Bowling Returns to TV Sunday with U.S. Women's Open Series

Courtesy of USBC media:

ARLINGTON, Texas - Bowling will make a highly-anticipated return to national television on Sept. 13 as the best women bowlers in the world battle for the title at the 2009 U.S. Women's Open, a USBC event.

The five-part series will air on ESPN on Sundays at 2 p.m. EDT, concluding on Oct. 18, and feature 12 of  the sport's most recognizable faces. The shows will air Sept. 13 and 20 and Oct. 4, 11 and 18. The field includes Team USA members, former professional stars, international standouts, collegiate champions, top amateurs and perhaps the comeback story of the year.



Bowling has been absent from the airwaves since the conclusion of the GEICO PBA Team Shootout, hosted by Six Flags, which ran on ESPN over four weeks in June and July.

The U.S. Women's Open is being shown on ESPN for the third consecutive year and features an exciting new format.

More than 170 competitors battled through 24 grueling games of qualifying Aug. 4-6 at Strike Zone Bowling Center inside the Sunset Station Hotel and Casino in Henderson, Nev., before the field was cut to the top 48 competitors for 16 additional games. After 40 games, the top 12 advanced to a single-elimination TV bracket.

The 12 players were divided into four sub-brackets, and on each of the first four telecasts, three players will face off for a spot on the final show, which airs on Oct. 11.

Any competitor who rolls a 300 game on one of the first four TV shows will receive a $25,000 bonus, while a perfect game in the semifinals or championship match (the fifth show), will earn $100,000. The TV schedule is subject to change.
TV PAIRINGS

Show 1 (Sept. 13 at 2 p.m. EDT on ESPN)

No. 5 Shalin Zulkifli, Malaysia vs. No. 12 Diandra Asbaty, Chicago
No. 4 Tammy Boomershine, North Ogden, Utah, vs. Zulkifli/Asbaty winner

Show 2 (Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. EDT on ESPN)
No. 6 Shannon Pluhowsky, Phoenix vs. No. 11 Kim Terrell-Kearney, Grand Prairie, Texas
No. 3 Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., vs. Pluhowsky/Terrell-Kearney winner

Show 3 (Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. EDT on ESPN)

No. 7 Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, vs. No. 10 Clara Guerrero, Pflugerville, Texas
No. 2 Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Texas, vs. Barnes/Guerrero winner
Show 4 (Oct. 11 at 2 p.m. EDT on ESPN)

No. 8 Liz Johnson, Cheektowaga, N.Y., vs. No. 9 Missy Bellinder, Fullerton, Calif.
No. 1 Shannon O'Keefe, Arlington, Texas, vs. Johnson/Bellinder winner

Show 5 (Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. EDT on ESPN)
Semifinals: Show 1 winner vs. Show 4 winner, and Show 2 winner vs. Show 3 winner
Championship: Semifinal winners