois, opened the day with a 277 game, and cruised to the lead after 12 games of qualifying Friday at the Pepsi Professional Women's Bowling Association Lincoln Open at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Nebraska. Following her explosive start, O'Keefe turned in her lowest game of the day (184), but she was able to rally with games of 258, 248, 258 and 219 to close the opening block with a 1,444 total. The 37-year-old right-hander added 1,362 in her second block for a 12-game total of 2,806, an average of 233.83.
Growing up, Amanda Greene of Romney, West Virginia, spent her time after school practicing and working at her parents' bowling center, Wilson Lanes. So it should be no surprise the 25-year-old right-hander wasted no time proving she belonged on the re-launched PWBA Tour last season. This week, the tour heads to Lincoln, Nebraska, where Greene will return to Sun Valley Lanes as the defending champion. The event gets underway Thursday with a 5 p.m. practice session, while official competition takes place Friday and Saturday.
Reigning Professional Women's Bowling Association Player of the Year Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, wasted no time putting in her bid for a second consecutive POY honor as she defeated top seed Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, to win the 2016 PWBA Las Vegas Open. Johnson (pictured) said she's been struggling with spares early in the 2016 PWBA season, but filling frames ultimately was her key to success in a 195-172 win against Pluhowsky at The Orleans Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
Joining McEwan in the June 26 stepladder finals are Colombia's Maria Jose Rodriguez, Team USA member Shannon Pluhowsky and Syaidatul Afifah of Malaysia
Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, N.Y., was a slow starter during qualifying at the 2016 PWBA Wichita Open, but had no trouble in match play to earn the top seed at Northrock Lanes. McEwan averaged more than 257 during match play to claim the No. 1 seed for the TV finals, which will be taped June 26 during the PWBA Players Championship in Green Bay, Wis. Joining McEwan in the stepladder finals are Colombia's Maria Jose Rodriguez, Team USA's Shannon Pluhowsky and Syaidatul Afifah of Malaysia
International bowlers occupy the top 4 spots as the field is cut to 32 players
Latvia's Diana Zavjalova finished with games of 265 and 264 to overtake Colombia native Maria Jose Rodriguez for the lead after 12 games of qualifying at the Professional Women's Bowling Association Wichita Open. After the opening six games of qualifying at Northrock Lanes on Friday, Zavjalova (left) was 11th but averaged 249 over the next six games for a 2,882 pinfall total to lead Rodriguez (right) by 14 pins.
The opportunity to compete on a professional women's bowling tour is something Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, thought might never happen, and she's appreciative of the chance to showcase her skills. When she arrives in Wichita, Kansas, for this week's Professional Women's Bowling Association Wichita Open, she will enter Northrock Lanes as the defending champion. The event kicks off with a practice session on Thursday at 5 p.m., and official competition will be Friday and Saturday.
SPOILER ALERT: The following story contains information about the stepladder finals of PWBA events that will air on CBS Sports Network at a later date.
The stepladder finals of the first three events of the 2016 PWBA Tour season were held Thursday at The Orleans Bowling Center, and CBS Sports Network will air the finals of the events in June as part of its television package with USBC. The PWBA Las Vegas Open, Nationwide PWBA Sonoma County Open and Storm PWBA Sacramento Open stepladders were taped for broadcast at the site of the first major of the season, the USBC Queens, in Las Vegas.
When Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, decides to hang up her bowling shoes and throw her last ball down the lane, she will look back on a successful career and be pleased with her performances.But, what she might look back on the most, is her performance down the stretch at the PWBA Lexington Open this weekend, while battling injury at Collins Bowling Center-Eastland. Kulick used a 5-1 match play record to claim the No. 1 seed for the event's stepladder finals.
When Colombia native Rocio Restrepo, now living in Louisville, Ohio, arrived for the Thursday practice session of the 2016 PWBA Lexington Open, to say she was tired would have been an understatement Restrepo dealt with several flight delays en route to Lexington and wasn't quite herself during practice. She opted to sleep late Friday and the extra hours of sleep paid off. Restrepo averaged more than 221 through 12 games of qualifying Friday to take the lead at Collins Bowling Center-Eastland with a 2,662 total.
Take a quick look at the field of players competing each week on the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour, such as this week's PWBA Lexington Open, and you will see a list littered with players who were in college within the last five or so years. While these competitors are trying to make their mark on the PWBA Tour, there is a smaller group who have nothing to prove, players such as Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Anne Marie Duggan and Leanne Hulsenberg.
More than a decade ago, Clara Juliana Guerrero made the move from Colombia to the United States to bowl collegiately and chase her dream of competing on the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour. It took a little longer than expected, but Guerrero accomplished the dream of winning a PWBA title, and a major title at that, with a 199-175 victory over Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, in the final of the Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship on Sunday.
Being back in the bowling center where she won her sixth major title, Liz Johnson (l.) of Cheektowaga, New York, said her expectations were not too high heading into the Go Bowling Professional Women's Bowling Association Players Championship. A troublesome practice session had dimmed those expectations, but a strong finish in Saturday's final eight match-play games allowed her to capture the No.1 seed for the stepladder finals at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
After 12 qualifying games of the Go Bowling Professional Women's Bowling Association Players Championship on Friday, Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, has the lead. But a much different accomplishment happened a few spots down the leaderboard. Gabby Mayfield (pictured) of Lake Isabella, California, fought through an emotional day to earn the 16th and final spot for Saturday's match-play rounds at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Cherie Tan capped an impressive four-week stretch for her and her teammates from Singapore as she delivered in the final frame to capture the 2016 PWBA Storm Sacramento Open. Tan, who earned the top seed for the stepladder finals by posting a 6-0 record in match play, connected on two strikes in the 10th frame of the title match to outlast Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, 208-205, to win her first PWBA title. The stepladder aired nationally on CBS Sports Network on Tuesday.
Colombia native Rocio Restrepo (l.) was on her way to the second 800 series of the PWBA Tour season at the PWBA Greater Detroit Open on Friday when she decided to try something different. While the change didn't work, Restrepo still pulled out a 238 in her final game of the day to grab the lead with a 2,786 total for the 12 qualifying games. She leads Brittany Smith of Des Moines, Iowa, by five pins with 2015 PWBA Rookie of the Year Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, in third at 2,758.
Shannon O'Keefe of O'Fallon, Illinois, struck on six of her first seven shots on the way to a 246-203 victory over top seed Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, in the title match of the Nationwide PWBA Sonoma County Open. It was the first individual PWBA title for O'Keefe. She teamed with Bill O'Neill to win the PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles last year. Second-seeded O'Keefe defeated New Hui Fen of Singapore in the semi-final match, 235-226, to advance.
In grabbing player of the year honors in the return of the PWBA Tour last season, Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, won three titles, including two majors. This week, she returns to defend her PWBA Detroit Open title when the tour stops at Super Bowl in Canton, Michigan. She said the momentum of last year's success helps, but 2016 is a new year and the PWBA Tour is continuing to provide more challenges. A practice session is set for Thursday, with qualifying rounds taking place Friday and Saturday.
Before the PWBA Tour went on hiatus in 2003, Shannon O'Keefe of O'Fallon, Illinois, spent just under two years learning and growing as a competitor new to the tour. Since the return of the PWBA Tour in 2015, O'Keefe has been making up for lost time and earned the No. 1 seed for the Pepsi PWBA Lincoln Open this week at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Nebraska. She led throughout the event and averaged more than 219 for 24 games to claim the top seed for the televised finals.
Shannon O'Keefe of O'Fallon, Illinois, opened the day with a 277 game, and cruised to the lead after 12 games of qualifying Friday at the Pepsi Professional Women's Bowling Association Lincoln Open at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Nebraska. Following her explosive start, O'Keefe turned in her lowest game of the day (184), but she was able to rally with games of 258, 248, 258 and 219 to close the opening block with a 1,444 total. The 37-year-old right-hander added 1,362 in her second block for a 12-game total of 2,806, an average of 233.83.
Growing up, Amanda Greene of Romney, West Virginia, spent her time after school practicing and working at her parents' bowling center, Wilson Lanes. So it should be no surprise the 25-year-old right-hander wasted no time proving she belonged on the re-launched PWBA Tour last season. This week, the tour heads to Lincoln, Nebraska, where Greene will return to Sun Valley Lanes as the defending champion. The event gets underway Thursday with a 5 p.m. practice session, while official competition takes place Friday and Saturday.
Reigning Professional Women's Bowling Association Player of the Year Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, New York, wasted no time putting in her bid for a second consecutive POY honor as she defeated top seed Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, to win the 2016 PWBA Las Vegas Open. Johnson (pictured) said she's been struggling with spares early in the 2016 PWBA season, but filling frames ultimately was her key to success in a 195-172 win against Pluhowsky at The Orleans Bowling Center in Las Vegas.
Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, N.Y., was a slow starter during qualifying at the 2016 PWBA Wichita Open, but had no trouble in match play to earn the top seed at Northrock Lanes. McEwan averaged more than 257 during match play to claim the No. 1 seed for the TV finals, which will be taped June 26 during the PWBA Players Championship in Green Bay, Wis. Joining McEwan in the stepladder finals are Colombia's Maria Jose Rodriguez, Team USA's Shannon Pluhowsky and Syaidatul Afifah of Malaysia
Latvia's Diana Zavjalova finished with games of 265 and 264 to overtake Colombia native Maria Jose Rodriguez for the lead after 12 games of qualifying at the Professional Women's Bowling Association Wichita Open. After the opening six games of qualifying at Northrock Lanes on Friday, Zavjalova (left) was 11th but averaged 249 over the next six games for a 2,882 pinfall total to lead Rodriguez (right) by 14 pins.
The opportunity to compete on a professional women's bowling tour is something Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, thought might never happen, and she's appreciative of the chance to showcase her skills. When she arrives in Wichita, Kansas, for this week's Professional Women's Bowling Association Wichita Open, she will enter Northrock Lanes as the defending champion. The event kicks off with a practice session on Thursday at 5 p.m., and official competition will be Friday and Saturday.