United States defend Doubles title at Women’s Worlds

10 December, 2015

Championships

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For the third event in a row, the top seed emerged as the winner at the Women’s World Championships in Abu Dhabi when Team USA’s Danielle McEwan and Kelly Kulick turned in a super class performance in the last frame to successfully defend the title in Doubles Thursday at Khalifa International Bowling Center in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The medalists in the Doubles event at the 2015 Women’s World Championships:
From top right, counterclockwise United States (gold), Korea (silver), Singapore and Denmark (both bronze).

Heading into the 10th frame on the short oil pattern (36 ft. Los Angeles) Trios World Champion Son Hyerin and Singles World Champion Jeon Eunhee (right, l-r) held a 15-pin lead and were targeting the third gold medal for Korea in as many events.

However, lead-off bowler Hyerin needed a strike on her first shot to keep the destiny in their own hands. She left a 7-pin instead while on the USA side, McEwan doubled and finished with a nine-count for a 43-pin advantage over Hyerin, 247-204.

Eunhee was on course for 279 (she sandwiched a single-pin spare between two four-baggers) while Kulick needed a double and an eight count to shut her out. Kulick got the first strike and when Eunhee failed to strike on her first ball, the match was over.

Kulick added two more strikes for 239 while Eunhee went 9-spare and 9 for 257 to win the match and the gold medal, 486 to 461.

For the first time in this Championships the title match was not Korea vs. Singapore as the Americans sidelined two-time silver medalists Cherie Tan and Shayna Ng (left, l-r) from Singapore, who were making their third consecutive medal round appearance, 453-412. Kulick sealed the victory with a double and a nine-count in the 10th frame.

In the other semi-final match the Koreans, seeded third, eliminated No. 2 seed Britt Brøndsted and reigning European Doubles champion Mai Ginge Jensen (right, l-r) with a pair of 220-plus games, 444-422.

The Koreans received the silver medal while Singapore and Denmark shared the bronze medal. Eunhee, who rolled games of 266 and 279 on her way to the Singles title and 224 and 257 today, is averaging 256.60 in front of the live stream cameras from BowlTV.

Team USA’s Stefanie Johnson and Shannon O’Keefe were the defending world champions in the doubles event but finished 39th in this year. Action shifts to the five-player Team event on Friday and Saturday.

The 2015 Women’s World Championships will be held from December 5-14 at Khalifa International Bowling Center in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

147 players from 30 countries will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in Singles, Doubles, Trios, five-player Teams, All-Events and Masters in the seven-day competition.

In accordance with the WTBA Playing Rules, the 2015 Women’s World Championships will be contested on two lane conditioning pattern, the 36 ft. Los Angeles pattern and the 43 ft. Tokyo pattern.

Bowlingdigital.com will provide onsite coverage of the 2015 Women’s World Championships from Khalifa International Bowling Center in Abu Dhabi including reports, photos and results, while bowling fans around the world will be able to watch all qualifying rounds, semifinals and finals live on BowlTV.

USA’s McEwan, Kulick earn the No. 1 seed for the Doubles Medal Round
USA’s McEwan, Kulick average almost 237 to lead Doubles Qualifying after Squad 1
Golden Wednesday for Korea; follow the gold medal in Singles with victory in Trios
Jeon Eunhee starts 2015 Women’s World Championships with victory in Singles
Korea claims the No. 1 seed for the medal round in the WWC Trios event
USA set the pace in Trios at Women’s World Championships
Korea takes the pole position as the Trios preliminaries reach the halfway point
Sweden takes the early lead in Trios after the first block on short oil
Korea’s Jeon Eunhee earns the No. 1 seed for Wednesday’s Singles finals
Korean bowlers dominate Singles Squad 1 at Women’s World Championships
2015 Women’s World Championships gets underway with colorful Opening Ceremonies
Onsite coverage of the 2015 Women’s World Championships
Championships Preview and more related articles

2015 Women’s World Championships – Doubles Medal Round

Khalifa International Bowling Center in Abu Dhabi, UAE (December 10, 2015)

Championship Round:
1. United States (Danielle McEwan, Kelly Kulick), 939 (2 games)
2. Korea (Son Hyerin, Jeon Eunhee), 905 (2 games)
3. Denmark (Britt Brøndsted, Mai Ginge Jensen), 422 (1 game)
and Singapore (Cherie Tan, Shayna Ng), 412 (1 game)

Pictured above from left to right: World Doubles Champions Kelly Kulick, Danielle McEwan and Team USA head coch Rod Ross.

Playoff Results:
Semi-final Match 1: No. 1 USA (McEwan 205, Kulick 248) def. No. 4 Singapore (Tan 228, Ng 184), 453-412
Semi-final Match 2: No. 3 Korea (Hyerin 220, Eunhee 224) def. No. 2 Denmark (Brøndsted 176, Jensen 246), 444-422
Gold Medal Match: USA (McEwan 247, Kulick 239) def. Korea (Hyerin 204, Eunhee 257), 486-461.

Herbert Bickel