Team USA started the Pan American Women Championship Monday at Happyland Bowling Center in Santiago de Chile by sweeping the medals in the Singles competition.

Liz Johnson (pictured), who set the pace in the first of three squads in the 16-laner, took the gold medal with 1482 for six games, an average of 247.00. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard won the silver medal with 1449, while Lynda Barnes earned the bronze with 1448. Both Dorin-Ballard and Barnes bowled in the second squad.

Kelly Kulick, who was in second place after the first squad, just missed earning a medal, finishing seven pins behind Barnes in fourth place with 1441.

Johnson got off to a strong start with games of 258, 279 and 224 and finished with 248, 215 and 258. She led from the first game and never looked back.

"I guess it's a little bit of a confidence booster bowling on the short pattern for me," Johnson said. "I had a good shot and made good shots. There's a lot of games to go and it's all about team play right now to just get our feet going and see what happens."

Heading into the final game, Dorin-Ballard was mathematically eliminated from gold medal contention but closed with a 279 game to edge Barnes, who finished with 227.

"This is a great team, and for us to sweep the medals in the opening event is amazing," Dorin-Ballard said. "This puts us off to a good start, but there's a lot of work left to be done. We've all got our eyes on the team gold medal."

The two other Team USA members, Diandra Asbaty (1338) and Wendy Macpherson (1254) took 10th and 29th place, respectively.

Former World Games champion Sofia Granda (left) from Guatemala was the best non U.S. bowler in the field in 5th place with 1383 (230.50) including a 298 in the final game, the high score of the championship thus far.

Jennifer Park, Canada, who was third after Squad One, slipped to sixth place with 1362. Sandra Gongora, Mexico, was in 7th place with 1357, with Rocío Restrepo (right), Colombia, in 8th pace with 1349 and Mariela Alarza, Venezuela, in 9th place with 1347.

Action next shifts to the Doubles event on Tuesday. The 2008 PABCON Women's Championships features 77 players from 16 countries of the American Zone competing in Singles, Doubles, Trios, Team, All Events and Masters. The top 16 players in the All Events standings after 24 games (combined results from Singles, Doubles, Trios and Team) advance to the Masters match play competition.

Liz Johnson and Kelly Kulick, both United States, took the lead in Singles after the first of three squads at the 2008 Pan American Bowling Confederation Women's Championships at Happyland Bowling Center, a 16-laner in Santiago de Chile.

Johnson started with a 761 series (258, 279, 224) and added 721 (248, 215, 258) to set the pace with 1482 six-game total and an average of 247.00. Kulick bowled two consistent blocks (720 and 721) including games of 257, 249, 214, 268, 209 and 244 for 1441 (240.17).

Jennifer Park (pictured right), Canada, was a distant third with 1362, an average of 227.00 over six games, including 672 and 690 series and high games of 257 and 256.

Johnson, Kulick and Park will have to wait until the final two squads compete on Monday to determine whether or not they will receive medals.