Defeats No. 1 seed Kelly Kulick in the title match, 218-183, to win the $50,000 top prize

 

 

The 2011 Bowling's U.S. Women's Open, sponsored by the Brands of Ebonite International, came to a spectacular end Thursday evening, June 30, when the top 5 women battled it out for the title and the $50,000 top prize midfield of the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The show will be broadcast on ESPN2's "Best and the Brightest," Saturday, July 2 at 6 p.m. ET. Click on the image to enlarge it.

The 2011 U.S. Women's Open drew a record field of 286 players from 17 countries and offered total prize fund of $225.000. The tournament produced a total of 14 300 games.

Host Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) was hoping the event would draw the largest crowd in bowling history. As the number wasn't disclosed yet, the record still stands at 7,212, set at the men's U.S. Open in 1995 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

In the opening match between two "local bowlers", two-time USBC Queens winner and World Cup champion Lynda Barnes (left) of Double Oak, Texas, seeded fifth, defeated Team USA member and 2007 World Champion in Singles, Shannon O'Keefe (right) of Arlington, Texas, the 268-166.

Barnes took the early lead with a double in frames two and three, while O'Keefe did not strike before she got a double in the sixth and seventh. Starting in the fifth frame, Barnes reeled off a seven-bagger to put the match away well before the final frame.

Barnes carried the momentum into the second match against two-time U.S. Open champion Liz Johnson (left) of Cheektowaga, N.Y., starting out commandingly with seven consecutive strikes to take a 60-plus lead.

Johnson went off the sheet from frame eight but Barnes cruised to victory alternating spares and strikes in the last four frames, 259-225.

Waiting for Barnes was 26-time PWBA champion Leanne Hulsenberg (above right) of Roseville, Calif., seeded third. Both players started with two strikes but when Hulsenberg left two 10 pins - and failed to convert the second one - and a 7-pin, Barnes added another three strikes to lead by 42 pins in the middle of the game.

USBC Hall of Famer Hulsenberg went off the sheet for 247 from frame to force Barnes, who got three 10-pins in the sixth, eighth and ninth frame, to strike out for a one-pin win. Barnes got the first two strikes but her fill ball went high and left the 6 and 10 pin standing which handed the win to Hulsenberg, 247-246.

Defending champion Kelly Kulick (left) of Union, N.J., who dominated the 48-game preliminaries averaging 241.35 for 48 games at AMF Showplace Lanes, started the title match with two spares before she suffered the "big four" (2-6-7-10) which resulted in an open frame.

Hulsenberg, who won the last of her 26 career titles back in 2002, struck on the right lane and converted singles-pin spares on the left lane to lead by 20 pins. Kulick spared in the fourth frame and got her first strike in the fifth but her hopes to defend the U.S. Open title came to an abrupt end when left another "big four" in frame six.

Hulsenberg (above right with husband and son, left with her son, and right in the green jacket during an TV interview)struck on the left lane in frame seven and added another strike on the right lane for a three-bagger to extend the lead to more than 50 pins with only three frames to go. Kulick, the only women ever to be exempt on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, doubles in the eighth and ninth and went spare-strike in the tenth for 183, her lowest game of the entire tournament.

Hulsenberg closed things out with two spares and a strike to claim her first U.S. Open title and the 27th professional title of her career worth $50,000 plus 2 round trip tickets on American Airlines anywhere in the 48 continental states, a $5,000 gift certificate to Tiffany & Co. and a custom High 5 Gear Jersey.

Kulick pocketed $25,000 for second place, Barnes received $15,000 for third place, Johnson earned $12,500 for fourth place and O'Keefe garnered $10,000 for fifth place.

Bowlingdigital covered the Open live from Texas all the way through to the arena finals on Thursday evening, June 30. BOWL.com had live streaming of all rounds leading up to the ESPN2 televised finals.

Photos courtesy of Hero Noda.

 

2011 Bowling's U.S. Women's Open, sponsored by the Brands of Ebonite International

AMF Showplace Lanes in Euless, Texas (June 24-29, 2011);
Finals at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas (June 30, 2011)

Championship Round:
1. Leanne Hulsenberg of Roseville, Calif., 465 (2 games), $50,000*
2. Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., 183 (1 game), $25,000
3. Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 773 (3 games), $15,000
4. Liz Johnson of Cheektowaga, N.Y., 225 (1 game), $12,500
5. Shannon O'Keefe of Arlington, Texas, 166 (1 game), $10,000
*plus 2 round trip tickets on American Airlines anywhere in the 48 continental states, a $5,000 gift certificate to Tiffany & Co. and a custom High 5 Gear Jersey.

Playoff Results:
First Match: No. 5 Barnes def. No. 4 O'Keefe, 268-166
Second Match: Barnes def. No. 3 Johnson 259-225
Third Match: No. 2 Hulsenberg def. Barnes, 247-246
Championship Match: Hulsenberg def. No. 1 Kulick 218-183.

 

 

Final Standings - Places 6-72 (Cashers)

6. Shannon Pluhowsky, United States, $8,000
7. Rachel Perez, United States, $7,000
8. Kim Terrell-Kearney, United States, $6,000
9. Tennelle Milligan, United States, $5,000
10. Jodi Woessner, United States, $4,000
11. Lisanne Breeschoten, Netherlands, $3,500
12. Stefanie Nation, United States, $3,000
13. Helen Johnsson, Sweden, $2,750
14. Diandra Asbaty, United States, $2,500
15. Kristal Wilson, United States, $2,250
16. Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, $2,000
17. Anita Manns, United States, $1,500
18. Nina Flack, Sweden, $1,475
19. Jan Schmidt, United States, $1,450
20. Tinickia Fleming, United States, $1,425
21. Missy Parkin, United States, $1,410
22. Carol Gianotti, Australia, $1,400
23. April Ellis, United States, $1,390
24. Jacqui Reese, United States, $1,380
25. Elise Bolton, United States, $1,370
26. Roxanne George, United States, $1,360
27. Sara Litteral, United States, $1,350
28. Deanna Barnes, United States, $1,340
29. Joline Persson-Planefors, Sweden, $1,330
30. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, United States, $1,320
31. Bryanna Caldwell, United States, $1,310
32. Emily Maier, United States, $1,300
33. Joyce Biondo, United States, $1,100
34. Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, $1,095
35. Kamilla Kjeldsen, Denmark, $1,090
36. Samantha Williams, United States, $1,085
37. Kristina Frahm, United States, $1,080
38. Kim Seul-Ki, Korea, $1,075
39. Kayla Johnson, United States, $1,070
40. Leslie Bohn, United States, $1,065
41. Jennifer Higgins, United States, $1,060
42. Cassandra Leuthold, United States, $1,055
43. Michelle Feldman, United States, $1,050
44. Cheryl Kesiar, United States, $1,045
45. Lindsay Baker, United States, $1,040
46. Kimberly Yioulos, United States, $1,035
47. Maxine Nable, Australia, $1,030
48. Jessica Baker, United States, $1,025
49. Addileen Pointer, United States, $1,025
50. Terysa Wojnar, United States, $1,025
51. Caroline Lagrange, Canada, $1,020
52. Brandy Silva, United States, $1,020
53. Devan Hodlik, United States, $1,020
54. Kate Messemer, United States, $1,020
55. Jenny Brown, United States, $1,020
56. Nicki Ainge, England, $1,020
57. Aumi Guerra, Dominican Republic, $1,020
58. Amanda Vermilyea, United States, $1,020
59. Karen Boyd, United States, $1,020
60. Sandi Charles, United States, $1,020
61. Paola Gomez, Colombia, $1,015
62. Shauna Shannon, United States, $1,015
63. Robin Romeo, United States, $1,015
64. Christine Wickey, United States, $1,015
65. Kayla Bandy, United States, $1,015
66. Elysia Current, United States, $1,010
67. Patricia Luoto, Germany, $1,010
68. Kim Chun-Hee, Korea, $1,010
69. Lucy Sandelin, United States, $1,010
70. Josie Earnest, United States, $1,010
71. Tammy Turner, United States, $1,000
72. Cheryl Daniels, United States, $1,000

300 Games (14) - Lisanne Breeschoten, Netherlands; Sara Vargas, Colombia; Josie Earnest, Nashville, Tenn.; Diandra Asbaty, Chicago; Patricia de Faria, Venezuela; Michelle Feldman, Auburn, N.Y.; Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio; Jan Schmidt, Hales Corners, Wis.; Brittani Scruggs-Barber, Pikeville, Ky.; Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Texas; Jovan Blankenfeld, Schertz, Texas; Mai Ginge Jensen, Denmark, Leanne Hulsenberg of Roseville, Calif., Shannon O'Keefe, Arlington, Texas.

 

 

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