ERIN MCCARTHY WINS FIRST MAJOR TITLE AT 2022 U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN
By Emil Williams Jr.
SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – In what’s been a popular method to win on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour this season, Erin McCarthy of Elkhorn, Nebraska, climbed the ladder to win the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open.
The 31-year-old right-hander defeated Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, 212-172, to win her first career major title Tuesday at Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center. She is the fifth player this season to successfully climb the stepladder to capture a title.
McCarthy earned the coveted green jacket, iconic trophy and $60,000 for the win. The U.S. Women’s Open was broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.
In the title match, McCarthy opened with three consecutive strikes and tossed five in the first six frames to sprint to a 28-pin advantage. McEwan was slow to get out of the gates with just one strike and two open frames during the same period. The lead continued to increase for McCarthy as McEwan was unable to double during the final four frames, allowing McCarthy to lock up the match.
On Monday night, McCarthy had to throw two strikes in the 10th frame to earn the No. 5 seed and advance to the finals. On Tuesday night, McCarthy earned her place in the record book as the latest U.S. Women’s Open champion.
“Fifty-six games plus these are grueling,” said McCarthy, who won her second PWBA Tour title and first since 2018. “You’ve got bad games and really good games. The highs and lows of the tournament, it is beyond stressful. There were a lot of nerves, but even more nerves in that final game. I just really focused on one shot at a time. I made sure that my feet were slow, because if my feet were slow, everything else should align appropriately. To make it here to the top, this is the greatest moment of my life. This is going to be something that I never, ever forget.”
McCarthy was one of four players in the stepladder with previous championship-round experience at the U.S. Women’s Open, recording third-place finishes in 2017 and 2018. Despite neither event resulting in a win, she learned from those experiences and applied some valuable lessons Tuesday, which helped steer her to the winner’s circle.
“This feels absolutely incredible,” said McCarthy, who is the eighth different PWBA Tour champion this season. “I think from my past two U.S. Open shows, I learned what not to do for this one. I rushed a lot during those shows. The 10 frames go by super quick, and I’m a quick bowler to begin with, so I forced myself to stay slow during the show. Last night, I went to bed and thought about what I was going to do differently today. I did everything differently today than I did on those last two shows, and it paid off.”
McCarthy advanced to the title match after defeating No. 2 Jordan Richard of Maumee, Ohio, 235-206. A late rally by Richard forced McCarthy to mark in the 10th frame to advance to the title match. She delivered a strike to advance.
In Match 2, McCarthy was locked in a battle with two-time PWBA Player of the Year Shannon O’Keefe of Shiloh, Illinois. After McCarthy failed to shut out O’Keefe, the 15-time champion needed two strikes and eight pins to advance. O’Keefe struck on the first two offerings but left the 4-6-7-9-10 split on her fill ball to lose, 220-218.
In the opening match, McCarthy defeated Singapore’s Shayna Ng, 212-178. McCarthy led by four pins in the sixth frame but a missed 6-9-10 gave the lead to Ng. The 15-time member of Team Singapore converted the 1-2-8-10 and 4-10 split early in the match to remain clean, but she was unable to double and missed a 10 pin in the final frame to give McCarthy the victory.
All competitors bowled 24 qualifying games over three days to determine the 30 players advancing to Round 4. After eight additional games, the field was cut to the top 24 bowlers for round-robin match play.
The five finalists were determined by total pinfall, including bonus pins, for 56 games.
For more information about the U.S. Women’s Open, visit BOWL.com/USWomensOpen.
2022 U.S. Women’s Open
At Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center
South Glens Falls, N.Y.
Tuesday’s results
FINAL STANDINGS
1, Erin McCarthy, Elkhorn, Neb., 879 (four games), $60,000.
2, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 172 (one game), $30,000.
3, Jordan Richard, Maumee, Ohio, 206 (one game), $22,000.
4, Shannon O’Keefe, Shiloh, Ill., 218 (one game), $17,000.
5, Shayna Ng, Singapore, 178 (one game), $13,000.
STEPLADDER RESULTS
Match No. 1 – McCarthy def. Ng, 212-178.
Match No. 2 – McCarthy def. O’Keefe, 220-218.
Semifinal – McCarthy def. Richard, 235-206.
Championship – McCarthy def. McEwan, 212-172.
DANIELLE MCEWAN EARNS TOP SEED FOR FINALS AT 2022 U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN
By Emil Williams Jr.
SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – Just three years removed from her first U.S. Women’s Open title, Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, doubled in the 10th frame to earn the top seed at the 2022 edition of the major championship.
The 30-year-old right-hander will be joined in the stepladder at Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center by Jordan Richard of Maumee, Ohio, Shannon O’Keefe of Shiloh, Illinois, Singapore’s Shayna Ng and Erin McCarthy of Elkhorn, Nebraska.
The finals will be televised live on CBS Sports Network on Sunday starting at 7 p.m. Eastern.
The winner will take home the second major title of the 2022 Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour season, the event’s coveted green jacket and iconic trophy, and the $60,000 top prize.
If McEwan doubling in the 10th frame at the U.S. Women’s Open sounds familiar, it’s because she doubled in both the semifinal and title matches in 2019 to win her second major championship. She defeated O’Keefe in the semifinal, 229-225, and Indonesia’s Tannya Roumimper, 201-199, in the final.
She entered Game 56 of the position round Monday night with a 27-pin advantage over Richard, which meant the winner of the match would claim the top seed. Richard, who finished first, had a chance to shut out McEwan with two strikes and six pins in the 10th frame but left a 2 pin on the first shot. Richard made the spare and got nine on the fill for 214.
Needing two strikes and four pins for the win, McEwan calmly delivered three of her best shots of the week for a game of 221 and the top spot. She ended the event with a 17-7 match-play record over 24 games to finish with an overall total of 12,428, including bonus pins.
“It was really important to get the No. 1 seed,” McEwan said. “I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason. So, I was going to throw my good shots and however the pins fell, that’s how they were meant to fall, because you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. I threw two really good shots that fell, so that feels really good. I feel really confident after getting up under the pressure and being able to do that going into tomorrow.”
McEwan will make her fifth championship-round appearance at the U.S. Women’s Open on Tuesday, and she’s accumulated an abundance of experiences over time to help her succeed this week. It took her all 56 games to earn the No. 1 seed, which perfectly exhibits why the event is a marathon and not a sprint.
“I remember bowling my first couple of U.S. Open’s, and Day 1, I was trying to win the tournament,” McEwan said. “I’ve had so many people that have given me such great advice over the years. You can’t win it on Day 1. Slow and steady. It’s a marathon. That’s the stuff that I keep in the back of my head. Regardless of a bad game, bad shot or even a set that didn’t end how I wanted it to, it’s a marathon. There are still so many games left. I’ve always kept that in perspective.”
Richard, who finished with a 12,364 total to nab the No. 2 seed, is making her first championship-round appearance at the U.S. Women’s Open. She’s not absent of major experience, as she finished fourth at the 2018 PWBA Players Championship, but she is vying for her first career major title.
O’Keefe earned the No. 3 seed with a 12,318 total, while Ng (12,205) and McCarthy (12,150) will square off in Sunday’s opening match.
O’Keefe will make her seventh championship-round appearance at the U.S. Women’s Open. She is seeking her first title at the event and has two runner-up finishes, two third-place finishes and two fifth-place finishes on her resume. The two-time PWBA Player of the Year already has one title this season (PWBA Twin Cities Open) and is searching for her fourth career major title.
Ng is making her second championship-round appearance at the U.S. Women’s Open. The two-time PWBA Tour champion finished third at the 2016 event and is looking for her first career major title.
McCarthy, who doubled in the 10th frame to defeat Singapore’s Cherie Tan, is making her third career championship-round appearance at the U.S. Women’s Open. She has a pair of third-place finishes in 2017 and 2018.
Tan left a 6-8 split in the 10th frame of which she was unable to convert, and McCarthy threw two great shots to earn her way onto the show. McCarthy entered the position-round match with a 26-pin advantage, with the winner of the match advancing to the finals.
“Honestly, that was the most nerve-wracking game that I think I’ve ever bowled in my life,” McCarthy said. “And I thought I was out of it going into the eighth, ninth frame. Cherie had a really good look, and I didn’t have enough strikes. But, to be able to throw a double in the 10th frame and actually secure the win is probably the best I’ve ever felt while bowling. Obviously, I made the show, but that’s a moment I’ll never ever forget … throwing a double to make the U.S. Open show.”
All competitors bowled 24 qualifying games over three days to determine the 30 players advancing to Round 4. After eight additional games, the field was cut to the top 24 bowlers for round-robin match play.
The five finalists were determined by total pinfall, including bonus pins, for 56 games.
For more information about the U.S. Women’s Open, visit BOWL.com/USWomensOpen.
2022 U.S. Women’s Open
At Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center
South Glens Falls, N.Y.
Monday’s results
MATCH PLAY
(56 games, 30 bonus pins for a win, 15 bonus pins for a tie)
1, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 17-7-0, 12,428. 2, Jordan Richard, Maumee, Ohio, 15-9-0, 12,364. 3, Shannon O’Keefe, Shiloh, Ill., 15-9-0, 12,318. 4, Shayna Ng, Singapore, 18-6-0, 12,205. 5, Erin McCarthy, Elkhorn, Neb., 13-11-0, 12,150.
DID NOT ADVANCE
6, Cherie Tan, Singapore, 8-16-0, 12,087, $9,000. 7, Rocio Restrepo, Uniontown, Ohio, 12-12-0, 12,021, $8,000. 8, Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 11-13-0, 12,012, $7,000. 9, Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 15-9-0, 11,957, $6,500. 10, Missy Parkin, San Clemente, Calif., 12-12-0, 11,836, $6,000. 11, Verity Crawley, England, 10-14-0, 11,832, $5,500. 12, Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 14-10-0, 11,812, $5,000.
13, Olivia Farwell, Elizabethtown, Pa., 15-9-0, 11,805, $4,800. 14, Hope Gramly (n), Aubrey, Texas, 14-10-0, 11,794, $4,700. 15, Lindsay Boomershine, Brigham City, Utah, 7-17-0, 11,777, $4,600. 16, Shannon Sellens (n), Long Beach, N.Y., 11-13-0, 11,772, $4,500. 17, Birgit Noreiks, Germany, 10-13-1, 11,723, $4,400. 18, Josie Barnes, Hermitage, Tenn., 13-11-0, 11,682, $4,300.
19, Bryanna Coté, Tucson, Ariz., 11-12-1, 11,622, $4,200. 20, New Hui Fen, Singapore, 9-15-0, 11,612, $4,100. 21, Daphne Tan, Singapore, 9-15-0, 11,494, $4,000. 22, Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 9-14-1, 11,471, $3,900. 23, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 10-13-1, 11,435, $3,800. 24, Kerry Smith, Lititz, Pa., 8-16-0, 11,171, $3,700.
CHERIE TAN MAINTAINS LEAD AT 2022 U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN
By Emil Williams Jr.
SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – Through 24 games across three days and three different oil patterns, Singapore’s Cherie Tan maintained her three-day lead after the third round of qualifying at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open.
Tan averaged more than 230 on Saturday night to maintain the pole position and finished with a 24-game total of 5,180.
She was followed in the standings by Jordan Richard of Maumee, Ohio (5,110), Lindsay Boomershine of Brigham City, Utah (5,098), Singapore’s Shayna Ng (5,070) and Shannon Sellens of Long Beach, New York (5,063).
Also advancing is 2019 U.S. Women’s Open champion Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York (10th with 4,992), and six-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Liz Johnson of Niagara Falls, New York (13th with 4,980).
The top 30 players after 24 games advanced to Sunday’s fourth round, with the final spot going to reigning champion Josie Barnes of Hermitage, Tennessee, with a total of 4,774, a 198.9 average.
Competition at Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center continues Sunday at 10 a.m. Eastern with the fourth and final qualifying round on a 38-foot oil pattern.
Competitors will bowl an additional eight games before the field is cut to the top 24 athletes. Those players will then bowl 24 games of round-robin match play over two days, with seeding based on their 32-game pinfall totals.
There will be 30 bonus pins awarded for each win in match play, and the 56-game pinfall totals, including bonus pins, will determine the five players for the championship stepladder.
All rounds of qualifying and match play are being broadcast live at BowlTV.com through Monday night, and the event will conclude live Tuesday on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. Eastern.
The winner will take home the iconic U.S. Women’s Open trophy, coveted green jacket and $60,000 top prize.
It’s been business as usual for Tan, who now leads for the third consecutive day. While she struck often, her block wasn’t without a few hiccups of which she overcame.
“I think the fresh was a lot easier,” Tan said. “And then in the middle, I kind of ran into some trouble. I managed to string quite a few strikes, but I think on some pairs, the lanes were a little unpredictable because my ball just suddenly read up on a few pairs. Then I had a big, fat split in the middle of all the strikes, so I lost quite a lot of pins for a few games, and I think that was quite sad. But, I can’t complain because I’m still up there. It’s a new day tomorrow, so we’ll see how it goes.”
The three-time Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour champion will turn her attention to the fourth oil pattern, which has a significantly lower volume of oil (18.7 milliliters) than either of the previous three lane conditions. It also is the only pattern remaining and will be used for the fourth qualifying round, match play and the finals.
She’ll be working on adjusting her arsenal to help combat the new challenge. All 30 advancers will have the opportunity to practice on the 38-foot pattern at 8 a.m. Eastern prior to the start of Round 4.
“A few of them will be in play,” said Tan, with a laugh. “But, the rest look horrid. It’s a much lower volume, and it’s shorter, so I don’t think they look good. I think I’m drilling a couple of balls to see if I have a better reaction.”
Richard has been near the top of the standings all week but struggled to close out rounds on Thursday and Friday. She ended each of those blocks with games of 157 and 151, and had those games been closer to 200, she might have held the overall lead.
The two-time PWBA Tour champion was focused on making sure she finished Saturday’s round strong.
“It’s really frustrating to end that way,” said Richard, who had an eight-game block of 1,860. “If you take those two games out, I’m 150 over and leading. Of course, it’s not really what I’m thinking about, but I want to pick up as many pins as I can moving forward and to go 150, 150 is really defeating. But, I put it behind me after talking to my mom.
“I think I was more stressed going into Game 8. Then, I started the first frame with an open and I said, ‘Oh God, here we go again.’ But, I stayed patient. I got through the game, and I shot 220 (223) and finally finished it. So, it feels really good that I finally had a good day. And, it’s not that I wasn’t walking away happy every day, but that one game really puts a damper on things.”
There also were some major moves made in the standings by Singapore’s New Hui Fen and England’s Verity Crawley. New posted the highest block of the day with 1,934 and moved from 35th to eighth place during B squad Saturday night, while Crawley tossed an eight-game block of 1,881 to move from 43rd to 16th place. Crawley bowled Saturday afternoon during A squad.
For more information about the U.S. Women’s Open, visit BOWL.com/USWomensOpen.
2022 U.S. Women’s Open
At Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center
South Glens Falls, N.Y.
Saturday’s results
QUALIFYING
(24 games)
1, Cherie Tan, Singapore, 5,180. 2, Jordan Richard, Maumee, Ohio, 5,110. 3, Lindsay Boomershine, Brigham City, Utah, 5,098. 4, Shayna Ng, Singapore, 5,070. 5, Shannon Sellens (n), Long Beach, N.Y., 5,063. 6, Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 5,020.
7, Erin McCarthy, Elkhorn, Neb., 5,011. 8, New Hui Fen, Singapore, 5,008. 9, Shannon O’Keefe, Shiloh, Ill., 4,999. 10, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 4,992. 11, Rocio Restrepo, Uniontown, Ohio, 4,982. 12, Birgit Noreiks, Germany, 4,981.
13, Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 4,980. 14, Daphne Tan, Singapore, 4,931. 15, Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 4,930. 16, Verity Crawley, England, 4,925. 17, Missy Parkin, San Clemente, Calif., 4,904. 18, Bryanna Coté, Tucson, Ariz., 4,903.
19, Kerry Smith, Lititz, Pa., 4,902. 20, Kayla Bandy, Wichita, Kan., 4,877. 21, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 4,834. 22, Chelsey Klingler, Grand Rapids, Mich., 4,826. 23, Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 4,824. 24, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 4,809.
25, Olivia Farwell, Elizabethtown, Pa., 4,803. 26, Hope Gramly (n), Aubrey, Texas, 4,799. 27, Jenny Wegner, Sweden, 4,798. 28, Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 4,797. 29, Jen Higgins, Lewis Center, Ohio, 4,795. 30, Josie Barnes, Hermitage, Tenn., 4,774.
DID NOT ADVANCE
31, Victoria Johansson, Sweden, 4,757. 32, Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 4,751. 33, Maria José Rodriguez, Colombia, 4,750. 34, Taylor Bulthuis, New Port Richey, Fla., 4,746. 35(tie), Anna Andersson (n), Sweden, and Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wis., 4,738.
37, Daria Pajak, Poland, 4,730. 38, Estefania Cobo, Puerto Rico, 4,729. 39, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 4,728. 40, Josefin Hermansson (n), Sweden, 4,725. 41, Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., 4,718. 42, Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 4,716.
43, Maria Bulanova, Russia, 4,708. 44, Anneli Blomqvist, Sweden, 4,707. 45, Justyne Vukovich, New Stanton, Pa., 4,706. 46, Sofia Rodriguez Granda (n), Guatemala, 4,703. 47, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 4,701. 48, Elysia Current, Middletown, Del., 4,692.
49, Felicia Wong, Canada, 4,691. 50, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 4,679. 51, Kara Mangiola, Spencerport, N.Y., 4,678. 52, Katie Robb (n), Swedesboro, N.J., 4,664. 53, Sandra Gongora, Mexico, 4,661. 54, Nicollette Gaudette, Keller, Texas, 4,645.
55, Sarah Gill, Fitchburg, Mass., 4,642. 56, Ana Morales, Guatemala, 4,641. 57, Taylor Bailey, Jonesboro, Ark., 4,638. 58, Kayla Crawford, Silvis, Ill., 4,620. 59, Ashly Galante, Palm Harbor, Fla., 4,612. 60, Alexis Neuer, Milton, Pa., 4,580.
61, Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., 4,579. 62, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 4,564. 63, Melanie McDaniel, Joliet, Ill., 4,557. 64, Summer Jasmin, Beckley, W.Va., 4,542. 65, Marissa Allison, Sylvania, Ohio, 4,537. 66, Courtney Ermisch, Big Bend, Wis., 4,533.
67(tie), Mallory Clark, Auburn, Maine, and Sarah Klassen, Canada, 4,503. 69, Suzanne Morine (n), Castleton on Hudson, N.Y., 4,489. 70, Marcia Kloempken (n), Pleasant View, Utah, 4,488. 71, Lauren Pate, Ballwin, Mo., 4,484. 72, Jessica Earnest, Hermitage, Tenn., 4,479.
73(tie), Melissa Kammerer, Staten Island, N.Y., and Haley Richard, Tipton, Mich., 4,473. 75, Cajsa Wegner, Sweden, 4,449. 76, Kaylene Bishop, Medical Lake, Wash., 4,423. 77, Brooke Roberts (n), Port Orange, Fla., 4,412. 78, Stephanie Martins, Brazil, 4,399.
79, Wendy Bartaire-Jimenez, France, 4,382. 80, Maryssa Carey (n), Hobart, Ind., 4,378. 81, Brianna Andrew, Grand Rapids, Mich., 4,352. 82, Brooke Allen, Potosi, Wis., 4,324. 83, Danielle Knittle, State College, Pa., 4,287. 84, Jennifer Hocurscak, Orange, Conn., 4,272.
85, Jenna Rapach (n), Hazleton, Pa., 4,220. 86, Laura Plazas (n), Bogota, 4,197. 87, Tina LaCroix, Southampton, Mass., 4,148. 88, Lisa Timm, Auburn, Ill., 4,063. 89, Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., 2,862 (WD). 90, Alexandra Talerico, Rome, N.Y., 2,423 (WD).
LIZ JOHNSON NEARING TOP OF LEADERBOARD AT 2022 U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN
By Emil Williams Jr.
SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – With the grueling format and challenging lane conditions, experience can play a key role at the U.S. Women’s Open, and no one in this week’s field has more experience than six-time champion Liz Johnson of Niagara Falls, New York.
The 48-year-old right-hander had her experience on display Friday night on the flat and demanding 39-foot lane condition, tossing an eight-game block of 1,641 to move into second place with a 16-game total of 3,329. Singapore’s Cherie Tan added a second-round block of 1,601 and remained in the lead after two rounds with a 3,339 total.
They were followed in the standings by Stefanie Johnson of McKinney, Texas (3,287), Kayla Bandy of Wichita, Kansas (3,284), and Erin McCarthy of Elkhorn, Nebraska (3,274).
Competition at Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center continues Saturday at 8 a.m. Eastern with the third round of qualifying on a 42-foot oil pattern. Saturday’s round will determine the 30 players who advance to the fourth round and final oil pattern.
Those 30 competitors will bowl an additional eight games before the field is cut to the top 24 athletes. Those players will then bowl 24 games of round-robin match play over two days, with seeding based on their 32-game pinfall totals.
There will be 30 bonus pins awarded for each win in match play, and the 56-game pinfall totals, including bonus pins, will determine the five players for the championship stepladder.
All rounds of qualifying and match play are being broadcast live at BowlTV.com through Monday night, and the event will conclude live Tuesday on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. Eastern.
The winner will take home the iconic U.S. Women’s Open trophy, coveted green jacket and $60,000 top prize.
Liz Johnson was fueled by a strong start with games of 207, 225, 226 and 228 to open up the block and hung on for the final half with games of 187, 196, 184 and 188.
Her U.S. Women’s Open victories (1996, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017) are spread across three different decades, and a win this week would add a seventh victory in a fourth decade. On a day where the lanes were tough, and the strong-minded would remain in contention, Johnson relied on her experience and understood patience was a necessary attribute to possess.
“I think over the years, if anything, this event has taught me to be patient,” said Johnson, who won PWBA Player of the Year in 2015, 2016 and 2017. “Even during the first day, I didn’t start so well early on, but I hung in there for a good block. Tomorrow’s another day. It’s going to be another tough eight games, and I’m going to take it one day, one game at a time. It’s all you can do right now. You can’t look ahead. Again, patience is the key.”
Liz Johnson’s season to this point has been “OK” in her words, but she’s cashed in all seven events and has made match play or the top 12 in three events. She’s still producing and certainly capable of winning each time she laces up her shoes but understands the talent on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour continues to get better, yet she feels right at home at the U.S. Women’s Open.
“I feel like I could be better,” Johnson said. “I had a little doubt in my mind for this season because my legs weren’t working as well as I’d hoped. You have such great talent out here and it’s hard to keep up. So far, it’s been a bit consistent. I’ve been right around the top 12 every week and cashed every week. But, it’s the U.S. Open. It’s a long format, which is something I like, and the scores are low. The shot is really hard day to day, and this is something that I do like. The more games the better.”
The high block of the day belonged to Stefanie Johnson, who fired a 1,720 eight-game total to open up competition this morning on B squad. Johnson struggled on Thursday’s 44-foot oil pattern (1,567) and was outside of the cut line after the first round of qualifying.
She opened the block with a 266 game, which set the pace.
“Honestly, I felt yesterday, and I know we’re bowling on different patterns, I got trapped a lot just trying to change balls more than I probably needed to,” Stefanie Johnson said. “So today, I kind of stuck to the game plan of getting out of the gate strong with a ball that I was comfortable with and making moves with that ball until it wasn’t really an option.”
The 38-year-old right-hander was in danger of losing the cushion she built in the sixth game, when she couldn’t find a rhythm and was unable to strike. The U.S. Women’s Open is about digging deep and finding another level, and late in the game she was able to throw five consecutive strikes to save that game with 194, and maybe her tournament.
“Yeah, my back was against the wall,” Stefanie Johnson said. “That game I had 78 in the sixth frame, and I just knew if I didn’t make any sort of bold move, it was going to be a disaster. You just kind of dig deep in those moments and make the best shots that you can and let the pins fall how they do. Thankfully, I kind of salvaged that game and was able to move forward.”
Reigning champion Josie Barnes of Hermitage, Tennessee, is 30th with 3,131.
For more information about the U.S. Women’s Open, visit BOWL.com/USWomensOpen.
2022 U.S. Women’s Open
At Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center
South Glens Falls, N.Y.
Friday’s results
QUALIFYING
(16 games)
1, Cherie Tan, Singapore, 3,339. 2, Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 3,329. 3, Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 3,287. 4, Kayla Bandy, Wichita, Kan., 3,284. 5, Erin McCarthy, Elkhorn, Neb., 3,274. 6, Shannon O’Keefe, Shiloh, Ill., 3,271.
7, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 3,269. 8(tie), Rocio Restrepo, Uniontown, Ohio, and Lindsay Boomershine, Brigham City, Utah, 3,264. 10, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 3,257. 11, Birgit Noreiks, Germany, 3,254. 12(tie), Kerry Smith, Lititz, Pa., and Jordan Richard, Maumee, Ohio, 3,250.
14, Shannon Sellens (n), Long Beach, N.Y., 3,241. 15, Shayna Ng, Singapore, 3,227. 16, Bryanna Coté, Tucson, Ariz., 3,226. 17, Daphne Tan, Singapore, 3,219. 18, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 3,212.
19, Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wis., 3,207. 20(tie), Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, and Missy Parkin, San Clemente, Calif., 3,194. 22, Olivia Farwell, Elizabethtown, Pa., 3,193. 23, Hope Gramly (n), Aubrey, Texas, 3,191. 24, Felicia Wong, Canada, 3,190.
25, Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 3,186. 26, Daria Pajak, Poland, 3,158. 27, Sofia Rodriguez Granda (n), Guatemala, 3,149. 28, Taylor Bulthuis, New Port Richey, Fla., 3,136. 29, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 3,132. 30, Josie Barnes, Hermitage, Tenn., 3,131.
31, Sandra Gongora, Mexico, 3,100. 32, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 3,096. 33, Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 3,078. 34, Anna Andersson (n), Sweden, 3,077. 35, New Hui Fen, Singapore, 3,074. 36, Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., 3,069.
37, Maria Bulanova, Russia, 3,064. 38, Victoria Johansson, Sweden, 3,059. 39, Chelsey Klingler, Grand Rapids, Mich., 3,054. 40, Anneli Blomqvist, Sweden, 3,053. 41, Katie Robb (n), Swedesboro, N.J., 3,050. 42, Marissa Allison, Sylvania, Ohio, 3,049.
43, Verity Crawley, England, 3,044. 44, Sarah Klassen, Canada, 3,038. 45, Maria José Rodriguez, Colombia, 3,035. 46, Julia Bond, Aurora, Ill., 3,032. 47, Jessica Earnest, Hermitage, Tenn., 3,029.
48(tie), Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, Jen Higgins, Lewis Center, Ohio, and Jenny Wegner, Sweden, 3,023. 51, Elysia Current, Middletown, Del., 3,016. 52, Taylor Bailey, Jonesboro, Ark., 3,008.
53(tie), Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, and Estefania Cobo, Puerto Rico, 3,000. 55, Courtney Ermisch, Big Bend, Wis., 2,993. 56, Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, 2,986.
57, Haley Richard, Tipton, Mich., 2,982. 58(tie), Ana Morales, Guatemala, and Nicollette Gaudette, Keller, Texas, 2,979. 60, Suzanne Morine (n), Castleton on Hudson, N.Y., 2,975.
61, Justyne Vukovich, New Stanton, Pa., 2,974. 62(tie), Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., and Alexis Neuer, Milton, Pa., 2,958. 64, Stephanie Martins, Brazil, 2,957. 65, Kaylene Bishop, Medical Lake, Wash., 2,956. 66, Kayla Crawford, Silvis, Ill., 2,950.
67, Lauren Pate, Ballwin, Mo., 2,941. 68, Sarah Gill, Fitchburg, Mass., 2,923. 69, Marcia Kloempken (n), Pleasant View, Utah, 2,922. 70, Melissa Kammerer, Staten Island, N.Y., 2,902. 71(tie), Josefin Hermansson (n), Sweden, Maryssa Carey (n), Hobart, Ind., and Mallory Clark, Auburn, Maine, 2,899.
74(tie), Danielle Knittle, State College, Pa., and Jennifer Hocurscak, Orange, Conn., 2,894. 76, Kara Mangiola, Spencerport, N.Y., 2,889. 77, Melanie McDaniel, Joliet, Ill., 2,887. 78, Wendy Bartaire-Jimenez, France, 2,885.
79, Summer Jasmin, Beckley, W.Va., 2,883. 80, Ashly Galante, Palm Harbor, Fla., 2,856. 81, Cajsa Wegner, Sweden, 2,842. 82, Brianna Andrew, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2,817. 83, Brooke Roberts (n), Port Orange, Fla., 2,805. 84, Brooke Allen, Potosi, Wis., 2,795.
85, Jenna Rapach (n), Hazleton, Pa., 2,754. 86, Laura Plazas (n), Bogota, 2,688. 87, Tina LaCroix, Southampton, Mass., 2,684. 88, Lisa Timm, Auburn, Ill., 2,671. 89, Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., 2,862 (WD). 90, Alexandra Talerico, Rome, N.Y., 2,423 (WD).
CHERIE TAN LEADS AFTER FIRST ROUND AT 2022 U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN
By Emil Williams Jr.
SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – Singapore’s Cherie Tan averaged more than 217 to lead after the first round of qualifying at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open.
Tan fired an eight-game block of 1,938 during B squad Thursday afternoon on the event’s first of four lane conditions, a 44-foot oil pattern. She was joined in the top five by Lindsay Boomershine of Brigham City, Utah, and Hope Gramly of Aubrey, Texas (1,919), Kayla Bandy of Wichita, Kansas (1,909), and Jordan Richard of Maumee, Ohio, (1,896).
Competition at Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center will resume Friday at 8 a.m. Eastern with the second of three rounds of qualifying, this time on a flat 39-foot oil pattern.
A final eight games Saturday, which will be contested on a 42-foot oil pattern, will determine the 30 players who advance to the fourth round and final oil pattern. Those 30 competitors will bowl an additional eight games before the field is cut to the top 24 athletes. Those players will then bowl 24 games of round-robin match play over two days, with seeding based on their 32-game pinfall totals.
There will be 30 bonus pins awarded for each win in match play, and the 56-game pinfall totals, including bonus pins, will determine the five players for the championship stepladder.
All rounds of qualifying and match play are being broadcast live at BowlTV.com through Monday night, and the event will conclude live Tuesday on CBS Sports Network at 7 p.m. Eastern.
The winner will take home the iconic U.S. Women’s Open trophy, coveted green jacket and $60,000 top prize.
Tan, who collected her third career Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour title last week at the BowlTV Classic, is off to another good start at the most prestigious event of the season.
At the 2021 event at Double Decker Lanes in Rohnert Park, California, she also held the lead after the first day of competition and made a run to the title match, losing to reigning champion Josie Barnes of Hermitage, Tennessee.
The 34-year-old left-hander was consistent throughout the day with a high game of 246 and a low game of 199, especially considering she found the lanes to be very different from pair to pair throughout her eight games of competition.
“I think I was pretty consistent throughout all eight games,” Tan said. “It wasn’t very high or very low. I think the reaction pair to pair was actually quite different, so I was using different balls for every lane and every pair I went to. At the beginning of each game, I actually had a few opens here and there and was able to strike out to save myself. So, I think it was more of matching up the lanes with the equipment and keeping everything simple.”
Boomershine, who finished tied for 16th at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open, understands the grind of the event and how each day is its own unique challenge. But, once the day is complete, it’s on to the next.
“This is great,” Boomershine said. “I didn’t have the most consistent block and had a couple pairs where the transition was really difficult, but I only missed one makeable spare in eight games. My job’s done for today. I got the most pins I could and now I’m moving on. I’m already thinking about tomorrow, and the surfaces I need to change and how I’m going to play the lanes, because I know they’re going to be super flat. We always see a pattern like that, and it should test you and test your game to the utmost because this is the most prestigious tournament to win.”
Gramly, who finished fifth at her first United States Bowling Congress Queens appearance in May, also is competing in her first U.S. Women’s Open. The two-time National Tenpin Coaches Association Division II Player of the Year had simple goals for the first day but was able to get comfortable in an area of the lane she likes during the back half of her squad.
“My goal was to be as close to even as possible, fill frames and catch a few breaks,” Gramly said. “Eventually, I got comfortable and in the part of the lane that I consider my ‘A’ game, so I just kept executing the best shots I could and never looked back. I couldn’t have imagined a better start to the U.S. Women’s Open, and I’m only that much more excited for tomorrow. It’s going to be another great week of bowling.”
For more information about the U.S. Women’s Open, visit BOWL.com/USWomensOpen.
2022 U.S. Women’s Open
At Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center
South Glens Falls, N.Y.
Thursday’s results
QUALIFYING
(Eight games)
1, Cherie Tan, Singapore, 1,738. 2(tie), Lindsay Boomershine, Brigham City, Utah, and Hope Gramly (n), Aubrey, Texas, 1,719. 4, Kayla Bandy, Wichita, Kan., 1,709. 5, Jordan Richard, Maumee, Ohio, 1,696. 6, Kerry Smith, Lititz, Pa., 1,693.
7, Birgit Noreiks, Germany, 1,691. 8, Liz Johnson, Niagara Falls, N.Y., 1,688. 9, Shannon O’Keefe, Shiloh, Ill., 1,681. 10, Shannon Sellens (n), Long Beach, N.Y., 1,676. 11, Stephanie Zavala, Downey, Calif., 1,667. 12, Rocio Restrepo, Uniontown, Ohio, 1,664.
13, Felicia Wong, Canada, 1,663. 14, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 1,659. 15, Missy Parkin, San Clemente, Calif., 1,657. 16(tie), Daphne Tan, Singapore, and Olivia Farwell, Elizabethtown, Pa., 1,653. 18, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago, 1,649.
19, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 1,648. 20, Dasha Kovalova, Ukraine, 1,642. 21, Erin McCarthy, Elkhorn, Neb., 1,641. 22, Anneli Blomqvist, Sweden, 1,637. 23, Chelsey Klingler, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1,631. 24, Shayna Ng, Singapore, 1,618.
25, Sandra Gongora, Mexico, 1,613. 26, Verity Crawley, England, 1,612. 27, Sydney Brummett, Fort Wayne, Ind., 1,610. 28, Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 1,605. 29, Breanna Clemmer, Clover, S.C., 1,603. 30(tie), Katie Robb (n), Swedesboro, N.J., and Bryanna Coté, Tucson, Ariz., 1,600.
32, Taylor Bulthuis, New Port Richey, Fla., 1,594. 33, Josie Barnes, Hermitage, Tenn., 1,582. 34, Jessica Earnest, Hermitage, Tenn., 1,577. 35, Stephanie Schwartz, Racine, Wis., 1,575. 36(tie), Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, and Estefania Cobo, Puerto Rico, 1,567.
38, Julia Bond, Aurora, IL, 1,564. 39(tie), Jen Higgins, Lewis Center, Ohio, and Jenny Wegner, Sweden, 1,559. 41(tie), Mallory Clark, Auburn, Maine, and Sofia Rodriguez Granda (n), Guatemala, 1,551.
43, Daria Pajak, Poland, 1,550. 44, New Hui Fen, Singapore, 1,549. 45(tie), Jennifer Hocurscak, Orange, Conn., and Nicollette Gaudette, Keller, Texas, 1,544. 47, Danielle Knittle, State College, Pa., 1,533. 48, Summer Jasmin, Beckley, W.Va., 1,525.
49, Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia, 1,518. 50, Stephanie Martins, Brazil, 1,516. 51, Haley Richard, Tipton, Mich., 1,513. 52, Marissa Allison, Sylvania, Ohio, 1,505. 53, Justyne Vukovich, New Stanton, Pa., 1,501. 54(tie), Marcia Kloempken (n), Pleasant View, Utah, and Elysia Current, Middletown, Del., 1,497.
56, Suzanne Morine (n), Castleton on Hudson, N.Y., 1,492. 57, Brooke Allen, Potosi, Wis., 1,491. 58, Sarah Klassen, Canada, 1,489. 59, Alexis Neuer, Milton, Pa., 1,488. 60, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 1,486.
61, Victoria Johansson, Sweden, 1,482. 62, Maria Bulanova, Russia, 1,473. 63(tie), Kayla Crawford, Silvis, Ill., and Taylor Bailey, Jonesboro, Ark., 1,471. 65, Anna Andersson (n), Sweden, 1,469. 66, Lauren Pate, Ballwin, Mo., 1,468.
67, Maryssa Carey (n), Hobart, Ind., 1,465. 68(tie), Elise Bolton, Merritt Island, Fla., and Ana Morales, Guatemala, 1,463. 70, Josefin Hermansson (n), Sweden, 1,462. 71, Gazmine Mason, Cranston, R.I., 1,461. 72, Ashly Galante, Palm Harbor, Fla., 1,460.
73, Kara Mangiola, Spencerport, N.Y., 1,453. 74, Maria José Rodriguez, Colombia, 1,444. 75, Brooke Roberts (n), Port Orange, Fla., 1,443. 76, Wendy Bartaire-Jimenez, France, 1,427. 77, Melissa Kammerer, Staten Island, N.Y., 1,422. 78, Courtney Ermisch, Big Bend, Wis., 1,419.
79(tie), Jodi Woessner, Oregon, Ohio, Sarah Gill, Fitchburg, Mass., and Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y., 1,418. 82, Melanie McDaniel, Joliet, Ill., 1,415. 83, Kaylene Bishop, Medical Lake, Wash., 1,397. 84, Brianna Andrew, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1,386.
85, Laura Plazas (n), Bogota, 1,375. 86, Cajsa Wegner, Sweden, 1,366. 87, Tina LaCroix, Southampton, Mass., 1,355. 88, Jenna Rapach (n), Hazleton, Pa., 1,347. 89, Alexandra Talerico, Rome, N.Y., 1,319. 90, Lisa Timm, Auburn, Ill., 1,240.
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The International Bowling Campus (IBC) is the headquarters for the bowling industry and directly serves the more than 67 million bowlers in the United States. The IBC houses the resources of the United States Bowling Congress, the governing body and membership organization for the sport; the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, representing the business interests of bowling centers; IBC Youth Development; Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm for the industry; the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame; the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association; the International Bowling Media Association; the Bowling News Network; the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America; Bowlers Journal International and Bowling Center Management, the industry’s premier magazines; and the International Training and Research Center.
